Schmuzzle's Mom
11-12-2004, 07:46 AM
Hopefull this method has not been mentioned in another toenail clipping thread. I have had my hedgie for about 2 1/2 weeks now and she is about 10 weeks old. I was really worried about toenail clipping especially since she mostly stayed balled all the time and I could never even see her feet!!
She is getting better at being held and when really relaxed, I try to touch her feeties alot to familiarize her to it for the future (when she will let me see them that is). Here is what I tried yesterday.......
When she woke up from our cuddle time and seemed ready to be handled alot, I let her down. I let her run around a bit and tire out. Then when she came back and wanted to "hide" in my clothes, I picked her up and let her snuggle in. She still balls occasionally when picked up, but will relax and unball after a minute, staying loosly curved still, but not as tightly balled.
I gently wiggled my baby finger under her tummy until I could feel her hip and back leg. This seemed either to tickle or annoy her as she would try to ball up around my finger at first, then she got used to it and I could just gently hook my finger around her little leg adn tease it out of its cozy protection. Little by little as she relaxed with the rest of her body & head hidden in the blankie, she would let her leg be coaxed out eventually all the way. Then I could gently manipulate the foot that was hanging out of her blankie and get a decent trim job done. :applause: Only a couple of toes needed it anyway. She held quite still and let me handle each of her tiny toes as long as I went slowly. If she pulled it back in, I just started over. :)
We'll attempt front feet the same way and I will let you know. The other methods that I read about just wouldn't work for me as I felt that I could not get her foot to begin with cause she wouldn't hold still and and then if had to try to hold on to her little foot while she was pullin it away and it was just to jerky to do anything.
This way she stayed relaxed and cozy and thought she was getting to snuggle and "sleep" he he and we still got the job done. :laugh: Hope this might help someone who need to try this. By the way she is also quilling and extra grumpy, so have faith if your little hog is a tuffy, this seems to be a nice way to do this.
She is getting better at being held and when really relaxed, I try to touch her feeties alot to familiarize her to it for the future (when she will let me see them that is). Here is what I tried yesterday.......
When she woke up from our cuddle time and seemed ready to be handled alot, I let her down. I let her run around a bit and tire out. Then when she came back and wanted to "hide" in my clothes, I picked her up and let her snuggle in. She still balls occasionally when picked up, but will relax and unball after a minute, staying loosly curved still, but not as tightly balled.
I gently wiggled my baby finger under her tummy until I could feel her hip and back leg. This seemed either to tickle or annoy her as she would try to ball up around my finger at first, then she got used to it and I could just gently hook my finger around her little leg adn tease it out of its cozy protection. Little by little as she relaxed with the rest of her body & head hidden in the blankie, she would let her leg be coaxed out eventually all the way. Then I could gently manipulate the foot that was hanging out of her blankie and get a decent trim job done. :applause: Only a couple of toes needed it anyway. She held quite still and let me handle each of her tiny toes as long as I went slowly. If she pulled it back in, I just started over. :)
We'll attempt front feet the same way and I will let you know. The other methods that I read about just wouldn't work for me as I felt that I could not get her foot to begin with cause she wouldn't hold still and and then if had to try to hold on to her little foot while she was pullin it away and it was just to jerky to do anything.
This way she stayed relaxed and cozy and thought she was getting to snuggle and "sleep" he he and we still got the job done. :laugh: Hope this might help someone who need to try this. By the way she is also quilling and extra grumpy, so have faith if your little hog is a tuffy, this seems to be a nice way to do this.