Trimming your hedghogs' nails doesn't have to be scary! In this video we show how we do it. It's not the only method, but it's what we found worked best.

Step 1: desensitization!
A good nail trim happens long before the actual trim. If your hedgie is used to having their paws touched, they won't mind as much when you trim their nails. (It will also make the vets' job a little easier if your hedgie tolerates paw touches) Practice lightly petting all their paws, holding it, and just interacting with them in general. This steps makes you and your hedgehog more comfortable with paw handling.

Step 2: setup!
We trim nails in the bath for a few reasons. The two main ones being that the claws will be softer and that hedgies are less likely to ball up in the bath. It's also nice to have a routine so that your hedgehog (kind of) knows what's going on.

Step 3: plan the trim!
Only trim the growth of the nail. This can look white or yellow. Do not trim the quick (pink), that is the living part that has nerves and blood vessels. If in doubt, ask your vet where to trim.

NB: if you don't trim your hedgies' nails they can become overgrown and cause them discomfort, pain, and medical issues. If your new hedgie came home with overgrown nails (Mr.Meatballs' case), then you will need to correct it. This is done by doing little trims often over a long period of time (it took us months!). This makes the quick recede and eventually the nail will be normal length again.

Step 4: the actual trim!
Hold the paw firmly between your fingers, not squeezing so tight that it pinches, but enough so that they can't pull their paw back and risk hurting themselves. If your hedgie starts to struggle, let the paw go and take a little break before trying again.

Always double check before trimming: measure twice, cut once!

Pro tip! You don't have to get all the paws done in one sitting! You can do it over many days! When we first got Mr.Meatball, we only trimmed one paw at a time so it would be a short experience for him to get used to. Now we do all four paws at once with no issue.

Popular questions:
Q: how often do you trim the nails?
A: depends on the hedgie! (the most vague answer). Mr.Meatball runs lots, so his nails end up shorter to begin with. We recommend checking your hedgies' nails weekly to see how fast they grow.

Q: how short should hedgie nails be?
A: short enough that they don't make "click click" sounds when they run on hardwood floors or scratch when they run on their wheel.

Q: I don't have small animal nail clippers, what else can I use?
A: baby nail clippers work fine too! We use the blue small animal once because it was on sale when purchased.

Would you guys be interested in videos of other nail trim methods? Let me know!

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Hedgehogs are exotic pets and have special needs, please research before getting one. Have any questions, or things you would like to see? Leave a comment below! Likes are always appreciated! ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Song: A New Day/ BGM, by Daystar