Nail trimming (video)

[Draenog]

I thought to share this here, maybe people are interested in it.

Here’s a little video that shows how I clip Loki’s nails. As you can see I scruff him and keep him on his back; that way he can’t ball up. The only thing he can do this way is pull his legs or wave them around a little. He doesn’t like nail clipping that much and this is the only way to keep him still. He struggles sometimes but now he gets that when he doesn’t move that much it only takes a few minutes and it isn’t that bad after all.

You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_jcYzV7C4o

[ktdid]

Woah! How do you pick him up like that? I'm pretty sure Fitz would never let me do that.

[Draenog]

It's called scruffing, you basically just take the loose skin of the neck/shoulder area between your fingers. Like you can do with a cat for example. Just put your fingers/thumb on either side of the hedgie right under the quills where the fur starts and lift him up. It's the easiest when they are relaxed. It's a bit hard to explain :P I got a couple of questions about it so tomorrow I'll try to film it.

[Tym4myself]

I could probably get Lucy like that, but there's no way I'd ever be able to hold Sparty that way. He's just a grouchy ball of pins when I hold him. His pins are SHARP! lol

[Shell]

One, that is So cute, two, she is adorable, and three, you make it look so easy. I'll be looking for your post of how to hold them like that without hurting them, and will attempt my first shot at it the way you do it. She looks so relaxed!
My Percy hates being upside down and flails like a mad man. I'm hoping grasping him can stop that and of course not freak him out too much.

[EnaEna]

Aw, adorable baby!

I've managed to quickly grab a foot and clip a nail or two as Earl Grey is walking around, but I'm so afraid I'm going to mess up one day. I'm very careful of not getting the quick, but still...

I'll have to try scruffing him. I'm just so afraid of hurting him or upsetting him... I'm such a pushover. lol

[Draenog]

Loki is a guy

He didn't like the scruffing in the beginning but I thought it would be a good thing to practice not only for nail clipping but also if the vet has to check something. Once you've tried it it's pretty easy.

Because he can't fully ball up like this it doesn't hurt to hold him but it's the easiest to pick them up if they are relaxed already so with a huffy hedgehog it would be more complicated. They are still able to move their legs though but a lot less than if you just keep them on their back :P

[LarryT]

He's so cute,cool, calm and collected!

[Draenog]

Thanks Larry! He is such a sweet boy


I tried to film how I pick Loki up that way for the people who asked about it. He wasn't that cooperative today but still I think you can see how I do it. First I try to make sure he's calm (he was a bit huffy) by petting him a little and making attempts to pick him up (before actually doing it) and then I just lift him up by the loose skin. As you can see he pulls his back feet in but he can't ball up fully. Usually he just sticks his legs out (as you can see in the nail clipping video) I didn't want to bother him more when it wasn't necessary so maybe a better video next time.
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo92c0b-y0k

[JulieAnne]

Prim fell sleep while I was doing hers lol