Hamsters’ nails grow continuously. While hamsters usually keep their nails at the right length through natural wear and tear, they can grow too long.
If a hamster’s nails start to curl, they’ve grown too long. You can cut them with strong clippers if the hamster is tame. Providing sand, rocks, wooden items, and soft sandpaper wears down the nails.
Trimming a hamster’s nails can cause stress, so overgrown nails are something you should seek to prevent rather than subsequently resolve.
How Long Should a Hamster’s Nails Be?
There are no set guidelines as to how long hamster nails should be. However, nails are considered too long when they begin to curl around. Overgrown nails are a problem for these reasons:
- Nails can get stuck or snag on the substrate.
- Hamsters find it difficult to groom themselves.
- Hamsters are more likely to scratch and hurt themselves.
- The nails can split, resulting in discomfort and bleeding, increasing the risk of infection.
- Long nails make it difficult for hamsters to run on exercise wheels.
- Hamsters with overgrown nails have difficulty holding their food.
- They accidentally hurt their owners during handling.
- The nails can grow back in on themselves, becoming ingrown.
You can tell when a hamster’s nails are too long by observing how they look. They need a trim if they’re no longer short and straight and begin to curl under themselves.
Elderly and sick hamsters are most likely to develop excessively long nails.
Should You Clip a Hamster’s Nails?
Overgrown hamster nails are painful and uncomfortable, so you mustn’t let them grow too long.
As mentioned, hamsters can keep their nails short through natural wear and tear. You can achieve this by placing abrasive accessories in the cage, like sand and a nailstone.
Sometimes, these items aren’t enough to prevent the nails from becoming overgrown. If so, you’ll need to clip them. This is safe as long as you know the process and are careful.
Inexperienced owners should seek assistance from a vet, as there’s a high chance of cutting the nails too short, causing bleeding and infection.
Do Vets Cut Hamsters Nails?
Vets trim nails, but it’s not the most straightforward procedure because most hamsters don’t cope well. As crepuscular animals, they must be woken up early to make the appointment.
Hamsters are wary of unfamiliar people due to their prey instincts, meaning they may not respond well to being handled. That said, the discomfort caused by overgrown nails outweighs this concern.
Vets have the tools to carry out a nail trim, and they also have nurses they can call upon for help.
As mentioned, sedation is an option they have at their disposal. Sedation can be risky, particularly if the hamster is old or unwell.
How Much Does It Cost To Get Your Hamster’s Nails Clipped?
All vets charge different consultation fees, which average $20-$60, while the nail clipping procedure costs around $10-$20. Sedation costs more, so this needs to be considered.
How To Clip A Hamster’s Nails
Follow these steps to trim your hamster’s claws:
Nail Clipping Equipment
Regular nail clippers won’t be sharp enough, so you’ll need the following:
- Strong clippers. You’ll need these to cut through a hamster’s tough nails.
- Thick gloves. These will protect your hands from scratches and bites.
Also, watch online videos to educate yourself regarding what to do.
Restraint
If you have a tame, calm hamster, it may allow you to trim its nails.
According to Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents, pet rodents used to frequent handling usually only require minimal constraint. Many hamsters won’t allow this, though.
Animals that aren’t as cooperative need to be restrained with a towel or blanket. Unfortunately, if your hamster’s not tame enough for you to handle it and trim its nails, it must be done by a vet.
Practice Holding The Hamster
Before attempting to trim a hamster’s nails, spend time getting the hamster used to being held in a suitable nail-trimming position.
Find a comfortable position for you both. This could be upright so that its paws sit above your fingers or flat while you grasp its feet within your hands.
Spend some time holding the hamster’s paws, grasping them firmly without hurting your pet hamster.
Once the hamster stays still while you handle it, reward it with a treat. Keep repeating this until the hamster seems comfortable for long enough to trim its nails.
Find The Quick
Familiarize yourself with the hamster’s nails, paying attention to the location of the quick.
The quick is the center of the nail where the nerves and blood supply are located. If you snip the quick, the nails will bleed, which will be extremely painful.
To find the quick, look for the part of the nail that’s cloudy, which is where the nail meets the foot.
Clip The Nails
Hold the clippers in your dominant hand and the hamster with the other, ensuring you have a firm grip. Clip the nails individually, looking at each as you clip them.
You may need to take regular breaks to give your hamster a chance to recover.
How Do Hamsters Shorten Their Nails?
Wild hamsters keep their nails healthy by:
- Digging.
- Walking and running over wood.
- Treading on stones and other abrasive materials.
- Bathing in a sand bath.
- Foraging for food.
Captive hamsters need the same opportunities to keep their nails in check.
How To Keep Hamster Nails Short
It’s easier to keep a hamster’s nails short than clip them when they grow too long. You can achieve this by adding the following items to the hamster’s enclosure:
Hamster Nail Stone
A hamster nail stone provides an abrasive surface that files the nails down every time the hamster walks over it. Better still, add some rocks to the enclosure.
The stones you choose should be rough without sharp points. Ensure the rocks are flat so your hamster can tread on them without hurting its feet.
Stones small enough for your hamster to pouch are dangerous, so they should be avoided.
Sand
Sand is an excellent substrate for keeping nails short. Live Science explains how sand is naturally found in their environment, which is a vital material for captive hamsters.
Hamsters clean with sand, coating their fur by rolling around and rubbing themselves in it. The abrasive nature of sand means that excess oils, dirt, and debris are removed.
The added benefit of sand is that the rough texture files the nails down naturally, keeping them healthy. Most hamsters bathe in sand multiple times a night, allowing them to shorten their nails.
Wooden Accessories
While not quite as abrasive as sand or rocks, wood keeps the nails filed alongside sand and stones.
Wooden bendy bridges and cork logs are recommended accessories for the cage.
Sandpaper
Soft sandpaper leads to healthy nails. The most suitable type of sandpaper for hamster nails is the smallest-sized grit, like the paper used on an emery board.
You can place it next to your hamster’s food bowl, where you know the nails will be exposed. However, if you notice the hamster’s nails bleeding, remove the paper, as it may be too abrasive.
Long nails are a problem, so check them during handling to ensure they’re not curling around.
