TROOPER'S NAILS ARE KIND OF LONG-ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO ???

[Trooper]

My 2 year old Trooper is a very active boy, with lots of room to play, run around and do climbing. Yet his front paws nails are kind of long or longer than his hind ones. Also they are longer than the two released 1 year old girls I have living in my backyard, outside.

He has some large river stones, elk horns attached to fixed places and climbs hard and woodsy surfaces, yet I think his claws looks like they are longer. My slight concern and ignorance about this is: do NR squirrels have issues with claws due to lack of full activity where it could result in a longer than natural claw length leading to something akin to incisive malocclusion? I attach some pics so you can see what I mean.

Thanks, Trooper's dad.

[Duckman]

Those nails don't look out of place to me. They may be longer then some, but I have seen wilds with longer than those. While I clip the nib (the very sharp point) off Rex's nails, they grow back in 3 days. Unless there is a reason to do so, I personally don't recommend clipping the nails, even on a NR. They instinctively know how to use them, and clipping them may put them in a situation where they might fall and hurt themselves. The only reason I clip Rex's at all, is because 1. He spends almost all his time on me, when he is out and 2. He knows how to climb without the sharp point (I have been clipping his nails since he was weeks old, mostly because I didn't know better!). Winkers has never had her claws clipped, and probably won't ever have them done.

[California Squirrel Lover]

Hey, I think we need more Trooper pics! :thumbsup :grin3

[Scooterzmom]

I've been using concrete perches/sticks for parrots to help my guys keep their claws shorter. It does not dull the claws completely - so they can still cling to things - but it does keep them shorter and wears them down a bit… therefore easier to keep off the skin or less likely to snag in clothes. I place the perches where the squirrel is likely to go over and over - like right outside his nest box or cube.


They cost next to nothing. Here is a link.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Living-World-Pedi-Perch-Assorted-Colors-Mini-4-75-in-/171205156652?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27dc9f5f2c&_uhb=1

[Charley Chuckles]

I use baby nail clippers and trim Simon's nails and sometimes Little Girl's if she is in the mood, but they have to let you do that or it could turn out bad :tilt and you only trim the tiny white part