And the next stressful moment is......*drumroll*

[MiMi]

I've got to tackle clipping Icky's nails for the first time.

He's a pretty good-natured fella, so far. Huffs a bit when you first pick him up,
but settles in as soon as he realizes there are belly &/or chin rubs involved. Give him a blueberry or a sliver of chicken and suddenly he's Mr. Charming.

BUT....he's a little fussy about having his feet touched.
(just like my husband)

Any tips from the Forum before I attempt this?

[MiMi]

29 views, and not ONE person has any words of wisdom?


*sigh*

[BTSspartan]

if you normally give him 1 berry give him 2 instead or reward him more for having his feet touched

[Katrina]

Do a quick search or check the caresheet - this has been covered lots before so lots of wisdom is already available.

Other than going very slowly and carefully and perhaps a soak to soften the nails first, I'd suggest adding slate rock or other very rough surfaces to the tank. Enough rough, scratchy surfaces will keep nails down without any trimming required and will also be a big help in shedding! Good luck!

[Susann]

if you normally give him 1 berry give him 2 instead or reward him more for having his feet touched

Wish it were THAT easy!

If I remember correctly there was a section in the Caresheet that talked about how Zach and Holly clip nails.
Also, do a search on the topic.

I'm afraid it's one of those things that NOBODY feels like they have a good handle on.

I know there are some owners who keep nailgrowth down with the substrate they use.

Good luck!

edit: of course, Katrina and I answer at the same time with pretty much the same advice!

[MiMi]

Oh, I've read the care sheet...several times.
& I'll continue to read the caresheet, for future reference as well.
It's just that sometimes, actual conversation brings other points to light.
And, while I'm aware a great deal of you have been over & over & over this
(and countless other subjects) many many times,
I guess I was just hoping perhaps someone had something brilliant to add.
Some magical personal "Skink-whisperer" secret that they'd be dying to share
in order to make the teeniest tiniest of toes seem not quite so terrifying.

[Fatal_S]

Before I offer my "skink-whisperer" nail-clipping tips, consider:

Prevention: Rough rocks and branches and such in the home, and lots of exercise, can keep nails small and duller. You may still need to trim if they're small and pointy, but then it's only taking off the very tip, which is easier

Other options:
1) The 'windmill' option works well to dull pointy nails, but not for long-nails. If you just need to file down the nails, this may be the less-stressful way to go. With your skink on a rough surface (concrete/paved sidewalk for example), slightly lift the front of the skink. The idea is to get the skink to walk in place and get his nails worn down by him moving them over the ground. Then lift the back end and do the same.
2) Not-clipping. If there's no reason you need the nails done right now, consider just leaving them, and going the prevention route. If the skink is new, young, sick, etc, nails probably aren't important enough to stress about (unless it's curled badly and needs to be fixed ASAP).

With that in mind, lets move to clipping. Two things that help a lot: a warm bath and a helper.
Tips:
- Start with a warm bath. Just like with human nails, skink-nails get softer and less likely to break badly.
- You can use human clippers or small animal clippers (I prefer the latter for the round shape).
- Unlike humans, animal nails are usually better cut side-to-side, especially if you're cutting more than the very tips.
- You may need to wait for the skink to tire itself out if it's moving. They're cold-blooded, we can outwait them
- Have your helper hold the skink (if no helper, put on table or your lap). Consider wrapping in a towel if it helps to control the skink or make you/the helper feel better. The goal is to be in control of the paw, even if the rest of the skink moves.
- I hold the paw with the bottom facing up (arm alongside the body). I find this easier to get all the claws quickly.
- I find holding the paw firmly seems to work better than being too loose. With my dog I hold the toe itself. Think of it like if you have a papercut; you hold the finger below to dull the feeling. This seems to work with animals too. Don't be rough, but firm seems to work for me.
- The reptile nail has a quick, like a dog/cat/rabbit nail. There's blood in there. The goal is to cut the nail but not go so far as to hit the quick. Start with tiny cuts at first, especially if the nails are just sharp.
- If you hit the quick, there may be some blood. I put tissue on and hold it until the bleeding stops. Don't put the skink away until the bleeding has stopped. There are some products you can use to cover the injury/stop the bleeding.
- Do what you can, then stop and let everyone relax before ending. If the skink is calm, you can do all the nails. If the skink is stressed, consider just doing a paw. A treat afterwards is appreciated (also gives time for any bleeding to stop).

Once you do it a few times, it's not so scary. I tend to trim my adults nails before expos, and I've had to do major trims on some reptiles who've obviously never had it before, but for just at a home I don't bother, I've just gotten used to their nails.

Hope something helps, let me know if you have questions, and good luck.

[MiMi]

oooooo.....that is all awesome, thank-you.

His nails and feet in general seem to be in really great shape,
and he's already had one shed and only a few toes were fussy, but eventually came off quite clean.

I would like to clip-off the sharp tips of his nails,
mostly because he really seems to enjoy sitting on my shoulders & neck, and he's scratching me quite a bit.

I am mustering-up the confidence to do it, and I shall get out on a hunt for another rough granite flat stone.
I guess I'll be working on a larger enclosure for him sooner, rather than later.

Thank-you for those tips. Much appreciated.

[phaemas]

marvins the same way but what I did was I picked up his feet and flipped them over padd up and he stops moving them... like a horse:D

[JoshChimera]

My slow growing Tanimbar keeps his nails very trim climbing on his log hide. I used to clip my IJ's nails, the tips only with nail clippers.