Filing nails vs clipping

[trex]

I'm a little uneasy about clipping an animal's toenails as i know how painful it can be for mishaps on my own appendages.

I also realize that nail maintenance is a necessary part of BTS care, but is it acceptable to use a nail file to file down the claws instead of clipping them?

Trying to reduce as much bloodshed and uncomfiness as possible.

[Dakota]

I have only had to cut one nail (yes, only 1 nail) in my entire years of keeping BTS.. keep like a concrete tile in there on the basking area or mid-cage or something, and you won't have to.

[Nae]

I personally have never had to clip any of my skinks nails. A rough surface like a rock to crawl definitely helps to keep their nails down.

However I have had to trim my ferrets, mine and friends birds, my sisters guinea pigs, friends rabbits, all sorts of other teeny nails and have always used a pair of these -

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ippers.jpg

They are a lot more precise and dont seem to bother the animals as much as the normal pet clippers/other human nail clippers. One trick I used with my bird (whose nails I have only ever cut once in 10 years) was to leave him on a perch, and use the nail clippers to lift up his nail and position them in the clippers, rather than grabbing his foot. He just sat there and watched. Often I find with some animals, especially those who are fussy about having their feet touched like birds and reptiles, co operate more when you dont hold their feet against their will. I have not once hurt any animal whilst trimming their nails~

[BerserkApe]

Rocks in the enclosure do a spectacular job keeping nails down. I keep my skink entertained and trimmed by filling up his burrows and hides with small stones he has to dig out.

[Dood]

I use both methods.

Clipping is faster so an animal that hates their nails being done get clipped.

More tollerant animals get clipped if really long then ground smooth with a dremel tool sander. If they only need a touch up I may use an 50 cent emery board sold in most stores that sell cosmetics

[Richard.C]

A sand substrate is probably the best for nail maintenence,constantly keeps them in check,its the only method ive used that keeps there nails in check over many years,rocks,slate ect ect hasnt prevented nail growth in my experience with a number of substrates except for sand,thats just my experience though

A file may be tedious compared to clippers,takes longer especially with a bluey that doesnt want to play ball but if u keep on top of the maintenence there cant see it being a bad option if clippers arent preffered

[donkeybuff]

If you make a custom enclosure, using drylok to seal the wood helps a ton. It has a texture like concrete so that the skinks file their nails down when they burrow and touch the bottom/sides.

[BerserkApe]

If you make a custom enclosure, using drylok to seal the wood helps a ton. It has a texture like concrete so that the skinks file their nails down when they burrow and touch the bottom/sides.

So close to just building my own enclosure. I've got Parker in a 40gallon Breeder but I want to go bigger.

[Jeff]

Good advice above on how to lessen the chance that you need to trim them. Sometimes no matter what you do though, they still get overgrown. If that's the case, just dive in and cut them. If you're nervous, you will most likely cut LESS than you should rather than more. Once you do it a time or two it gets much easier.

[Richard.C]

And if u keep on top of it,its easier trimming slightly overgrown nails then extremely over grown