Do I really HAVE to trim their nails?

We just got done with playtime and I have been filleted like a fish! But I'm used to it and I guess I can live with it. I don't have a fancy wheel with a nail track in it yet, and my vet wants 2 arms and 3 legs to do it!!! I am scared to death of one of my gliders as she is an avid biter, and I am pretty sure it would be a horrific experience for both of them to be held down in a piece of fleece with me pinning down one foot at a time. My Bella is so sweet, but I am still sure having me do this to her would hurt our bond. Aside from being cut to pieces during playtime, is there REALLY any reason to trim their nails? They seem the same length to me that they have been since I got them 6 weeks ago...

It really depends on the glider. I know there are some people that have never trimmed their gliders nails (yes, ever) and the gliders do just fine. But if your glider is getting hung up (even just a quick two step) in fleece or any toys, etc. in the cage, then the nails need to be trimmed, because much worse could happen.

I have a couple of gliders that don't have to have their nails trimmed, if they are over-due their nails never get caught, they never have any problems, I just do it because I don't like being scratched.

But I also have gliders that if I leave them an extra week (I trim every two weeks) they will start catching their nails on their cage (reptarium) and pouches. They walk and suddenly just yank their hand or foot and I think, 'oh shoot, has it been that long?' and I get it done right then and there. So I try to keep them all on a consistent schedule.

Regardless of whether you clip nails or not, you need to make a habit of checking them over weekly (at least every two weeks); looking at their hands, feet, eyes, ears, patagium, legs, body and feeling for any changes. The better you get to know them and what is normal for how they look and feel the sooner you will know what isn't if something ever comes up. (And they will be better for vet visits as well - huge plus!)

I have to clip my girl every week or so, hers grow SO FAST! like I never even clipped. I hate doing it, but it truly has not given us a draw back in our bonding at all. the boys I haven't had to clip yet, and they still don't feel sharp at all. so I agree with Gretchen, depends on the glider.

It is the rarre occurance that I can even pick Donna up, much less examine her, without getting bitten. I let her knaw on my knuckles some, but then I have to wait a few days to let them heal before trying again. Slowly but surely... maybe. LOL Bella I am VERY familiar with! I think I know every littel knobby elbow on her little body! She's my sweety. But that Donna... Ooooh she can be nasty!

My crew get clipped every 2-4 weeks depending on the glider. Some grow fast others, not so much.
I use a pouch, just a single size and LOTS of mealies. I give a few mealies(I just drop a few in the pouch) and hold one foot out with the pouch sealed around it and clip as fast as I can.
Same process over till they are all done.

Shoot, Donna bites through the pouch if she feels restricted!

Robin,
My Pepe used to bite me through a double-layered pouch and HARD anytime I would try to trim his nails (he was a pitbull biter all the time). I finally started having my husband help me. He would wear leather carpenter's gloves and hold Pepe cupped in the palms. Then I could grab a hand or foot and trim the nails while he held Pepe securely. It took some trial and error to get it figured out so I wouldn't get bit, but we did finally get it down pat. I had to do this for about two years until we finally got him past his pitbull biting
I have had gliders' nails get too long before and have found them struggling because they got caught on a pouch or toy It's NOT a pretty sight and they could do a lot of harm to themselves in a hurry if you don't find them soon enough

I've never trimmed my gliders nails. The have wooden perches in their cages and make it a habit when I let them out to try and climb up my wooden tv stand. Usually they dig their nails in and end up sliding slowly down the stand. Seems to keep their own nails trim that way. Their feet don't get caught in their fleece or I would trim them.

I cut my gliders nails every week when I clean their cages. This way the are done and safe. Mine seem to grow so fast. I missed one week due to vacation and when I came home alot of them kept getting stuck on the fleece and my one boy started to freak out so I had to hurry up and get him and get him unstuck and then the nail clippers went to work on all of them. They bite me at times but I do not care as long as they are safe.

I watched a video on cutting glider nails ( on the Internet) and it was very good. She takes the glider into a pouch and closes it around the baby so he can't see her. ( eliminates them seeing who is doing the trimming!)..she then takes one foot at a time out of the pouch and trims their nails. She did is so fast and before you knew it, the nails were done! This was the method I had planned on doing, however, I bought a Stealth wheel with the 400 grit sand paper and I haven't had any long nail problems. It works great and filing down the nails..So it might be worth the investment to purchase one. I think I only paid around $35.00 and it is a large one. The smaller ones are less expensive..
Hope this helps some..

Donna

I can't let mine go more than 2 weeks. Like Amy, I take the bite.. better than anything serious happening to one of them. Ironically, my sweetest one is the WORST when it comes to doing nails!! LOL

My twins don't bite and I am so thankful for that. Last night, my little Doxie wanted to see what was in the cage. So I lifted him up.. Frick came immediately to the front of the cage to see him. First he smelled his paws then he did this loud Hissing sound that scared poor Snuggles and me at the same time! Frick came back to see him again, but this time, he just wanted to look..it was so funny..
Try the pouch way to trim the nails. This woman on U-tube did it with such ease. No biting and she also said to do it when they are really sleepy too..they are more relaxed she said..

Donna

Okay, I trimmed Bella's teeny tiny little nails tonight with complete success! I think she slept through the whole thing! LOL It felt so good to have her climbing all over me WITHOUT getting shredded!!!

Donna was another matter altogether. When I FINALLY got her to come out of the puch and wrapped up in the blanket (She crabbed very little), I had to really struggle to get a little foot out without getting within reach of her teeth! But I finally did, and guess what I found... her toenails are MUCH different!

Do gliders nails change with age??? I have long suspected that Donna is much older than Bella for several reasons. Can you tell by their nails?

Thanks to EVERYONE for your kind and generous suggestions and stories. You were all a big help!

(Mods: I got all the help I needed about trimming their nails if you wanna close this up. I'm opening a new thread to ask about aging older gliders.)

I'm with Donna (but I use 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper).......see this post.............and I have not had to trim any older gliders nails.....

http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/...lth_#Post645764

Locking this thread at originator's request.