Hamster’s nails naturally wear down over time and do not need to be trimmed that often. Especially compared to other animals such as rabbits that must have their nails trimmed every few months. However, some hamsters may not wear them down as much or may have faster-growing nails. In these cases, hamster nails can become overgrown if they are not properly maintained.
The best way to maintain your hamster’s nails is through prevention. Provide natural materials in your hamster’s enclosure, such as rough rocks, to help wear down their nails. If your hamster’s nails start to curl, this is a sign that they must be trimmed. Their nails can be trimmed with baby-sized nail clippers or scissor-style nail clippers. See your local vet if you are not comfortable clipping your hamster’s nails yourself.
Why is it important to maintain your hamsters nails?
Hamster’s nails can become overgrown if they are not properly maintained. If this occurs, their nails can become curled, which causes several problems such as:
- Making eating difficult
- Causes issues when walking
- Nails can get caught in accessories and ripped out which is very painful for your hamster
If a hamster’s nails start to curl, they will have to be clipped.
How do I maintain hamsters nails?
The best way to maintain your hamster’s nails is through prevention. To help wear down your hamster’s nails you can add natural materials to their enclosure. Suitable materials include:
- Rough rocks
- Slate tiles
- Terracotta pots
- Cork and grapevines
- Other substrates such as sand baths or corn cob bedding
You should keep rough rocks in high-traffic areas to maximize the amount of time your hamster spends climbing over them. If you use rocks from outside, wash them with hot soapy water before adding them to their enclosure. Also, rocks should be rough rather than smooth so that they wear down the nails.
Slate tiles can be placed under their water dish or bottle, or their food dish, so that they are walking on it more often.
When should I clip my hamsters nails?
Hamster’s nails should be relatively short. If they start to curl a bit, this is a sign that they should be trimmed. Preventative measures such as rough rocks won’t wear them down if the nails are at this stage. They must be clipped.
Hamsters nails can be clipped with baby-sized nail clippers or scissor-style nail clippers.
If you are unsure or uncomfortable with clipping your hamster’s nails, visit your local vet that deals with hamsters. They will clip them for you and can show you how to do it yourself.