The Easiest Way to Trim Ferret Nails

So you have those wiggly little guys always running around getting into trouble, but you've noticed their claws are too long and need trimmed. How do you keep these anxious animals to hold still to get them trimmed? Well, I've got the answer. It's important to keep your ferrets nails trimmed so they don't snag on blankets, clothing, or carpet. Ferrets can easily injure their legs if their nails go unchecked for too long.

Important Side Note on Nail Trims

When trimming ferrets nails, always be careful not to hit the "quick". The "quick" is the vein in their toenail that will bleed and be painful if you cut it. The "quick" can be identified easily on ferrets because their nails are thin and clear. The "quick" of the nail will be a pink or red colored line in the center of their nail. You want to trim the nail evenly below the "quick". If you hit the quick, their are various products that will stop the bleeding of the nail but these are beyond the scope of this article.

The Technique

The first thing you want to do is buy some Furovite or Ferret Lax. I give these to my ferrets a small daily treat so I always have some in stock. They are inexpensive (between $5 - $8) and last awhile. They are found in skinny tubes and have a sticky syrupy consistency. When my ferrets were young, they wouldn't eat it at first until I smeared a little on their noses. After tasting them, they will fall in love with it.

Next, flip the ferret over onto their back (so the stomach is facing the sky). Squeeze a small amount of the vitamin / lax onto the middle of their stomach. It must be low enough so they can reach it with their head, but not too low so they ball up. If the ferret doesn't see the treat, get their attention to it.

While the ferret is licking the treat from their stomach, their legs will be suspended and they will not struggle (in most cases). Now is the time to move in and clip their toenails. Be careful not to trim the "quick" and go through each pair of feet and you'll be done in no time. Hold the foot gently with one hand to manuever the nails as you clip with the other hand. You may need to reapply some treat if they eat it too quickly. Make sure you do not give them too much, read the bottles to make sure you don't give them too much treat in one day. As with all pets, its good to get your animals started in this habit early in their life so they are comfortable with it. You want to make this activity fun and rewarding for your pet. Good luck!