nail trimming guinea pig that bites?

What should i do? one of my guinea pigs bites and i'm pretty sure they NEED their nails done don't they? i mean i can hold the guinea pig for maybe a second then it jumps away and or bites.
Should i just bring it to a vet? I feel as if a dog groomer wouldn't know what to do with it. LOL. People have told me to take them there.

Hmmm i never heard of trimming a guinea pigs nails but i would let a professional do it.You could hurt their nails if you go to far when trimming them and hit a certain pressure point,just like dogs & cats!

You have two options, take the guinea pig to an exotic vet, or try to trim the nails yourself. To find a good exotic vet, use google, and call the place to make sure that they know how to trim guinea pig nails. Ok, now, if you want to try to do it yourself to save yourself lots of time and money, follow these steps, and the pictures. This is how my family takes care of our guinea pig's nails. You NEED two people.

1. Hold your guinea pig with one hand on the stomach and the other hand supporting the bottom. Hold the guinea pig close to your chest with their back against your chest. Here is a photo.
http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/assets/original/AD6CC4F2-967D-1E14-0A4693093D9C11F8.jpg

2. Have the other person hold the foot/paw of the guinea pig. It should be held firmly, but not so much that you are hurting the guinea pig.

3. Make sure you are using human nail clippers. They work the best because you can see the best, and they don't crack the nail. If you need one, here is a picture so you know exactly what I am talking about.
http://guitarfingernails.com/images/taskpics/nail-clippers.jpg

4. Clip the nail in small amounts to avoid cutting into the Kwik. Here is a diagram to help you.
http://www.comfycavies.com/images/grooming/nailcare.gif

So, I hope this helped. And, if you are worried about being bitten, wear gloves. Garden gloves that are clean work the best. After a while the guinea pig will be used to this process and you won't have to wear the gloves, but it is a good idea for the first few times. Good Luck.

Everything The Music of the Night! said is correct.

I also have a guinea pig that bites, and I don't use gloves. Instead, I have someone else hold a carrot for him to keep his mouth busy. It rewards him for not biting me, and makes the nail clipping a GOOD experience. But the glove thing is a fantastic idea if you're doing it alone.

Hi there.

Yes, in the situation that you're in, it might be a more sensible option to have your guinea-pig's nails trimmed at the vets; they've had loads of experience with handling animals which can be difficult at times, so your piggy will be in good hands - HOWEVER, THIS WILL MOST LIKELY COME AT A PRICE, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

If you choose to continue to trim your pet's nails yourself, make sure that you talk to it gently, and stroke it so that it feels reassured of your presence. Probably the best position to hold your guinea-pig in would to be place your hand on its shoulder firmly, so that it can't wriggle free of your grasp. Then, if you stand your pig upright, it will be able to plant its feet on your knees for support, whilst you clip the nails using clippers in your left/right hand - depending on which feels most comfortable to you.

Remember - only trim the white section (tip) of the guinea-pig's nail, as any further up will cause it to bleed and be uncomfortable for your pet. Also, don't be too concerned about your pig's front nails; these can be worn down quite easily by placing your pig on a hard surface (such as an outdoor concrete patio) and letting it run about.

Sometimes, if your guinea-pig feels that its nails are too long, you'll notice it lifting its hind legs up alternatively and biting the nails to wear them down naturally.

I hope that this advice has helped, and I apologise for any words which I may have mispelt; I'm kinda sleepy right now

I used Raebi's suggestion of a carrot on a blind guinea pig to have her chill. Biter's usually get rolled up into a Purrito with a towel. It's really easy to get the back feet that way and then some careful coaxing to get the front feet out of the toweling. Usually for the front feet the towel goes up over the head and keep them confused and hidden.

You have a better chance if the pig feels hidden if you can't satisfy them with food. Luckily my current biter doesn't give me any attitude when it's nail clipping time but she can still bite flat skin. Joy.

There are several options.

1. you could get someone to hold your piggy while you trim the nails (taking care not to cut to the quick, as this would hurt and it would bleed). If the nails are light in colour it is easier to see. If it doubt, cut less off rather than more.

2. you could wrap your piggy in a towel with the appropriate foot showing so you can trim the nails, then re-wrap and try another foot.

3. you can take you piggy to the vet for either the vet of a vet nurse to trim (you might help by holding your piggy while they do the trimming).

There are some helpful diagrams on the guinea lynx website:

http://www.guinealynx.info/nails.html

I use the clippers with the hole in the blade (like buttonhole scissor) as these don't squeeze the nail so much as flat human clippers do, and you have good control with the handles. Really it is what works best for you, and you feel confident with using.