3 Things That Can Happen If You Don’t Cut Your Guinea Pig’s Nails – Pocket Sized Pets

Guinea pigs need their nails cut regularly and it’s one of the things that has to be done so that they can remain as healthy as possible.

Their nails will constantly grow throughout their lives, so as their owner you’ll need to make sure that they stay trimmed down to a good level. But what can happen if you don’t cut a guinea pig’s nails?

If you don’t cut a guinea pig’s nails what can happen is their nails will start to curl up and they won’t be able to do some of their normal activities and can also sustain injuries if they’re left uncut for too long.

So because of that, it’s always a good idea to make sure that their nails are kept at a decent level.

That way you can do your best to avoid any unnecessary problems that can happen.

Guinea Pig Nails Can Start To Curl If You Don’t Cut Them

Some pet guinea pig owners will shy away from cutting their little pet’s nails.

That can sometimes be because they might not feel comfortable doing it yet, or their guinea pigs are new and they just haven’t gotten around to it.

So if you’re in one of those situations or a similar one where you haven’t cut your guinea pig’s nails then that’s definitely something that you’ll want to have done for them.

Because if their nails aren’t regularly trimmed then bad things can start to happen if they continue to grow.

One of the first things that will happen if you don’t cut your guinea pig’s nails is that they will grow so long that they will start to curl.

As time goes on the curled nails can go under their feet and when that happens it can lead to a lot of different issues.

The first problem that they’ll usually face once their nails start to curl is it will make it a little hard for them to move around.

It starts out by being slightly uncomfortable but then as they continue to grow it’ll get a lot harder for them to walk.

So moving around will slowly become something that they don’t like anymore because of how uncomfortable it will be to do it.

Uncut Nails Can Make It Hard For Guinea Pigs To Do Normal Activities

If a guinea pig’s nails are allowed to grow without being trimmed down then that can make it really painful for them to walk and do some of their normal activities.

For example, if it hurts too much to walk around then it’ll be a lot harder for them to be able to play with the other guinea pigs in their cage.

You have to remember that guinea pigs are smart and social animals, so playing and interacting with their cagemates is very important.

And if they’re not able to do that then that can be bad for their mental and physical health.

Another example of what can happen if their nails aren’t cut is it will be difficult for them to exercise properly.

When that happens they won’t be able to expend some of their pent-up energy and that can cause them to become restless, which can make it harder on you during the times when you try to calm them down.

An extreme example of what can happen if you don’t cut your guinea pig’s nails is it may become too painful for them to go get food.

That can cause weight loss and they can become malnourished if they’re not eating as much as they should.

A Guinea Pig That Doesn’t Have Their Nails Cut Can Get Injured Easily

Guinea pigs that don’t get their nails cut on a regular basis can get injuries as their nails continue to grow.

Their feet can slowly start to become injured as time goes on because their nails will start to curl up and dig into the pads on their feet as they put the weight of their body on them.

Guinea pigs are very active so they’ll usually still try to move around even if it’s slightly painful for them, and that can make the problem a whole lot worse.

For example, if their nails are so long and curled that they dig into their feet then that can sometimes cause infections if it’s not tended to.

You may also notice that their feet will get red and inflamed as the bottom of their feet get more and more irritated as well.

Thankfully though, injuries like those from their nails being too long usually only happen after a decent period of time and not right away.

Recommended: Best nail clippers for guinea pigs

Don’t Leave Your Guinea Pigs’ Nails Uncut

You should always try to have your guinea pig’s nails cut one way or another.

Because not being able to enjoy some of their favorite activities and getting injuries from not having them cut is not something that you want for them.

It can sometimes be a stressful and scary experience for you and your guinea pigs when you try to cut their nails.

They may try to squirm around and squeak a lot when you do it because it’s not something that feels natural to them.

But that doesn’t mean that you should avoid having it done because it’s something that you’ll have to do for their health and safety.

The good thing is that most guinea pigs can get used to having their nails cut, so you should still continue to try even if they seem uncomfortable when you’re doing it.

You can even have someone else help you when cutting their nails which can make that process a whole lot easier for you and your pet.

But if you still don’t feel comfortable cutting your guinea pig’s nails yourself, then it’s best to check with your local veterinarian to see if they offer that service or have information on where you can get it done.