Pre Show clipping of sharp claw tips

First do not rush.  Keep calm and gentle but firm

with your rat.

Be prepared to have to keep re-positioning him

as he / she will keep attempting to make a dash

up your front to ' safety ' [ your shoulder ].

Spread it's digits and ONLY aim to cut 1 claw

tip at a time.  On the rear leg claws only aim

to square off the tip by trimming the sharp tip ( approx 1 m.m )

Do not grip a claw with the clippers because if he/she jerks suddenly the claw could be pulled out of the toe end,  so set your aim, hold toe steady and clip the sharp tip off in one quick positive movement.

As can be seen in these two lower pictures,  there

are two holding options for a Right handed person

as myself,  when dealing with the claw tips on the

front paws.  Sometimes with calm rats we can do

both its front claws while the rat is 'standing' in

our Left hand but we can always opt to lay him

out to the Left,  draw his front leg/ paw slightly

towards his tail so we can do the final job on his

Right front foot.

Be sure to sit in good bright Sunlight if possible.

I sit on a kitchen chair so that I can present a

knee for the rat to be comfortable on.

Remember as the rear claws are darker coloured

it is easier to misjudge & cut too much and cause

a bleed.    The front claws are easier. The claw

tends to grow a fragile glass-like arc about 1½ m.m long.  This breaks often if the rats has cause

to struggle say against a wooly jumper front.

It is much better to trim those glass arcs off

properly instead.

Not only essential for purposes of entering your rats in Shows but it also makes it less likely that the rat will cause ' self-inflicted' scratches on their backs and around their ears.

The contents of this page are the Copyright of Colin Arundel and may not be re produced elsewhere in any media without my permission.

Thank you.

18.11.2011