BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Just wondering how everyone did this and how short they do it.


By the looks of it - Zach does it so there is no nail. Is this true???

I don;t have to, I just make sure there is enough rough stuff in his tank. I used a cinder block for a climbng/basking site.

If you are to cut them, make sure you have some corn starch or Kwick Stop on hand, and try not to hit the quick.

Blotch wrote:
By the looks of it - Zach does it so there is no nail. Is this true???

No!

That'd just be the angle of that particular photo. A skink's nails are important to help them grip while climbing and walking, to aid in propelling their body forwards. To remove or clip the entire nail without a valid reason like infection or injury would be cruel and pointless.

Think of bluey nails as a tiny version of dog's or cat's nails. There is a long curved nail with a "quick" down the centre. The quick is a live core of flesh with a nerve and blood supply. When you clip the nails, be sure just to nip the tip off the nail, or the quick will be cut and bleed. Also, maybe space it out, and only do one foot a day. This will be less stressful for the both of you.

The best time to do your skink's nails is when they are cold and sleepy. They will hold more still for you, and if you do cut the quick by accident, it will bleed less. If this does happen, keep them out of their tank or on paper towel for a few minutes until the bleeding stops. It doesn't hurt to dab a bit of betadine on the "bleeder" too. I've heard of a forum member who "pre-treats" her clippers in betadine before she starts for just this reason!

In terms of equipment, I use a regular set of human nail clippers. I hold the skink's body in the palm of my hand, with the fingertips holding the foot itself gently but firmly. I have heard of other forum members using nail files, having abrasive surfaces like a rough rock in the tank, or letting their skink roam on concrete outside as an alternative to clipping.

mouseinamilkbottle wrote:

Blotch wrote:
By the looks of it - Zach does it so there is no nail. Is this true???

No!

That'd just be the angle of that particular photo. A skink's nails are important to help them grip while climbing and walking, to aid in propelling their body forwards. To remove or clip the entire nail without a valid reason like infection or injury would be cruel and pointless.

An intentional pun was it

Each of my blueys are different. Some of them need a nail clipping on a regular basis and some seem to keep them trim themselves. Sometimes its only a few nails that actually need a trim. I bought reptile nail clippers. I find them easier then using human nail clippers. With my northerns and easterns, I just grab a foot and clip. Sometimes I put them at the edge of the table and trim while they are staring down and trying to decided if it was too high to jump. My keis and Indo are another story. None of them really like it and never stay still when I put them down. I wrap them in a towel or blanket and only take out a foot at a time. It's easier if someone else can hold them while I clip but since most of them don't like anyone but me (one of them doesn't even like me!) I've figured out how to do it myself. Alot of times I only get a foot or two done before they get really wiggly.

I have found that it helps to touch their toes as babies so that they are more tolerant to nail clipping later.

I have enough rough stuff around the tank. He keeps him his nails nice and trim. I am so glad because I would hate to trim them. Makes me nervous. Good luck

I don't and never would trim my blueys nails off. When i do trim them - I do them all in one hit, yeah they bleed - for all of 5 seconds and it's hardly any, but my blueys are generally cool with it.

I have rocks and stuff in my tanks but it does nothing for their nails.

i was just curious because of the pic - the blueys looks like he has no nails!

I think some blueys have obscenely short nails. Gargamel has these little stub nails, like nothing is there. I think Zach's Slurpy and Tiger's Phoebe, also has the stub nails.

I'm so glad this was brought up again... it's one of my main concerns with my new Bluey. Fortunately, I'm getting a pretty young baby so I'll take Ruth's advice and play with the "widdle toes" on a regular basis. (It worked for my Beardie rescue... he actually "likes" a pedicure right after his bath )

Thanks!

Someone really needs to post us some pics of the actual process. I don't ask for much, do I? I do much better with visual instructions, lol.

I'll do it

I have a cpl of blueys that need a trim - so i'll try doing it tonight.

Jenn,touching their toes while young, thats a great idea, I used to tickle his back feet to get him to come out from hidding, he now ignores it so should tolerate me clipping if need be

I agree with Luke.

Often times all the rocks and really rough material I put in my enclosures DO NOTHING to their nails.


But it is strange how some nails dont seem to grow and some do in certain skinks. Genetics.

Andrew

Marie wrote:I think some blueys have obscenely short nails. Gargamel has these little stub nails, like nothing is there. I think Zach's Slurpy and Tiger's Phoebe, also has the stub nails.

Yeah, Slurpy had NO nails at all for about 4 years, then one day they started growing and now I have to clip them; especially in the back. If you let your BTS' nails get fairly long, there will often be blood regardless of where you clip--because if they're severely long, you obviously have to shorten them, and that will cause bleeding because the nail had been growing for so long and the quick would be longer/fuller/whatever.

Remember to sterilize the clippers because the metal will often make brief contact with the bloodstream.

My bluey is very food motivated. I take a huge chunk of banana and lay it on my distal thigh. Then, I put my bluey on my lap so that he has to reach to get the banana chunk. He is so pre-occupied with catching his banana treat that he rarely notices I'm busy clipping nails. This is a little messy but it works for us. Try several methods and see what works for you and your bluey. Good luck!

I want to add that while rocks do nothing for trimming, something like a wood log has a coarser texture and does help. Also, flour can be used to stop blood so you don't need to get any particular products.