Nail Trimming is an important part of caring for your ferrets. Its not too difficult to do and although its easier using pedipaws it can even be done with a regular pair of human nail clippers if there are two of you. Before you start you will want to get a couple of things together to be close as hand – a towel and some corn starch or Quick Stop.

If you have a helper get them to hold your ferret at the scruff of the neck and on the lower body while you hold the ferrets paw with one hand and prepare to trim the nail with the other. If you are using pedipaws you can just take hold of the ferret’s paw on your own.

One important thing you need to know about ferret nails is that they have a vein called a Quick in the centre of them. This gives the nail a reddish or pinkish colour and is actually a vein in the bottom part of the claw near to the skin. You do not want to cut this! Find the Quick and follow this until the nail turns completely white – this completely white part is what you want to trim – not the Quick.

Hold the paw still and trim the nail. Then proceed to trim the other nails. If your ferret gets restless don’t fight against them, let them play for a bit and then get your helper to pick them up again so you can resume trimming.

Now here’s the important part – If you cut the Quick do not panic. The vein will bleed and you need to stem this blood loss as soon as possible. Take your Quick Stop or fresh corn starch and apply to the area that is bleeding. Press it firmly into tihe nail and the bleeding should stop. If it doesn’t call your vetinarian immediately.

If you don’t feel confident cutting your ferrets claws your vetinarian can do this although there will probably be vets bills to consider. Getting yourself Pedipaws or similar will probably be a lot cheaper in the long run!