Nail cutting advice

I have a tegu and his nails get pretty sharp i have some rough rocks in the encolsure hoping he would file his nails down as he walked but it doesn't seem like enough. I need advice on the best way to cut or file the nails i have also heard of cauterizing the nails. Which way is the best?

Are you familiar with cutting dog nails? Same principle, don't get the quick, which you can easily see from under the nail, and use good sharp trimmers! It would be easiest to cut the nails when they are down for the night and still.

I'm not sure how well Tegus take to the water but my Savannah tends to wear down his nails naturally in his enclosure and in my bathtub.

My girlfriend is a dog groomer she has some really good dog nail trimmers. I put him in the tub but he doesnt move much he finds a spot and relaxs.

You don't need to trim them. They aren't meant to be handled and cuddled. Rocks/dirt/debri in a properly set up enclosure are enough to naturally wear them down to where they should be. Anything more is for you, and is nothing more than additional stress on the animal that it doesn't need.

You can use regular nail clippers to snip the sharp tips. Try not to take too much at once as you'll hit the quick, which is painful and will make it bleed. If you do accidentally hit it, you can use flour, cornstarch, or styptic powder to stop the bleeding. Just kind of pack it into the tip. The styptic powder is the best option, and you can find it at most pet stores.

I've never heard of cauterizing toenails to shorten them, not even sure how that would even work. We have cautery sticks at our clinic we use if we hit a bad bleeder, but that's about it.

Trim with pet nail trimmers. Try not to get the quick, but if you do it's not the end of the universe.

My monitors have plenty of dirt and rocks and such and their nails get hugely overgrown, even when Moggie had her outdoor enclosure with logs to climb on, mulch to dig in, rocks to lie on and turn over... her nails still got very overgrown. I cut them when they look too long, or they can and will break, which can be much worse than the "stress" of cutting the nail.

And tegus often seem to like contact and handling. My Groo used to follow me around and come climb into my lap in the outdoor cage. The monitors on the other hand.... not so much.

I have kept various species for several years now, ranging from 6'+ black throats, niles, and water monitors to indicus complex and boscs. I've never had an animal kept in a proper naturalistic environment have a nail issue, nor have I ever had them break...

Good for you.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Good for you.

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If you're having that much of an issue with nails, I would be willing to bet your enclosure is not set up properly. Any pictures of your set ups? I know of ZERO experienced knowledgeable keepers who have to go out of their way to stress their monitor to trim their nails. Sorry that you seem to value your ego pertaining to your husbandry above the health and stress of the animal ;)