Bleeding nails

Nails trimmed too low will bleed and cause the guinea pig to squeak and feel pain. You can stop the bleeding by holding a tissue to the end of the nail until the blood flow stops, or dipping the nail in cornflour to clot it.

Overgrown nails

Overgrown nails start spiralling up and around like the end of a corkscrew. When the guinea pig puts weight on the nail, the weight encourages the nail to become pushed outwards and into a spiral. This is why guinea pigs must always have their nails trimmed on a regular basis. If they are left untrimmed, overgrown nails will cause the guinea pig difficulty and discomfort when walking. Please see my guide to nail clipping to help you keep their nails in top condition.