Claw trouble

[Allthingsterrarium]

Hi guys! So does somebody by any chance have an easy and painless way to clip a badly deformed problem causing claw? Somehow at least a year ago my juvenile dragon either lost a claw on her front left foot or I messed up clipping it and now whenever it grows back it does so really abnormally. The best way to describe it is that it seems to grow almost sideways and then curve underneath. It's extremely hard to clip from that angle and she's been known to bite when irritated plus never fails to slice you to shreds when she kicks her feet all over so I don't think filing it down is very practical. I've been watching the claw for a few months now and I even put a block of natural sandstone in there in hopes that she would file down her claws including the deformed one on her own while she climbs around but I might have put it in too late. When I picked her up the other day and examined it the claw already seems to be touching the skin under her toe and it can't be comfortable to walk on.

 

[PatsyB]

Those are tough. Dexter has a few of them but luckily she is very calm and usually sits still for me to clip them. Use the smallest clippers you can find, kitten clippers would work well. Maybe if someone could hold her while you trim the nail.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Those are tough. Dexter has a few of them but luckily she is very calm and usually sits still for me to clip them. Use the smallest clippers you can find, kitten clippers would work well. Maybe if someone could hold her while you trim the nail.

I was certainly thinking I would probably end up just holding her. My Dad agreed to help snip the problem claw provided I restrained her well of course my cousin's coming over to visit later and she's a lot less squeamish than he is so she'll probably help lol. Whatever the case I'm probably going to end up putting in another chunk of sandstone to further file those velociraptor talons down.

 

[PatsyB]

Dexter’s have always grown funny. I think what happened was when she was a baby she always hung to her vines so her nails kinda curled in to grip them. They straightened out when I removed her vines and put in slate but she still has a few that curl.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Dexter’s have always grown funny. I think what happened was when she was a baby she always hung to her vines so her nails kinda curled in to grip them. They straightened out when I removed her vines and put in slate but she still has a few that curl.

Thanks PatsyB! That definitely makes a lot of sense. She hasn't always been the most coordinated when it comes to finding a place to rest (I swear sometimes she likes to sleep almost on her hind legs and draped upward against the glass) and she's always scratching at her tank sides so I guess some weird claw development from time to time is just unavoidable. I'll try hard to do what I can for her. It's good that she's so tough and independent.

 

[Hdrydr31]

I always trim my 3 when they are asleep I cover them and just expose 1 foot at a time.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

I always trim my 3 when they are asleep I cover them and just expose 1 foot at a time.

Thanks Hdrydr31! That's definitely a way I should try. I was able to get the deformed claw finally with a regular human nail clipper but I've also added a second sandstone block and I'm going to see if she'll let me trim the ones on her front feet at least. She'll wake up but like you say if she's half asleep she might be less inclined to get aggressive while I work on them.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Thanks Hdrydr31! That's definitely a way I should try. I was able to get the deformed claw finally with a regular human nail clipper but I've also added a second sandstone block and I'm going to see if she'll let me trim the ones on her front feet at least. She'll wake up but like you say if she's half asleep she might be less inclined to get aggressive while I work on them.

Yep it is just easier for me to do it when they have been sleeping and keeping them covered and just uncovering a foot at a time works.. Sometimes they will pull away or look at me like umm what are you doing mom.... but for the most part they don't have issue with it.