Nail Clippers - You can also use nail clippers designed for cats and other small animals. These look like little scissors with small notches toward the end of the blade for cutting the nail.
Doing the nails at least once a month is perfectly ok. Although nail clipping may be awkward and difficult at first, the more often you do it the more comfortable it will become for you and your guinea pig. More importantly, the longer the nails get, the harder they will be to trim. As the nails get longer the blood vessel gets longer too, and the nails will start to curl. Regular nail clipping helps keep the nails in good shape.
How to Clip the Nails - The trick to nail trims is to cut the sharp tip off the nail without cutting into the quick. The quick is the part inside the nail where the blood vessel and nerve endings are located, and if you cut into the quick, the nail will bleed and it will hurt your guinea pig.
If your guinea pig has light or translucent nails, the quick will be visible as the pink part inside the nail. Make your cut a bit in front of the quick; if you get too close it may still be a bit painful. See the diagram to the right for an illustration.
The tip of the nail is usually quite narrow and may almost appear hollow when viewed from the bottom. Otherwise, it is safest to just clip off about 1/4 inch of the nail tip.
If you have any doubts, it is wise to get a professional or other experienced owner to demonstrate a nail trim for you before you attempt nail clipping on your own.
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