Ouch! Help please!

[OatisTinkerLuv]

Oatis, the sweetest most loving and gentle and darling rat in he wholeworld, loves to kiss me and press against me and walk all over me.  He likes to be touched!  There is a problem though: Oatis likes to walk on my face!  Today he scratched my lip and it started bleeding    My ratties are always scratching me, especial Oatis, since he is the biggest.  I guess I need to cut their nails--but how?  How far down do I cut the nails?  Should I cut the nail on every toe?  Should I cut their toes with a regular clipper?  How wil I get them to stay still?  How will I hold them?  There is so much you have to do!  I don't want to hurt the pumpkins!  HELP!

[Anna]

Ahh, clipping.
I clip regularly (weekly) some people don't at all. If you don't want to clip You can put a cement block in the bottom of their cage that they'll hopefully wear their nails down on.
But clipping-
I use gerber baby clippers, and have my bf hold the rat in a strong light. Under a bright light you can see where their nail veins are, and just clip gently in front of them.
My kids used to squeak, but they don't anymore. Too used to it I guess.
Good luck
Anna

[Suebee]

Actually, there is a pretty good explanation here:

http://www.goosemoose.com/rfc/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=264;start=0

Edit: Anna and I posted simultaneously

[Yresim]

I just discovered this and wanted to share...

Up until very recently, I was using standard nail clippers for my rat.  It was a nightmare every time.  She hated it, I hated it, and I had the hardest time trying to clip without hitting the quick with her jerking around like that.

I recently switched to clippers made especially for cats & kittens.  They are about 3-4" long, and they have a little hole for the nail, then you just clip.  All done.  No hassle, no fuss, no freaking out rattie or Yresim.  Just done.  

I have my brother hold her when I am clipping her nails.  I take gentle hold of her foot, put the clippers in the right place, and then quickly snip the end off.

I find that you only need to take off the very tip to keep from being scratched.  I do it this way because it minimizes the liklihood of catching her behind the quick.  However, it also means you need to clip more often.

Using a brick or concrete block in the cage also helps, if your rat is willing to climb/walk on it.  

Try to get some stypic powder (available at almost all pet stores) before you clip for the first time, just in case.