AboutJonathan Wright Expertise I can answer questions about wild mammals, as well as other wild animals. I can also answer questions on extinct animals and zoos.
PLEASE DON'T SEND ME ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PETS. IF YOU ARE REALLY WORRIED, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A VETERINARIAN. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT UNPAID PEOPLE ON ALLEXPERTS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY AND WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ADVICE THE MOMENT YOUR ANIMAL GETS ILL. Find out how to look after a pet before you get it. It is unfair to keep an animal in inappropriate conditions and give it the wrong food. If you can't keep an animal in good conditions, please don't bring it into your home. I'm not a vet and I don't have any expertise in animal medicine and care. I don't agree with people taking animals out of the wild and then expecting other people to give free advice on how to look after them. It is cruel to take animals away from their parents, who are able to look after the babies and may look for them, while putting their other babies at risk. You may need a licence to look after some animals. You may be breaking the law by keeping wild animals; please check with a local wildlife organisation.
IF YOU FIND AN INJURED ANIMAL, PLEASE CONTACT A WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN OR CHARITY AND LET TRAINED STAFF LOOK AFTER THE ANIMAL. DO NOT TRY TO LOOK AFTER AN INJURED ANIMAL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
Please do not remove eggs from nests. The mother birds will know the right temperature for the eggs and will not sit on them if the temperature is warm enough for them to develop naturally. It is illegal to remove eggs of some species and, unless you have an incubator or a broody hen, the egg may not develop. If you are allowed to touch the eggs, you can candle them (check details on websites) to see if the eggs are fertile. If the eggs are not fertile, they will not hatch.
I do not agree with fights between different animals. Please do not ask me questions about them.
Experience I have a zoology degree and have been interested in animals since I was two years old. I am a zoo volunteer at London Zoo. I have appeared on a BBC Radio Quiz, 'Wildbrain'.
Organizations World Wide Fund for Nature. Zoological Society of London. London Bat Group.
Publications Newsletters of London Zoo volunteers and the London Bat Group
Education/Credentials BSC degree in Zoology. 'A' levels in Zoology and Chemistry. 'O' Level in Biology.
Just a quick question for you. How do wild animals care for their claws? Do they clean them? Trim them (if they do trim them then how? examples are favoured here)?
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions.
-Tonisha
Answer Dear Tonisha
Thank you for your questions. I also wish to thank the authors of the websites I used.
Dana Krempels (http://en.allexperts.com/q/Wild-Animals-705/2008/7/claw-sharpening.htm) says that animals sharpen their claws by rasping them against a hard surface. Wild cats sharpen their claws by dragging them through wood or other similar substance. They don't usually dig the tips into the hardest part, but tend to find a groove and pull the claw down the groove.
Most cats protect their claws by retracting them into a sheath of skin when the claws are not in use. Cats also use their tongues to clean their paws. Anteaters rest their paws on their knickles when walking, so that their claws do not male contact with the ground.
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/smgame/lemmings.php says that the collared lemming grows enlarged claws on the third and fourth digits of its forefeet to dig through wind-packed snow. The claws slowly wear away and all claws have the same shape by spring.
Please note that there is not much information about claw care, but if claws are broken or lost, they can replace themselves, in the same way as human finger nails.
