Long nails a problem? 2nd Guinea Pig Needed?

Question
Thanks for your quick reply!!  Just a clarification on the nails, with regular clipping is the bloodline going to work its way back?  With their long length they do scratch my five year old.  How often should you normally clip their nails?
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Followup To

Question -
I am the mother of 4 (ages 5-16) who are enjoying their first pet and trying to do everything right.  We got snowball through the paper from a family that didn't have time for him (he didn't even have a name:(). They got him second hand, and were not completely sure of the age but we are figuring a couple years. He is male and we have had him for about 3 weeks.  We wonder about his previous care, however, we feel lucky that he seems very alert and healthy and he has taken on well to my children.  He loves to be held and petted and will sit on your lap and chirp in his little bed for as long as you want.
A couple questions:
1-His nails are long, and the bloodline is longer, probably from lack of being cut often enough. It is not to the point of being curved around, however, the back especially are longer that the ginea pigs I have seen at the pet store. (Maybe twice as long?)  We've cut his nails twice already in the white area to make sure the bloodline doesn't grow any longer.  Short of an expensive doctor's visit, is there anything we can do to work the nail back?
2-Although he obviously loves being held and will eat out of our hands, he often has a more difficult time getting out of his cage.  He'll get skittish and tense up when I try to pick him up (he does alot better with my 16 year old daughter). Is this just how ginea pigs are because they don't like being lifted up, or is this something we can retrain?  If he tenses like this should I not pick him up, even though very quickly we can get him chirping while petted?
3-We would prefer to just have this one guinea pig for now, however, is this fair to him?  From what I know, I think that he has been on his own most of his life.  With 4 kids and summer he is getting a fair amount of companionship right now.

Answer -
Hi Cami

Snowball sounds like a lovely pig, congratulations on your new arrival!

I will answer your questions in order!

1) You are doing exactly the right thing. Keep cutting the nails a little bit and that should help. It isnt a disaster if you cut through the blood line, you will just need to stem the flow. However, obviously its not a good idea!

2) Its the being lifted that is most likely to be the problem. Its the prey instict of the pig that causes his nervousness. He will get used to it and learn to trust you more eventually, but try bending down more to take him from his house and rise slower to your feet.

3) If your pig is getting lots of attention, which he obviously is, then he will be perfectly happy on his own. Ideally, piggies should be kept in pairs, but this is more important when there is less human contact.

All the best

andy

Answer
Hi again

My understanding is that by regular clipping the bloodline will work its way back, yes.

I give my pigs a daily inspection and the nails is one of the things I check. I therefore do it when it needs doing, which doesnt tend to be that often as they wear their nails out scampering around my yard! Probably once every few months is average.

andy