my sons geckos

Question
My son has two geckos one has long nails the other has no nails,do we have to have the long nails clipped as not sure?thank you can you help?Emma

Answer
Hi Emma, It's unlikely that you have to clip the nails for the comfort of the gecko. Unless the nails have grown so long that they prevent the toes from touching the ground in a normal way. I'm assuming these may be leopard geckos that your son likes to handle on occasion. You may certainly clip the nails slightly if he is getting scratched or handling the gecko has become uncomfortable.
I would advise you to take off just the tips and have some "quik stop" on hand. It is a powder sold in pet stores that stops bleeding nails. Alternately, a styptic pencil can be used. These are available at drug stores for shaving cuts. Holding the nail before a bright light should allow you to see and avoid the small vein in the nail.