The Puffer Forum

Hey Guys

Has anyone actually trimmed their puffers teeth before?

I was just wondering which is the best way to do it

I've read that you can use nail clippers but I want to know which is the best angle to cut the teeth

Which of these 2 diagrams do you think is the best way to do it?

use cuticle clippers (different from nail clippers) and use plan A

Step by step instructions & pics in the Library.

it would be awesome if you would post pictures/video, especially a closeup of when you actually cut the teeth.

LOL, all in that article, except a vid.

I know. And don't think I don't think the artical isn't helpful. It's great. It's just I know I will have to do it one day, and it's the kind of thing that worries me because I really don't want to mess up. Maybe it won't really help me do the procedure any better, but seeing it done a couple of times at least makes me feel better. So don't take any offense Pufferpunk, your articles have been very helpful to me.

I understand your worries, and about the article as a guide. When I first cut my SAP teeth I just didn't 'get' the article mainly because I was worried out of my mind. But, your Diagram A is exactly how you should do it. Cuticle clippers are the key.

The article explains the planning stage very well, if not the cutting. Maybe we can look at improving it. Follow the article to the letter for setting everything up and then use your Diagram A for the actual process of clipping the teeth. I take the puffer out of the anaesthetic pot, once it's asleep, in a really small net I have that pretty much just about holds the puffer. I tip it up so it's facing me out of the net, holding it through the net quite loosely in my hand so I don't damage it. I hold it so that my thumb is underneath its chin area, and my four fingers are around the top of the body kinda like this:



Puffers have lips, so be very careful when you clip their teeth. You can pull the lips back using your thumb on the puffer's belly to expose the teeth.

My best advice: if the puffer is in your hand (well, in the net, in your hand - don't touch it directly if you can avoid it) and you have the teeth exposed but can't get a good angle/approach then just shift the puffer a bit until you do. Use your gut feeling. If part of you thinks "I don't think this is a good idea" then don't go ahead with the clipping. Don't panic, just shift the puffer a little in your hand until you get a good approach.

It may take a few tries to clip enough off, but don't panic still.

So, my advice in short:
1. Hand position seemed to help for me; once I had that cracked I could handle the puffer and present the teeth easily;
2. Don't panic or rush - you are better off making sure you get a good angle;
3. Use a small net to contain the puffer (if it's a small puffer!) since it means you can effectively hold the whole thing in your hand which makes life easier.
4. Watch for the lips!

No offense taken!

Definately pull the lips back!

The first time I trimmed my SAP's teeth, I thought I did a good job until I shifted my grip and accidently pulled the lips back.. holy cow was there a lot more tooth under there to trim down!

Thanks everyone for the advise and articals

One thing I was wondering about is how does the puffer bite chunks off the food if it doesn't have any teeth left?

Will it just have to squash the food with it's blunt stumps?

Blunt stumps, nice! I think that you leave some tooth there.

Oh, absolutely there'll be some tooth left. I can't imagine how it would be possible to trim the whole thing down to nothing!
You only need to trim; when you see how little comes off when you actually come to trim, even though it seems like loads at the time, you'll see what I mean.

They'll cope! I wonder if there's a market out there for puffer dentures though