Bunny Nail Trimming

katetehblue

I was wondering if anyone could help me out? I've got a bunny who needs to get her nails trimmed down, as picking her is more commonly ending up with me bleeding in some way. She's well excercised, but clearly her running around isn't wearing them down enough.

Would i be best off going to a vet or to a pet groomer? And would either be able to show me how to do it myself?

Much thanks in advance!

TooManyDogs

Ok this is going to seem bizarre when you first hear it but I turn my rabbits on their backs and hypnotise them, then cut their nails! Seriously! I can't remember who gave me the tip but it does work if you have a good relationship with your rabbits. If you put them upside down in your lap and gently rub their bellies they will gradually relax and go floppy, then you can quickly cut a few nails and rub again or if you have a helper get them to cut the nails or take over the rubbing. One of my rabbits used to sleep for ages in my lap after a nail cut! It saves on the blood spilling

Maggie.23

It's best to have a vet show you the first time, because you should only cut so far - there should not be bleeding. After that, you can buy a special scirrors for it online or in a pet shop, and follow the advice above, or else have someone else hold the bunny while you cut - that way you have your two hands free for a more secure grip.

cucoigcrice

Ask the vet to demostrate it first and they may be able to sell you some clippers. you need to be careful not to clip the quick. when i had rabbits i actually put some large rocks etc into their run so they would walk over them and the concrete etc would wear them down a little too.

Sigma Force

Agree, get the vet to show you how the first time round and then you'll be able to do it safely with no probs. Can be trickier if an animal has black nails.
The vet probably stocks that quick stop powder or whatever it's called it helps stop nails from bleeding if there is an accident or flour and water can be used in an emergency.

However best to avoid any accidents by getting the vet to show you, you don't need any fancy clippers usually a regular nail clippers should do the trick.

Another tip if you pick a few spots around the place where the rabbit tends to sit or jump over a lot put some rough bricks there so the rabbit has no choice but to step onto them a few times a day, could use one as a step into the hutch/cage or whatever so when the rabbit pops in and out the nails get a quick trim.

Wearing them down naturally saves a lot of hassle clipping is easy enough but nails that are clipped on some animals can grow off kilter with age I've found.

Oops just noticed the rock tip, it does work nicely.

Not many groomers (correct me if I'm wrong) tend to deal with rabbits although if you know a groomer that knows how to handle rabbits well don't see why not.

Oh and don't let the vets charge you a fortune for nail clipping, a fiver should be more than enough it only takes them a minute wouldn't be right for them to charge full whack for that.

animalcrazy

Well I have always done it myself, it isn't very difficult, but if you are feeling very nervous they can pick up on that. I wrap them in a towel with their feet sticking out, I sit them on my lap with my arm holding them, their bum on my lap and their back against my stomach then just clip away. I put a torch against their nails if they have dark nails to see the quick.