New owner, first care question…those TOENAILS!

[gerber]

How am I ever going to be able to trim those toenails? The rabbit has been with us only a week and its hard enough getting her to allow me to pick her up to move her from her indoor habitat to her outdoor habitat, the last week has cost me some blood and a couple shirts!

I know how to hold the animal, and am learning how to gently corral her into her hutch when its time for free play to be over, but how in the world am I ever going to be able to trim her nails!?

 

Thoughts?

Hannah

[TH004]

My first bunny would sit on her back in my lap, but my rabbit now is too jumpy for that. So, my husband and I tag team it. I hold him in the control position (hand under butt and hand under arms with him against my stomach– he’s held vertical, like he’s standing up). He can’t move then and he understands that I’m in control. My husband can then freely cut his nails.

Good luck!!

[MayaConsuelo]

My bunny is very tame, but super-hyper and squirmy. I took him to get groomed today and it took 2 people and a towel to contain him, and he escaped many times… when I trim his nails at home, I do it when he’s sleepy (late afternoon) and I do just a few at a time. I’ll hold him down firmly, but not squeezing him, and get about 4 of his front nails before he gets ticked off and runs away. Then I’ll do the the other front nails the next day. For the back nails I hold the top half of his body up, with his back feet still on the ground, and clip a few at a time.
I’m unable to trance him, and the rabbit people with tons of experience couldn’t trance him either (by laying them on their backs, supposedly they’re supposed to calm down/freeze). I’ve never seen this with him.
Also, it sounds like your rabbit is much larger if she’s drawing blood and destroying your clothes in the process. I would wait awhile since it’s only been a week, she’ll calm down. My rabbit peed in tons of places (in spite of being litter trained) when he was new to my home, 5 months later he barely does it anymore… so it takes some time with them.

[LizzyBunny]

Gosh I feel lucky, when I take Thumper to get her nails trimmed she just sits there politely like she goes through this everyday. I find it so cute! I don’t know how common it is for rabbits to be that calm. My vet uses cat nail clippers that you can get at pet stores, the part that cuts is round. I suggest going to the vet first to see how they do it.

[Monkeybun]

It helps if you bring them to an unfamiliar place, like a bathroom counter, a room they have never been in before, etc. I can usually not handle my Monkey at home, but sometimes putting her on the counter makes her more easy to handle. She puts up with grooming there.

[Beka27]

I took my buns to the vet for nail trims for a long time until I felt comfortable doing it myself. For the first time, that’s what I would recommend. Since it is a new rabbit, you want to schedule an initial exam anyways, have the bunny checked out, and ask for a nail trim while you are there.

[longhairmike]

totally a 2-person job.. shana is the holder and i am the trimmer. we do them in the kitchen because the skylight allows me to see best.

nothing like walking into the kitchen barefoot at nite and stepping on a piece of clipped toenail though.

[Elrohwen]

I take my guys to the vet! I could probably do Otto myself now, but it would take forever and he would get so upset – when I take him to the vet they do it in less than a minute and he’s much quieter for them.

Hannah is impossible for us to pick up. She’s even tricky for the vet techs, so it’s definitely worth the money to take her in.

Sorry I’m not more help 😉 I like taking them to the vet because it lets me get comfortable picking them up on my own terms. I can get them comfortable with picking up without the stress of having to do nail trims every 4-6 weeks.

[FluffyBunny]

Once you’re more experienced handling your bunny, you could make a “bunny burrito” to “trance” your bunny; check this video out. When it’s done right, trancing is an easy, safe way to pretty much knock out a rabbit for a few minutes.

[Monkeybun]

http://www.youtube.com/watch

 

This is a video of me trimming a bunny’s nails. I put them on their backs with me on the floor, when I do trims somewhere besides my own house.

[Isabelle]

I established from day one when I got Dutchess that I would be picking her up everyday of her life, multiple times, and there was no choice. The first couple weeks she was wiggly and she had a play pen not free range, but since then (sometimes I have to chase her a bit), she’s a champ at letting me pick her up and snuggle, and now is free range for about 15 hours a day. That prep has helped, I flip her over (belly up) and hold her, and the vet tech trims her. I suggest going to the vet for a tech appointment once or twice so they can help show you how to do it, and explain how to handle a cuticle cut as well if that ever happens. It is a two person job for the majority of bunnies/people, one to hold and one to cut. At my house I could hold or I could cut, but my parents aren’t able to do either job (not that I would trust them anyway, lol), so we go to the vet every 8-12 weeks as needed.

It takes time to get good at picking up and such (for you and bunny), I’ve had Dutchess for six months now. I say tackle the initial bonding process with your bun first, nails can come later, unless they are grossly long. Spend time with her, lay on the floor and just let her sniff and hop around you, maybe walk on your back if she’ll hop up. The more trust you build the easier it will hopefully be to pick her up and such.

We want pictures of your bun!!!! ^____^

[Mr.Bill]

Yep, I use the “burrito” also.

I wrap them in a towel and lay them upside down on my lap. It allows me to pull one leg out at a time and use both hands to trim. I’ve also found it’s easier to make multiply little clips off each nail instead of one big one. Trying to take one big clip usually results in the buns trying to kick their leg around. Making multiple small cuts, it’s almost like gently shaving down the nail and the buns don’t seem to mind it at all.

[Bacuzoro]

It used to take me hours to do just one of my rabbit’s toenails so I would put it off as long as possible. After reading this, I got determined to try again and it only took me 10 minutes to do both my rabbits last night! I followed Monkeybun’s advice and took them somewhere they were not used to. I put them in the bathtub so they were sliding around and nervous. Then I picked them up, flipped them over, and clipped their nails with no fuss in just a few minutes. And to think, I had hours set aside to do this and had to find something else to do with the rest of my time. Thanks for the tip!

[Denise12]

Bump for recommendations on a clipper? I’ve never done Buster’s before!

[Elrohwen]

Denise, I prefer the ones that look like scissors, as opposed to the guillotine type. I bought some that were specifically meant for small animals like bunnies and ferrets and they work well, though the little finger holes feel like they’re for 10 year olds. Haha. In my experience dog clippers are much bigger and heavier weight and would be harder to maneuver around small bunnies which is why I like the small animal ones. They probably make small ones for cats too.

[Denise12]

Thanks…i found some at rabbit stop, but not sure which ones to get.

[Jenna, Chubs & Comet]

Nail trims are tricky to be sure. What color are your bunny’s nails? Luckily I have 2 buns with white nails which helps immensely. I got them done at the vet when I very first got my first bunny but it’s not actually so bad once you’re comfortable. The hardest part is catching them! Haha, they seem to somehow know when I’m planning to trim them. I usually hold them in trance position and then kind of place them in my criss crossed legs like that while using one hand to get their little paws. It becomes easier and easier…I went from the vet doing it to having someone help me do it to now being able to do it on my own. They still hate it but they get a few little craisins afterward and aside from a good thump and foot flick, they get over it

[DawnT]

I changed where I have my buns nails done.  I was taking them to the vet; which required an appointment plus a total of $24.00 for both rabbits.  I now take them to a groomer and they did them for $14.00.  I am just terrified to do them myself.  If I would accidently hurt him or her I would never forgive myself. 

I have watched videos. I bought everything you need, clippers and the stuff just in case the nail(s) bleed, I was all set up and I looked at her and said there is no way I can do this.  Now it’s off to the groomers because I am a scardy cat.

[Malp_15]

Wow it sounds like I’m lucky I just put tait on his back and make a trough in between my legs and he just stays there from day one I started daily examinations, checking paws and teeth so he would get used to it. Now I only do it a couple times a week and eventually I will only do it when I need to. I work at a vet office, so I just steal the cat scissor nail clippers for the night and they work great!

[BinkyBunny]

I have a clipper that has a little flashlight attached to the clipper which is VERY helpful for dark nails.  I can’t find who makes that clipper though.  I remember finding on a rabbit rescue website or something. IF I find it,  I will post it.  

Though I still will use the burrito method sometimes because I am pretty quick at it, I really like another method, from the NY HRS http://www.rabbitcare.org/video.htm)  that keeps a bunny relaxed in an upright position (sounds impossible right, but it does work).   But the DVD is pretty expensive, however, it goes to a good cause and I personally found it very helpful!. 

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