Having trouble cutting nails

[JDro]

Hi All,

Our bunny hates being picked up and in fact never let’s us do it.  She used to let us cut a few nails here and there but is getting increasingly difficult.  We try to get her to relax and flop over and clip a few but she has been resistant to this too.

Any body else have rabbits that behaved similarly?  Any tricks that worked for you?  I watched some videos that say to put bunnies on a table and that they won’t jump off but I’m not convinced with ours….

One note is that she is very comfortable around us and has a strong bond with both me and my wife.  She plays with us and licks us all the time, but handling her is still off limits.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[Lemski]

We have the same issues with our two. One is a tad easier then the other. My husband usually holds them while I try and clip as fast as I can……….. that is  the only way. I’ve watched all the videos too and can’t do it alone. I’ve also been suggested the table however I’m not convinced they won’t hop off either.
I usually give a treat after in hopes they remember they will get a reward and be a little . Only one of mine has a decent bond with us. It probably would have been strong but I bonded them right after we got him. I’m convinced the female just doesn’t like people.

[pinkiemarie]

I’m going to be honest here, I pay my vet to do it and that’s always an option if you just can’t. I think I could use some of the techniques to do it myself on two of my rabbits but the third thrashes around if I pick him up and just kicks and thumps if I try to handle him in a way he doesn’t like on the floor, and a bunny burrito is too hard. So to avoid the minor stress of nail clipping with me he has to go all the way to the vet.

[Lemski]

Our vet does them too and I’ve been thinking about taking them there. My husband made me feel like a bad bun owner saying I should be able to take care of it myself etc. I told him people take their dogs to have their nails cut all the time so how is this any different. How often do you take them? I was also thinking of taking them once or twice and then attempting on my own. I don’t think their nails are as short as they could be but I’m too worried about cutting too low

[pinkiemarie]

Your husband just doesn’t realize that some rabbits are more difficult to handle than others and yours might be one of them. I think it’s a great idea to take them a couple of times and you can watch what method works for your vet with your rabbit. You can also have them show you how far to cut so you don’t have to worry about that.

 

Edit: they need it done about once a month but I’m not always johnny on the spot so sometimes it’s as much as 2 months. It really should be done more often than that though unless the bunny plays in a way that wears the nails down a lot.

 

[Meg]

I used to pay our bunny-pro sitter to come over and clip my bunnies’ nails because they were both very shy, hated being picked up, and it was always an ordeal for all of us.  Then the “press-press-clip” technique, along with the special positions, they explain, in this video changed everything!  We still don’t look forward to it, but it’s become totally doable now.  Highly recommend!  https://youtu.be/W9KemnaTGIs

[JDro]

Thanks all.  We would have the vet do it but she also hates car rides and our vet is 45 minutes away. We have been able to get a few nails here and there but it has been a process.  That video is definitely helpful but our bun is nowhere near that comfortable being handled.

[Meg]

Oh totally!  Mine neither.  What works is holding them on your lap on a couch or bed if they won’t jump off readily, or I guess something higher (a table?) if they would!  And having a buddy to help you hold them if they get too squirmy.  But even with nervous buns, I find those positions will work decently well.  (I might hold the bun with his back against my chest, using one hand to hold him around his ribcage while his back feet are on my lap, and then hokey-pokey one foot out in the way they show.)  And not being terrified of accidentally cutting the quick (since this technique will prevent it) helps a lot too.

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