I Envy People that Have No Problem Clipping There Bunnies Nails!!

[mindy10]

So I have not cut Blossoms nails since April so I knew I had to do it. Well she was not being as cooperative as she was last time so I had to put her crack (papaya) in a box then she jumped in so I covered the box with a towel. Ran to the Dryer and put the box on there and then took her out and wraped the towel around her and had to have my husband hold her down while I pulled out her feet and clipped the nails. Of course im blind as a bat so it was so hard to see the quik and she kept pulling her feet back into the towel!! I was sweating like a pig the time i was done. But I finally got it done. Thank god im done now for another month!! I envy people that have a easy time clipping there rabbits nails!! LOL

[Usagi5]

I know! It’s not very easy for me either. Usagi was neutered today and they did it for me, so now I have a month until I need to do it again. I usually use the bunny burrito style though

[LoveChaCha]

It is not easy for me either. I have to trance Chacha, and sometimes she does not like it. But she gets treats afterward.

[RabbitPam]

I know just how you feel, and I went too long since my last trim, so finally did it 2 days ago. The last time she was unusually cooperative, and I couldn’t believe it.
This time I expected her to get back to her normal, running, flailing, growling self that she’s been for 3 years.
Well, to my surprise, she was the most cooperative I’ve ever seen! She let me hold her between my thighs without a towel burrito. (I squatted inside her xpen.) Got the front paws done, including that back nail that is easy to forget about.
Then she let me rest her back against my stomach and I did the back feet, one at a time, with a litter pan break in between. All done!
I tell you this because she used to be exactly like yours, but maybe with time and age, and no blood and a soothing voice, she has learned that it’s easier not to fight and just get it over with. I honestly don’t understand the change, but it is possible and I am grateful. So have hope!

[Elrohwen]

I hate doing nails! I used to pay $15 per bun to have it done at the vet, but now we don’t live all that close to the vet I trust, so we do it ourselves. DH and I always get so nervous before we do it, but each time it gets easier. We just had to figure out how to do it best for each bun – Otto is ok being picked up by DH while I trim. Hannah is *not* ok with being picked up, so she sits on the counter and DH kind of holds her down (usually with a towel wrapped around her a bit) and I pull her feet out one by one.

[Sarita]

I don’t mind on my large rabbits, it’s pretty easy but the little rabbits, not so easy…so my little one I have the vet’s office do when he gets his teeth done.

[tanlover14]

OMG — I’ve been so nervous about this! And the buns nails seem to grow like crazy! Our first little guy, Fleury, had them done by the vet when he went for his first checkup a few weeks ago and both him and our little girl bun are going for their neutering/spaying next Tuesday (which I’m dreading so bad!) so the vet will do them then also, so far we haven’t had to do them at all! But the third little guy we have, his nails are like daggers and he’s a lot easier to hold than the other two so I’m contemplating doing it since he’s already been altered (the breeder did it before we got him) and his first checkup isn’t until July 23rd! He scratched up my whole arm yesterday during bonding time trying to get out of the neutral zone but good Lord am I nervous to try to do them! And all our babies have really dark nails even the vet had a hard time finding the quick so she taught us how to cut them right where they start to curl so we can make sure we don’t hurt the little guys!

[RabbitPam]

I’ll give you my favorite piece of nail trim advice that has kept me from making a quik bleed for a long time now.
It’s a technique called “Press, Press, Clip” that I learned from an instructional video. (Not for sale unfortunately.)

Anyway, you take each nail between the clippers and just press down without cutting. Keep it in the same spot and do it twice, saying Press Press. Then, only if the bunny has NOT pulled it’s paw away suddenly, do you cut on the third press. Because, if on the first two you are too close and touch the quik, the bunny yanks his paw out of the way before you cut him and you don’t end up making him bleed. You take the nail again and set your clippers closer to the tip and further away from the quik on the next try. You’re letting the bunny help you find the safest spot to cut without bleeding. Do this with each nail on all the paws.

[tanlover14]

Thanks so much for that tip! It’s excellent. I’ve been terrified of hurting them since I imagine it would just make them despise every having their nails trimmed again.

[Malp_15]

Pam’s method is awesome! and don’t feel like a horrible mom if you happen to hit the quick!! we do it multiple times a day, every day and it just happens some times. As long as you have styptic powder/corn starch/whatever you choose to use and their favourite treat nearby, there will be no harm done

[CinnabunMom]

Clipping bunny nails terrifies me. The first time I tried Cinnabun got so upset about me trying the burrito and she hopped away, foot flicks and all, and I got overly upset at her being upset. So I had the vet do it instead.

[Stickerbunny]

Pam, that method would not work with my two they try to pull their feet back no matter what lol

All I do with my two, who hate being held and hate having their nails clipped is boyfriend sits in a chair and I give him the bun. He puts a light pressure on their shoulders (prevents them squirming) with one hand, the other supports their back legs/butt. Their bodies lay against his chest head at the chest, butt at his stomach. Then I go to one side, clip the nail of front, push the fur back and clip the back leg. Then walk around to the other side and repeat. Then they get a craisin, which they crawl all over his shoulders trying to get to their treat afterwards. Then back in their room they go. Takes about 5 minutes per bun. It did take a little while for boyfriend to figure out how to hold them properly though, he kept letting them escape first few times!

[Amys Animals]

Rascal must be the bunny sent from heaven then. He is so calm. He’ll let me do anything to him. I just clipped his nails the other day with no problem (except for the fact I was scared I was going to make him bleed) I flip him over and he just relaxes and lets me clip him. Now with the new bunny I don’t know how she’ll react to nail trimmings. =O

[bullrider76543]

all of mine have to be wrapped in a blanket except Mr. Hopper. We use that Pedi paws thing and it works pretty good on the younger ones, but mr. Hoppers are so thick I have to use cat clippers lol

[angelicvampyre]

I just flip all three on my lap and clip away, only issue is Bugz has really dark nails and I have made him bleed a few times the others are fine, maybe I am just lucky.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I don’t know what it is about bunnies and their hatred of nail clippings. Its like they expect you are going to rip them out! With my bunnies, it’s a two person job, there’s just no way I can do them without hubby holding them.

I felt like a bad Momma the other night, I made Storms nail bleed a bit. Does it actually hurt to cut into the quick? He didn’t act like it did and it only bled a tiny bit. His nails are hard because they are so tiny and dark. l love Bindis nails, they are big and see-through.

[Elrohwen]

LPT, I think it hurts a little bit, but I don’t think it’s more than what a paper cut would feel like to us. I’ve nicked my bunnies before and they don’t like it and become more fussy, but they don’t seem to notice it at all once they’re back in the cage.

[RabbitPam]

Just want to add that while they do pull their foot away no matter what, when you press the quik it is a really fast jerk back, more so than the struggle to get the foot free in general. I can’t explain it better, but it just feels like a different, more extreme motion when you’ve touched the quik. I really appreciate it, and it cuts down on the cuts. She may be cooperating more because she can do something about it before I hurt her. (Don’t you wish they could talk and tell us?)

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