The Lesser of Two Evils: Advice Desperately Needed!

[Raelinn & Gus]

Hey all!

Semi new here, my name is Rae and I care for my seven month old Holland Lop, Guatavo -commonly referred to as Gus-. I bought Gus from a breeder impulsively (I now know better) at the beginning of the pandemic and since then he has taken over my life and I dedicate my time to make sure he is healthy and happy; he gets the whole kitchen to himself thanks to some cat friendly DIY door systems, tons of toys, and tons of love.

However, there is one thing neither I nor my significant other can do; nail trims. I’ve tried the bun-rito, and refuse to do the trance. When we got Gus he was about 2 months old, and his nails have gotten quite long since then. There is a place about ten minutes away who does bunny nail trims, but Gussy boy abhores car rides and is generally a pretty anxious bun. Little guy is scared of the oven turning on, the sink, you name it! Thankfully his neuter is scheduled for next month and they can trim his nails but, I don’t want to keep neglecting this part of his care. How can I trim his nails without scaring him and me? Should we bite the bullet and take him in the car to get them done professionally?

[DanaNM]

Do you have someone who can help you?

Here are a couple different methods that I like, depending on the bun:

Here’s a cool method involving training the bun to allow you to trim their nails without force: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEFrHZbw6tQ&list=PLn9xVcGXrVa5t-XUXErt_cTmjBPRKPnGZ&ab_channel=SarahOwings

I use something similar to this for most of my buns, but have a helper sometimes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9KemnaTGIs&t=88s&ab_channel=Howcast

For my squirmiest bun, I do need a helper, and I don’t hold him vertically or trance him. I basically hold him against my body like a little football, and only lift the part of his body with the foot that needs trimming. Then the helper trims that foot.

A ten minute drive is honestly not too bad! If none of those methods work I would just take him to have them done.  Tough love, ya know!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Raelinn & Gus]

Thank you so much!

I do have a helper, and will try these methods out! They seem a lot better than having to swaddle him and cause all that unneeded stress.

[DanaNM]

Sweet! Would love to hear what ends up working best for you 🙂

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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