Nails?

My rabbit absolutely HATES getting his nails trimmed. I know I don't clip too far, but he just hates being flipped on his back. I've tried holding him down and having someone else clip, holding him myself and clipping, swaddling him in a blanket to clip.. Every time I come out scathed and bloody! How can I make this easier and less stressful for him and me?!

With all my guys, I usually sit on my bed cross legged and then lay them with their head in the crook of my elbow. To keep from kicking/turning over, I find if you firmly hold them against you, and even hold their back feet steady, they won't have enough powerto be able to kick.

You can also try the method I use with Jasmine, my girl who gets terrified when she's flipped on her back. I put her on a towel on the deep freeze, and lean gently on her to make sure she can't rear up. Then I have one arm around the front of her so she can't jump forward and then my other armcurled around her back end (so she can't back up), then hold the paws with one hand a clip with the other. Then I just turn her around, and do the other side. Although she is pretty calm and sits still, so might be a problem if your bunny is hyper!

If all else fails, wearing a couple of long sleeved shirts and a thick sweatshirt is always good to avoid scratches!

Sounds a little like Dolla! only not that bad!

Will he let you cut them while sitting upright?
I clip the nails of rabbits at the shelter often. Sometimes with rabbits that dislike being on their backs I will sit them like they normally would and clip them like that. Does that make sense? I sort of worded weird!
If you can I'd give him something yummy to chew on to keep him occupied if you have him upright.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyyxQRoAhcw[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjLnJoVfSs8[/ame]

I cut the nails of 12 different bunnies today (2 mine, 2 bf's, 8 at the shelter!) I only had one big bleed, and just a few tiny bleeds. I always wear long sleeves myself. Most of the shelter bunnies don't trance, and the bf's and one of mine don't trance.

What works best is not letting them think they can run away from you to escape the nail trim. I hold the bunny with my left hand, and cut with my right hand. I sit crosslegged on the floor with my left arm at my side. The bunny's head goes between my elbow and my body and I hold around the chest with my left hand. Then, I have to guess how far to cut and cut with my right hand. I can cut all the nails and clean the scent glands this way. It's really important to have a firm grip on the chest so that they don't struggle when you cut--it seems like they squirm a bit when the nail is actually cut.

The bf's bunnies are tiny nethies, so this doesn't work for them. I also sit crosslegged for them, and hold them around the chest with the left hand. I put them belly-side up with the head on my right knee and the feet down in my lap. They squirm a ton so I need a stronger grip on their chest. Then I cut with the right hand.

good luck

tonyshuman wrote:

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What works best is not letting them think they can run away from you to escape the nail trim. I hold the bunny with my left hand, and cut with my right hand. I sit crosslegged on the floor with my left arm at my side. The bunny's head goes between my elbow and my body and I hold around the chest with my left hand. Then, I have to guess how far to cut and cut with my right hand. I can cut all the nails and clean the scent glands this way. It's really important to have a firm grip on the chest so that they don't struggle when you cut--it seems like they squirm a bit when the nail is actually cut.

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none of mine trance and this is my favoured method. sometimes i do get daughter to hold her whilst i trim. so that i can see what im doing i use hubby's torch that straps onto your head. it's really bright but with a daylight shine - not a yellow light - so that i can pick out the dark nail and not the dark quick:rollseyes

i would recommend wearing clothes that you dont mind wrecking tho:biggrin2:

I have hubby hold storm firmly like a baby. On his back like you would hold a new born.

Then I cuts it take a few second and storm is done for another month.

Thanks for some of the ideas.. I will have to keep trying the different techniques until he can somewhat tolerate it. Also how often are you supposed to clip them? Just once a month or sooner? I've had him for about 2 months and clipped him twice.. Seems to be doing fine at that rate.

check out bunny 101 in the lagomorph library part of the forum. there is an excellent post by jadeicing on nailclipping

I usually do every month, although I didn't use to remember until I started doing it for the shelter. Now the first Sunday of the month is Super Bunny Nail Trim Day.

My boyfriend holds my boys upright (holds under their bottoms with one hand, and around their chest with the other) and I wear gardening gloves for protection while I trim the nails. We've found that's the best method for us. The boys don't like being on their backs or tranced, so keeping them upright keeps them as calm as possible for a not-so-calm task.