I Need Major Help With Nails!

I already searched the forums here to find answers for my question but none of them have helped so far. I've read article after article on nail clipping, watched tons of videos by people who clip nails all different ways and nothing has worked. So here's my problem.
Clyde is nine months old and has never had his nails clipped. I know that is AWFUL!! As far as nail clipping goes I am an awful Bunny Mommy. He just won't stay still!! I've tried the bunny burrito, wouldn't stay still long enough to get wrapped in the towel. I've tried holding him between my arm and my side like some suggest, he scratches me to death, I've tried turning him upside down to clip his nails he ABSOLUTELY will not let me turn him upside down. I've tried trapping him between my legs to hold him still but again I can't get him upside down. Having him sit on the floor like some do will not work because he won't stay still. He is a SUPER active rabbit and won't let anyone pick him up for any amount of time. I know that now that his nails have grown so long its a slow process cutting them back little by little each week..so I need to get it started soon. But how can I trim his nails if he won't let me pick him up, wrap him in a towel, hold him, or turn him upside down? He is a very loving rabbit except when it comes to nails..I don't understand why.
So please please help me. As far as nails go with Clyde I have no clue what to do..And I'm so sorry for letting it go this long with him, he just won't let me.
And please don't tell me that I've been neglectful because I KNOW that I have and you don't need to reply just to say that.

I suggest you take him in for a checkup & have nail trimming included. Then have the vet do it a few more times. Then after that it should be easier for you. That's how I did it. The 1st time I did it myself, Honey whimpered a little, which she hadn't done at the vet's., but I kept going & it was better after that.

I have clipped dozens of bunnies nails. I do my neighbors bunnies occasionally, and I used to clip stranger bunnies at the shelter I used to volunteer at. I had Kashi for five years, he used to let me hold him like a baby on his back and kiss his cheek, and he would PURR. The whole time I had him, I successfully clipped his nails ZERO times. Some bunnies just won't let their parents get away with it.

I never flip rabbits over to do nails, just makes them wriggle more. It's easier with two people - get someone to hold them as you would normally to your chest when carrying, then extract a paw and snip. One paw a day if they are fussy.

It would be of course, after I FINALLY bring up the major problem here that Clyde let's me clip his nails. I did what Tamsin said with my Mom and I think she's a rabbit whisperer. He has never held that still for me..and yet here he was sitting calmly in my Mothers lap letting me cut little bits off his nails. He is still upset with me though and hiding behind my dresser and refusing all treats and rewards! Of course!
So next question, how often should I trim them since they are still pretty long? I read once a week, is that true? Just until they get back to a shorter length and then I think its every 3 to 4 weeks. Honestly I barely took any off, maybe 1/8 of an inch because I didn't want to hurt him.
Thanks everyone. Everyone here is so helpful! =)

My son holds and I clip. I learned how to from our vets tech. Ask to be shown how they do it and use your bunny as the demo. I'd shcedule a nail trim ASAP if they haven't been done and he's 9 months.

I'm glad you got it done. I too was going to suggest a helper. From my experiences working in animal hospitals, it often seems that if a stranger is holding the animal, they're a little scared and less inclined to wiggle. Also people generally use less restraint with their own pets than may be truly necessary (the reason I had someone else hold my rabbits for their microchipping; I have no problem pinning someone else's dog to the ground when necessary but just can't do it with my own kiddos). I'd do it as often as he lets you if they're overgrown. With my newly adopted rabbits I generally trim their nails once a week until they're down to a good length.

I'm glad you managed Scamp always has a huff after too, don't worry they get over it pretty quick It really depends on the bunny and what they are doing how often you need to cut. I'm not sure how often I do it, just when they look long. If your bun has normal fur then they should end roughly in line with the fur. If they are too long then cutting a bit a week for a couple of weeks will help.

I just clip nails when they need it. I have clipped nails of hundreds of rabbit by my self. None of them have put up much struggle. You have to be force full and let them know who is boss. I do it sitting in a chair. I hold the bunny with my body (cant explain any better) and then hold the foot I want to clip with one hand and the nail clippers with the other. With the hand holding the foot I spread the toes out and get the fur out of the way, then clip the nails. I often change the position that the rabbit is in when I move to a different foot. For the back feet I flip the bunny over and hold the rabbit upside down in either my arm or between my legs.

As far as long nails that have not been clipped in a LONG time and the quick getting long, I have NEVER seen that. I often clip rabbits nails that have not been clipped in many months or over a year. I can easily clip 1" of nail off of each toe without getting close to the quick. I have learned how to see the quick on any rabbits nails, including dark nailed rabbits, in any lighting. There is a textural difference and a look of the nail where the quick ends. It is something that you learn after clipping hundreds of rabbits nails.

Thank you Idoerr for telling me about the quick. I'll be much more comfortable next time I need to clip his nails!
Clyde is a Mini Rex and I think that that is one breed where the nails don't line up with the fur or something like that. I think..keyword think!

Aww I have the same problem. He's only got his nails clipped once when he got neutered. I am a first time bunny owner and I don't want to mess up our bonding process. thankfully they don't look long. But soon I need to take him to get it done and I just know he will hate me bc he gets so stressed out and I feel so bad for him. I would do it here but I don't have the right clippers and I don't know how to successfully pick him up, and I don't know how to clip bunny nails. I'm good at doggie nails lol. Just scared I guess.

The breed that I clip the most nails on is Mini Rex. I breed them for 4 years. I have a friend who has over 200 rabbits and when I go over to her house I clip her rabbits nails for an hour (in return I get to rid her horses). She has mostly mini rex, but also has polish, english spots, and californinas.

Glorylocks said:

It would be of course, after I FINALLY bring up the major problem here that Clyde let's me clip his nails. I did what Tamsin said with my Mom and I think she's a rabbit whisperer. He has never held that still for me..and yet here he was sitting calmly in my Mothers lap letting me cut little bits off his nails. He is still upset with me though and hiding behind my dresser and refusing all treats and rewards! Of course!
So next question, how often should I trim them since they are still pretty long? I read once a week, is that true? Just until they get back to a shorter length and then I think its every 3 to 4 weeks. Honestly I barely took any off, maybe 1/8 of an inch because I didn't want to hurt him.
Thanks everyone. Everyone here is so helpful! =)

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if you clipped them very close to the quick, it'll probably be 2-3 weeks before they're long enough to do them again... if you left them longer, 1-2 weeks. once the quick has receded enough, you can do them every 4-6 weeks or so.

I wish I had friends with rabbits lol. I would pay them to cut his nails lol

If you can bring him to Spring TX I could clip his nails some weekends. (I spend most of the week in Brenham at college and go to my parents on the weekends).

^ I would love to but I currently am out of a vehicle. :'( mine went "ca-poo" and we sold it. Sitting at home is kinda boring after a few months...

Today is nail clipping day for Stitch, and I also thought it was going to be impossible. Honestly it was for a while. lol. I've discovered putting them into the carrier and moving them to a table gives it the vet feel, which I think helps. They don't want to go flying off the table. Although, It's incredibly difficult to cut Stitch's nails. He squirms like crazy. I don't have anyone else to help me, which is more of a challenge. I try and do a version of the burrito. lol. It usually doesn't last too long, but as long as I have him wrapped in a towel in some way, I'm usually able to get them clipped. It just takes a while, and I'm usually a sweaty mess from struggling with him. Covering their eyes helps a lot, and I just make sure they're able to breathe when they're in the towel.

Mumbles is so much easier to clip. He kind of gives up after fighting for a bit. lol.
Wish me luck w/Stitch today. They've already been thumping at me because I moved the couch around. lol.

Almost forgot-Nothing will be harder than cutting my hamster's nails.

Shmoo06 said:

Almost forgot-Nothing will be harder than cutting my hamster's nails.

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You have to cut hamsters nails??? I had 7 hamsters growing up and NEVER clipped their nails.

I've had luck putting my buns in a carrier and transferring them to a table (like Shmoo). Hubby holds them still and I cut. It works out well for us because they can't get traction and end up laying on their bellies with their back feet out behind them. Makes it easy to get to all 4 feet. :bunny19

My hands still tremble though because I get nervous. I just don't want to hurt my furry friends :nerves1