is this inhumaine?

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picklezon

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ok so im going to find a vet to neuter copper... and he's also type of rabbit that wont let you clip his nails.. so its a struggle to do that.. i was wondering.. if its ok to declaw JUST THE FRONT PAWS not the back, because i hear nails are their only protection, and so he can scratch his ears.
 
The vets that I have talked to in this area refuse to declaw rabbits because it is inhumane. (I was not looking into it for myself, I was just looking for the general veterinarian opinion on the matter.) Rabbits use their nails for grip on EVERYTHING and unlike cats and dogs, rabbits do not have the pads on their feed that help to grip. Also, the way the rabbits foot is designed makes declawing a very painful operation to recover from and it takes a long time to heal.

So I say it's a definite no to declawing a rabbit.
 
ok ill tell my mom.. her and i have trouble clipping his nails.. idk how many scratches i have on my body from him...(it looks like i slit my wrist) and he wont trance either.. its not that he's afraid of me or that he doesnt trust me becuase i know he does, after a good fight of clipping his nails i put him down and lay by him and he licks me... i think he hates being on his back and people touching his feet.
 
Here's a good link: http://rabbit.org/care/declawing.html

I know how that is, I used to get a ton of scratches from my boys who I can't seem to trance and refuse to go on their backs. It literally took me years to figure out how to do it in a manner that was efficient and the least panful for me as well as the only way I can do it on my own. Just keep trying.

I can try to describe how I do it if you like.
 
Your best bet would be to make a bunny burrito. Get an old tshirt that you don't want any more, lay it out flat, place your bunny on it and wrap him up tightly (but not too tight). It's much easier to pull one paw out at a time, and he will feel more secure and squirm less. :D
 
I hate the bunny burito, it works ok for Zoey but my larger boys are impossible to do using a burrito.

I have a storage tower that I place in the middle of the kitchen with lots of room all around it to move and cover the top with a towel. I place the bunny on the storage tower and stand on the opposite side of the foot that I want to cutand with my left hand, I reach under their chin and hold one paw. With my right hand I take the nail cutters and cut. It takes only a few seconds to do the foot. To do the opposite front foot, I place my right hand under their chin with the nail clippers in that hand because I'm right handed and pull out and hold his front foot with my left hand and clip.

To to the back feet, I bend right over top then. use my left hand to pull out and hold the feet, and use my right hand to clip them. Bending over helps to keep the rabbit still.

Although it looks really awkward when I do it because I am hunched over them in odd directions to try and confine them, it works like a darn and I've been doing it this way for 8 months now. I can even get their dew claws like this.
 
You cut until the 'quick' which is the vein in the nail. Cutting into the quick is like cutting a finger nail too short and can hurt but I'm sure most people have cut the quick at least once. My best suggestions would be to take the rabbit to the vet and have them show you how to do it properly. It's normally a minimal fee, it's only $10 per rabbit here.
 
Dittani wrote:
Your best bet would be to make a bunny burrito. Get an old tshirt that you don't want any more, lay it out flat, place your bunny on it and wrap him up tightly (but not too tight). It's much easier to pull one paw out at a time, and he will feel more secure and squirm less. :D
:shock:do you cook him too?

Some buns prefer to just sit down and get the nails clipped. Works well on Browny;)we just let her sit there and pull out one foot at a time.
 
Mümmel wrote:
Dittani wrote:
Your best bet would be to make a bunny burrito. Get an old tshirt that you don't want any more, lay it out flat, place your bunny on it and wrap him up tightly (but not too tight). It's much easier to pull one paw out at a time, and he will feel more secure and squirm less. :D
:shock:do you cook him too?

Some buns prefer to just sit down and get the nails clipped. Works well on Browny;)we just let her sit there and pull out one foot at a time.


ive tried having him just sit or lay there, but he gets up and runs off.. he doesnt like his feet touch i dont think,

and my mom and i are looking for a vet to neuter him.. one that doesnt charge so much, so maybe theyll also show me how to clip his nails.
 
picklezon wrote:
my mom and i are looking for a vet to neuter him.. one that doesnt charge so much, so maybe theyll also show me how to clip his nails.
Have the Vet show you how to cut his nails, take his temperature, and check his teeth.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=9548&forum_id=6&page=4

If you are worried about cutting the quick. Try trimming the tips of the nailsonly, so you don't come too close to the quick. By doing this you will trim more often, but you get more practice, and will get better at it. Your bunny will get use to it too and will be more relaxed.

Rainbows! :)
 
Mümmel wrote:
Dittani wrote:
Your best bet would be to make a bunny burrito. Get an old tshirt that you don't want any more, lay it out flat, place your bunny on it and wrap him up tightly (but not too tight). It's much easier to pull one paw out at a time, and he will feel more secure and squirm less. :D
:shock:do you cook him too?
Noonoo would make a tasty treat, that's for sure! :D

*licks lips*

*bunny runs back to cage*
 
My boys wont let me near their feet if I put them on their backs or do the bunny burrito. I just have my boyfriend hold each bun like he is sitting down. One hand under the bottom and one under the arms, facing outward. Then they're not actually laying down, just kinda sitting. He holds the bun against his chest. I then grab each foot and cut the nails.

This is the only thing that works for my buns.

Good Luck!

Haley
 
Ooooh declawing!!! That made me feel physically sick!!! I've never heard of that. :vomit:

I think putting up with the scratches is a much better plan. I'm scared of cutting parsnip and toffee's quick so I just trim a little bit every 3-4 weeks (then they get a treat for being good) Could you get someone to help? I find that sometimes it's better with one person to hold/cuddle and one to clip!

Good luck! :clover:
 
Yeah, I agree...having someone help. I think I must have lucked out on my bunnies. Neither of them have very long claws, and in Maisie's case that's a good thing because she has black claws. I would never be able to see the quick on her nails!

As far as Flower, I think doing things like that would be relatively easy, but her claws don't grow too long, either.

When I got the both of them (though Flower was a rescue a few months after Maisie), I had hoped I wouldn't have to trim their nails, and it wound up that neither one of them have crazy-growing claws, so it worked out good.

It sounds like this isn't the norm, though, because I haven't come across anyone else on the board here that doesn't trim their buns' claws. :ponder::dunno::dunno:huh

Which now leads me to want to post a thread asking about that...lol!
 
i do have my mom help me.. i hold him all different direction, trying to find a good spot for him, but as soon as his foots touched, he freaks out, he jerked really bad on one of his that my mom accidentally cut it too short.. when i saw the blood (my poor copper):(... i was like thats it! imnot going to deal with this right now, and cleaned his nail, and put him in his cage. we only got his left back paw, and right front paw cut. he was alright and gave me kisses, stood up wanting out of his cage, but i wanted to make sure his nail would heal.
 
Aw, I'm sorry about the trouble he gives you. I'd definitely go with the vet idea, maybe he could show you a better way to handle him while clipping his nails. Or, if you wanted to spend a bit of money, you could take him to the vet and have his nails clipped regularly. We always did this with our Mini lop :D
 
ya i could do that.. but my moms making me pay for the neutering (im 16).. if i pay for clipping all the time.. i can kiss shopping and movies good bye.

i need a raise.:yes:
 
lol, i agree about the raise!

How fast do his nails grow? If you figure the vet charges $10.00 for a clipping, and he needs them clipped monthly... that's only $10 a month? I think that's pretty manageable :)
 
true.. i just got a list of vets from the humaine society so im going to call around for affordable, but especailly professional vets. i dont want to go to one that isnt used to rabbits. thanks for your help though.
 

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