Nail clipping- how often?

[mouse_chalk]

I'm wondering if my buns have very slow growing nails or not?

Mouse and Barney were last clipped together, at the vets, back in...May? And I've noticed Mouse has quite sharp nails, and have been feeling bad the past week or so about letting them get long, or so they seemed to me...

So she tagged along with Snowy to her post-op appointment on Thursday to have them trimmed. But the vet looked at them and said that there was only a tiny bit that could come off, and even them only from the front paws. He said that it wouldn't really be worth taking it off even, as it was so close to the quick, and would risk clipping it, and just generally be more stressful for Mouse than it was worth...

So, this makes 3 months since they were last trimmed, yet they still don't need doing? Chalk is the same as well, and hers aren't long at all. Snowy was done about a month ago, but they don't seem to have grown back at all.... I can see maybe one on Barney's paws that could be trimmed, but again, he's fine! All his nails are short too? :?

I know that they can be kept worn down if on the right surfaces, but they're only on wood laminate flooring- we've laid down extra in their cage, and the living room is laminate too, could this be doing it?

How often do you guys need to trim nails???? :?:?:?

 

[Little Bay Poo]

I've read that some bunnies nails grow faster than others. Also, the wood floor might be doing something to keep their nails trimmed down because it's a hard surface. I don't know for sure though because both of mine are on carpet all the time so I don't have experience with bunnies and hardwood floors.

I clip once every two months and there usually isn't too much to clip, but definitely enough so that I don't worry about hitting the quick. I also tend to clip kinda far away from the quick because I'm so scared of accidentally hurting them! So I could just be seeing the extra that I left behind from previous clipping sessions, and that may be why I can clip once every 2 months.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

It does depend on the surfaces. It also depends on how often they're on certain surfaces. More textured surfaces will wear down nails quicker. Like concrete will wear nails down way quicker than inside tiles will. Blah, blah. haha.

This is a good one, from our Library:

[ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=JV3pf3c_I60]http://youtube.com/watch?v=JV3pf3c_I60[/ame]

 

[Becca]

I have had to clip dippys claws twice since i got him in march and i havent had to do fluffballs at all - is that bad? :?

 

[slavetoabunny]

I've been working on getting Sparky and Scooter's quicks to recede so I can get their nails nice and short, so I've been clipping once a month even if it's just a tiny bit. I've been doing the fosters at the same time, whether they really need it or not.

 

[mouse_chalk]

slavetoabunny wrote:

I've been working on getting Sparky and Scooter's quicks to recede so I can get their nails nice and short, so I've been clipping once a month even if it's just a tiny bit. I've been doing the fosters at the same time, whether they really need it or not.

Can you do that? Does it really make the quick recede if you clip them that regularly? I never knew! Mouse's nails are long, but I think she just has a long quick, since there's never anything to take off. They aren't really long either, they just stick out of the end of the fur in her paws, but I don't think they bother her or anything.... :?

They have been out on the concrete patio a couple of times recently, but I didn't think it was long enough to wear their nails down at all.... Maybe it was!


Becca, it's only bad if their nails are growing long at all- if they're short and not too long past the quick, then it's fine!

 

[Jenk]

Little Bay Poo wrote:

I've read that some bunnies nails grow faster than others.

I've read that you should clip a bun's nails about every three months, but my girls require a clipping every 4-6 weeks! Their nails definitely grow fast. And like Little Bay Poo, I don't clip them super-close to the quick; I suppose that factors into the time table, as well.

Jenk

 

[Jenk]

mouse_chalk wrote:

slavetoabunny wrote:

I've been working on getting Sparky and Scooter's quicks to recede so I can get their nails nice and short, so I've been clipping once a month even if it's just a tiny bit. I've been doing the fosters at the same time, whether they really need it or not.

Can you do that? Does it really make the quick recede if you clip them that regularly?

It should. I know that it works for dogs' and birds' nails; I'd think that it would for any species with a quick.

Each time that you clip, the quick should recede a little bit. So if you regularly remove a little of the nail at a time, as slavetoabunny's doing, then, in time, your pet's nails should reach their ideal length.

 

[pinksalamander]

Lottie was clipped when she left the rescue back in May, and I have clipped once since then. Haven't clipped Archie since I've had him as he has black nails and I'm way too scared! I'm going to leave it until they are pretty long so I will just trim a tiny bit, so I know I won't hit the quick.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

 

[slavetoabunny]

pinksalamander wrote:

Lottie was clipped when she left the rescue back in May, and I have clipped once since then. Haven't clipped Archie since I've had him as he has black nails and I'm way too scared! I'm going to leave it until they are pretty long so I will just trim a tiny bit, so I know I won't hit the quick.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

Have you tried having someone help you by holding a flashlight behind the nail? You should be able to see the quick well enough to clip.

 

[ADEE]

I do rains once a month and will do the same for abbie... we too work to get their quicks to recede, their nails are fairly short and you cant see them in most photos, since they are on carpet and tile their nails dont get that natural wear down.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

slavetoabunny wrote:

pinksalamander wrote:

Lottie was clipped when she left the rescue back in May, and I have clipped once since then. Haven't clipped Archie since I've had him as he has black nails and I'm way too scared! I'm going to leave it until they are pretty long so I will just trim a tiny bit, so I know I won't hit the quick.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

Have you tried having someone help you by holding a flashlight behind the nail? You should be able to see the quick well enough to clip.

Just wanted to add that mini Maglite flashlights work wonders for clipping black nails. They are about the size of a magic marker, and the head of the flashlight is perfect for holding right up against the nail to see the quick. I'm not sure if they sell this brand in the UK, but if you are going to try out a flashlight I would look for a small / thin one.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I usually clip my rabbits nails every2-4 weeks and then always before a show if I haven't, and even if I have, just to trim them up a little bit more.

I just trimmed my bunnies nails at the end of July (like the 28th) and they are actually ready for another trimming again.

Emily