Nail Trimming Terror lol

[Bunnylova4eva]

So you know that cute little white bunny face in my avatar on here? Guess what: I'm getting rather convinced he's just swapted with an impersonater of himself and he's run off to some field full of carrots or something to chow down :nosir: After all, Ripley just couldn't be badly behaved...right?!


Just kidding. Down to all seriousness, lets just say that today I realized I hadn't trimmed Ripley's nails in a while. In fact, it's been at least in mid february. I pulled him out and tried every trick in the book and couldn't hardly get them trimmed for the life of me. RIpley's never been a bad boy; a bit head strong (ok, very head strong) and he's never LIKED having his nails trimmed but he would at least kinda tolerate some of them. But now, he was REALLY bad. I mean really really bad. Ripley's never bitten, but today, I saw some teeth. Anybody have some tips? I tried getting family members to help holding him down but they just let go when he starts being squiggley. I can hold him down fine myself but then it's hard to trim too. I got the nails all done in the end myself, but let me tell you: it took some skills and half an hour of my day (at least!). Not only was it a huge pain for me, but I know he really was stressed by the whole ordeal. Not scared, he just hated it and wanted away. But the time we were done his eyes looked like they'd been running (there hadn't been a sign of that before)

Tips? Ideas for getting him to associate it as a possitive thing? He loves food opcorn2 and would eat it throughout our battle of nail trimming but he didn't seem to associate it with behaving, unfortunately.

 

[Nova and Era]

One of my rabbits (Nova) doesn't handle nail trimming well at all. The safest way I've found is wrapping him in a towel. If I need to pass him off to another family member it's easy to do and he doesn't squirm. Most of the time I'm able to do it myself with just the towel and nail clippers. I just free one paw at a time from the towel and trim his nails. When I'm all done Nova gets treats at the end and lots of love when it's finished so he knows he was good and that he's safe.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

hmmm, well Ripley's seen lots of bunny buritos in his life-I always try wrapping him in one. But, I have lots of issues then doing his back feet when he's in there. And, alot of times, he finds a way to get out. I tell you, when it comes to nails, he's an absolute crazy man.

 

[TuckerandGusGus]

Im interested in this too, I haven't tried cutting my buns nails JUST yet, because I just got Gusgus and Tucker's nails haven't needed it. GusGus won't really let me hold him, so I can only imagine how this'll go when the time comes.. ugh.

 

[Kittiebot]

Yeah...I haven't tried it yet either. I think I will just take Mordin to the small animal vet who does my sugar gliders' nails. $15 is worth not being bit and feeling guilty!

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Im interested in this too, I haven't tried cutting my buns nails JUST yet, because I just got Gusgus and Tucker's nails haven't needed it. GusGus won't really let me hold him, so I can only imagine how this'll go when the time comes.. ugh.

It's a good idea to do it as frequently as you can to get them used to it. (Not like I'm a good example of that ) Also, the more often you do it, the shorter the quicks (blood supply) in the nails will become over time.

 

[Apebull]

Twigs also hates having his nails done. We do use a towel but turn it more into a sack like a pillow case with his head in the middle and his feet toward the outside. That way he can't squirm out (at least not as easy). But he also knows what the towel is for and will run and hid if he sees you coming with it. I need to do his again real soon. Not looking forwards to it at all. And its funny because he will pout for a while after it's done too. Silly rabbits.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Well, ours get held for a short period every day, just so we can avoid the wrestling main event. They have to accept a certain amount of handling or you will have hell to pay. My son holds ours with one hand cupping their bottom and his other around thier middle just below the front legs. None of them like it much, but they will accept it as we give them no choice, and biting gets an immediate response--they get pinned just like an alpha would do to them and it only takes a couple of times for them to learn the error of their ways.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Well, ours get held for a short period every day, just so we can avoid the wrestling main event. They have to accept a certain amount of handling or you will have hell to pay. My son holds ours with one hand cupping their bottom and his other around thier middle just below the front legs. None of them like it much, but they will accept it as we give them no choice, and biting gets an immediate response--they get pinned just like an alpha would do to them and it only takes a couple of times for them to learn the error of their ways.

That's what I've alwyas tried to do with Rips since he was a lil' guy, but he will not tolerate being held. My other buns have not been like this so I'm wondering if maybe I just haven't been as strict with him...or something. Up to now, I've atributed his not snuggleyness with him being a buck. We've never had a buck before this so I was think maybe they're just less snuggle bugs and docile. I guess that's wrong. :dunno

I do hold him every day but he barely lets me long, and is like a little jumping bean the whole time inkbouce: in my arms trying to squirm away. I'll try to alpha bun thing when he's bad, maybe that'll help.

 

[RabbitGuru]

Try enlisting the help of a friend to hold your bunny in their lap and then pull out just a foot at a time (while he's still sitting there and try to trim that way. I've always found the other people can pet and "distract" the rabbit while you get to it with the nail trimming