Nail Trimming Troubles

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BabyBailey

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Monterey Bay, California, USA
It was driving me crazy how sharp my little buns nails were so I finally caught him today, burritoed him, and tried to clip his nails. It was terrrrible! He wouldn't stop squirming and panicing. i finally let him go after a couple feet kinda clippedbecause I was so worried he'd have a heart attack.I hate being clawed up but I can't find a way to trance him or have him calm enough to let me do this. Any tips? Thanks a ton!
 
The only advice I can offer is to have someone help you with the clipping. I can't imagine trying to clip my bunnies nails all by myself...it would pretty much be impossible with all of their squirming and kicking. What I do is recruit someone to hold the bunny (or if you feel uncomfortable with having someone else hold, you can do this part). I do the actual nail trimming, which to be honest is the easier job and I think anyone can do this if given proper instructions of what the quick looks like and how to clip.

Even with two people some bunnies will squirm a lot and you have to wait for them to calm down every few nails. I've also had it happen where they kick right when I'm clipping a nail which is pretty scary...but this hasn't resulted in any accidents yet. Over time, they usually understand that you're not trying to hurt them and get a little better, but we've been clipping Billy's nails for over a year now and he still kicks and squirms!
 
get someone to hold while you clip

and there is nothing wrong with doing one or1 or 2 at atime.

I think that you were sensitive to his stress level

I have done it this many times myself when the rabbit was really freaked.
 
My rabbit, Dutch, hates to be held, but he loves to lay down and receive pets, rubs and scratches. My fiance and I figured out that if he pets Dutch whilehe is laying down I can gently clip his nails. Sometimes I get two paws at a time and go back for the other two a little later. I usesmall "human" nail clippers as his nails are fairlytiny stilland have great luck with these. I feel less likely to nick his quick than if I was using cat or dog clippers. Just an idea if your bun likes to receive pets.
 
I agree with Angieluv.

Also, I don't know what else to say about this. There is a member I've been trying to help. I guess I'd have to meet these buns!:p

I can say I've had three now and they didn't/don't really give me fits with nail trimming.

My first was the most aggressive. The best thing I have found with all of mine is putting them up high and going after that. They can't jump down, you aren't confining them too much and can get the job done! I don't know you guys, I guess I wish I was there to help out. Such a simple thing should be just that. I hate to think the buns are that scared or whatever of just nail clipping. Hmm.

I try to be one with the bun, get them in a comfortable environment, and then trim. It's always worked well for me. Even indoors, I've had them on my lap and trimmed nails.;)

Maybe try holding them in your lap a few times in a towel. Then, after a few sessions of that, try clipping nails that way. I did that and it worked great.:)
 
Im with you BabyBailey. I hate nail clipping. i've had a friend help me do it last two times but im practicing you know holding their paws all the time. trancing them etc. well one or two months until nail clipping time. :thud:

Prisca :pinkbouce:
 
I am in your same "hell" with getting my buns nails trimmed but tonight I got his back paws trimmed!

The thing I think I was SO concerned with is that my bun exhibited the behavior of just "stressted out" being "confined" when trying to do this - which I understand from a Rabbits point of view but they DO need their nails trimmed. So I just went with the "Approach" of my cats that I've never been "worried" with, when I had to make them "Yield To Their Better Gain" and it went very well when "I took charge"..

I think Rabbits are VERY good at picking up on your "ENERGY" such as a toddler that will throw a temper tantrum if they think they can get away with it (Mind you the bun that has had a tumtulous life, might act out more-so) but that being said, I think, at least with mine, he was thinking "who is in charge - you or me?"He was (not happy) but -was willling to "let go" once he realized he had NO option.

That being said next month "MIGHT" go differently as he will learn that the flipping him over means grabbing his back feet - so Lord help us All!


*** Sorry my computer posted this numerous times**
 
Hi BabyBailey:

I think a number of bunny slaves have passed on some good advice: calm in the environment and calm in the person doing the nail clipping are both picked up by the rabbit. Clipping your rabbits nails at the right time and in the right location can make all the difference in the world. Regard the required interaction between you and BabyBailey as an intimate grooming session which you both can enjoy. Make him comfortable and think about whether you want to offer something like raisins as a treat for good behavior in the process.

I used always to think that I needed someone else to hold the bunny for me as I clipped the nails myself, then I met a friend with rabbits who showed me that I really could do it all myself. I only endeavor to get two paws done at any one sitting, and I try to make it a positive time of rabbit/owner interaction. Our house rabbits have free run of the house. When it's time for nail clipping, I will hoist whichever rabbit up onto the loveseat beside me and just give him/her some good loving attention for a little bit. I encourage the rabbit to crouch comfortably and at ease on all fours. Gently I take one paw and move it enough away from the bunny's body that I can clearly see the nails to be trimmed. Bunny is still comfortably resting on his/her remaining three paws. Bunny probably will not tolerate a lot of body distortion so try to have good lighting so that you don't need to pull the paw very far from its resting place. Clip the nails and just proceed paw to paw. You may notice that doing the hind feet is a little tricky, just slide the paw out to the side of the body a little bit, don't really lift up or you will cause the rabbit to lose balance, etc.

Of course, my rabbits are older than BabyBailey probably is so they have mellowed and can be held for relatively long periods of time. Importantly though, this is just another bit of quality time between owner and rabbit. Remember, you are doing your bunny a favor by giving him a much needed manicure (though I know it may not always help to just explain to a rabbit that getting one's nail clips beats having one break off, necessitating a brief visit to the vet's.)

Anyway, nail clipping doesn't have to be a dramatic and upsetting event for the bunny. The more accustomed BabyBailey is to being handled, the more easy it will be to casually clip his nails in this fashion. If he is still quite young and not prone to be still for long periods of time, then probably you need a second person to hold him. But if you yourself consider the clipping session as just one more positive grooming session, an activity that you and your bunny both enjoy together, chances are that the bunny will be all the more receptive to letting you clip nails. Maybe the first few times you try this, you will want to keep a few raisins around to reinforce good behavior, too.

Hope that's helpful.
 
I've always done it myself. I tend to hold my rabbits on their backs quite a bit so they are quite easy to be done. I never wrap them, I just cradle them in one arm and just with the other. With such a small bunnies I would just do the very tips. I personally do not do the tiny bunnies but I would think it would be quite a bit harder.
 
MyRabbits wrote:
Hi BabyBailey:

I encourage the rabbit to crouch comfortably and at ease on all fours. Gently I take one paw and move it enough away from the bunny's body that I can clearly see the nails to be trimmed. Bunny is still comfortably resting on his/her remaining three paws. Bunny probably will not tolerate a lot of body distortion so try to have good lighting so that you don't need to pull the paw very far from its resting place. Clip the nails and just proceed paw to paw. You may notice that doing the hind feet is a little tricky, just slide the paw out to the side of the body a little bit, don't really lift up or you will cause the rabbit to lose balance, etc.

I love this description! Great job MyRabbits! I totally agree with this. It's hard for new owners sometimes, it was for me. I think I got the grasp of it quickly.;)

I also think of the nail trimmings. Try some of the suggestions you've gotten, see if any work for you.:)
 
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