Depending upon the strength of the light source,and I prefer to do it outside in direct sunlight, onecanperceive a difference in the "density" of thedarker nails where the quick ends and the "dead" nail begins.I find the quick portion tends to be ever so slightly reddish(bloodflow)when the light comes from behind the nail, whereas the "dead" nailis darker and more opaque. Sometimes, with real dark nails,it is difficult to distinguish the difference, but I believe it isthere and becomes easier to find with experience.
In the event you can't determine quick from "dead" nail, one has otheralternatives. Take little "snippets," one at a time, until you begin toapproach the quick. By looking at the "cut end" of the nail,you should seethe nail tissuebegin to get pinker incolor, as opposed to its usual "cottony white" on darker nails, whenyou are getting close to the quick. Bun alsomightflinch a bit more because you're getting closer to a sensitivearea. A down side to this approach is it takes a good deallonger to complete the job because you are, in fact, taking littlemultiple snippets of each of 10 nails.
Another "approach," which granted is kind of subjective in the judgmentrequired, is to cut the "curved tip" off the nail only. Thismethod is safer when nails are long and, in fact, have a noticeablecurveto their side view. It almost seems like thebun's toes are elevated directly behind the nails because oftheir curved length.
Front nails grow more quickly, and therefore, longer than rear nails...Nature's way of equipping our buns for their digging chores in thewild, erego, the rear nails might not need as much trimmingas the front. Don't think, therefore, that front and rearnails need to "look" equal in length in orderto be donecorrectly.
Bring a Q-Tip with you and a littler container for some water todipthe Q-Tipin prior to dipping it in theQuik-Stop, corn starch, talc, flour, or whatever you have to staunchthe blood flow, if necessary. The damp Q-Tip makes picking upthe substance easier and permits the material to adhere to the end ofthe nail better.
Quik-Stop and bunny blood has a tendency to permanently stain clothesdirectly proportional tohow much you value the particularitem of clothing. Wearing old clothes meansnothingwill stain. Something youvaluewill hold the stain like it was dye. Come to think of it, thecolor of Quik-Stop, yellow, is probably just that, dye!
Good luck! It is a nice thing you are attempting to do andwhat goes around, comes around. It'll come back at you insome nice manner, some how, some day. Fits in appropriatelywith the holiday season.
Glad you have decided to join and stay with us here on the forum. You are a welcomed and valued addition to the crew.
Buck
