How do you all do it? Most of the time my bunny is pretty chill if we pet him and give him treats but I know he won’t like it when I go to clips his nails, how do I get over the anxiety of hurting him!?
Posted Feb 27, 2019, 12:51 PM UTC
You can go to the vet for $15 dollars, a a bunny rescue around will also do that for you. :)
If you want to try, take a look at some of the resources below - they should really help make tell you exactly what to do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtHczjBRaqI - great video on nail trimming
https://www.amazon.com/Safari-Professional-Large-Nail-Trimmer/dp/B0002ARQV4 - best nail clippers
great advice here also on how to handle nails: https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/adof8k/first_ever_successful_nail_clipping_by_me_and_not/ and here https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/9k00rq/were_trying_to_get_him_used_to_being_held_as_of/
I pay the $20 to have it done. I don't trust myself to do it right, my bun is crazy and her nails are dark. Worth it to me.
If you’re not comfortable just go to a vet.
If you do it yourself, watch some videos on YouTube and get nail clippers specifically for a rodent and some styptic powder in case you nip the quick (fleshy part).
My bun is pretty calm so I just hold her up right (like up on her bum, NOT on her back) and go slowly. I get her toes just a little wet to keep the hair back so I can see the quick. Usually we do one paw at a time with a little break to calm down and eat a little banana so it’s not too traumatic for her lol.
Edit: can’t believe I forgot to say this 🤦🏻♀️ but you could always have the vet teach you the first time, then do it yourself. I had my first rabbit when I was 14 and obviously I was uncomfortable doing it myself so that’s what I did and since then I’ve not had any problems.
I found a method on YouTube that i like. You either put them on an elevated surface or get down on the floor. Then you scoop up under their chest and gently lift up their front to expose their belly. But dont actually lift them off the ground. From there you can pull back the fur on their front paws and give them a trim. For the rear paws, same position but gently tug their foot out from under them to have them extend it out. Usually buns have no issue with this but if they struggle or squirm just let them escape and reposition to try again. Apply treats and pets liberally.
For the actual trimming itself i like to use a 1, 2, clip method. You give them two squeezes on the clippers before you actually cut. This lets them pull away if youre cutting too close to the quick (fleshy bit of the claw) without cutting too close and causing bleeding.
There’s no shame in getting a vet to do it if you’d rather have someone experienced handle it.
ayy