Rabbit Nails?

Question

My rabbit is now a little over a year old. He is a mini rex, therefore his fur is fine, but his nails grow faster than most breeds. He is getting more hard to clip, and I know that I can't take him to the Vet. every week. Are there any ways to help him calm down when I have to clip them. (Yes, I know the whole hip-mo-tize (:P) thing, but it's not so easy as they get older)

Answer 1

have someone hold him with a towel over his head so he feels he is safe

Answer 2

Theres a couple of things yu can do really. My british giant house rabbit will still lie there if i gently turn her on her back with her legs in the air. This works even better if you covere the rabbits eyes. A rabbits thinking on this matter is very simple. "if i cant see anything i must be safe" The problem is as soon as you start to clip the nails it can annoy the rabbit and it might fidget. I found with my rabbit a comination on running round on the decking in the back garden and clipping every now and then seems to be fine. Your best bet is to do all the above and gently wrap a towel round the rest of the bunny to gently keep it still. Definately better if you can have two people, although i manage it with mine. hope this helps

Answer 3

here is a link i found you
http://www.mnhouserabbit.org/care/nailtrimming.html
I hold all mine like a baby as long as you hold them close to you and take your time they feel safe maybe do 1 foot a day that way you rabbit wont have to wait to long so hopefully will stay still for you i wouldn't scruff his neck as this will only make him feel unsafe an it could bruse him you could let him run on concrete but rex rabbits have fine hair on there feet so this may not be wise rabbits claws normally take about 2 months to grow before they need clipping again (thankfully as i have a stud of 30+) i find rabbits like to feel safe while your cutting there claws mind you if your in a rush they know and don't stay still so i never cut claws on the morning of a show as i found this didn't work hope i was of some help
shelly
xx

Answer 4

I think you are getting a little over concerned about the nails. At most, I'd clip them about once a month. Probably you only need to clip them about once every 2-3 months.

As far as clipping the nails, the real trick to being able to do it well is all in how you hold them and turn them over.

To turn him over, place on hand behind his neck and grab the hide behind his neck. Use whichever hand is most comfortable for you. Then here is the most important part. Wrap your thumb tightly around the base of the ears as close to the base of the ears as you can get it. The way the rabbit attempts to flip back over is by turn its head. By wrapping your thumb as closely as you can around the base of the ears you gain good control of his head, helping prevent him from turning over. Just try it yourself. Lay on your back then try turning over without turning your head. Makes it really hard doesn't it?

Now what you do is it take your free hand and put it on the rabbit's rump. Then roll the rabbit over backwards on its rump. If the rabbit tries to squirm once you have him over, move your hand from underneath his rump and move it to be pressing some on top of him between his back legs. Then spread you fingers outwards. This spreads his legs centering his balance and it keeps his legs from kicking you. Once he is calm, use your thumb (from the hand that was on the rump) to press down the fur padding on the feet then grab your clippers and start clipping the nails). Make sure to never go past the little de-markation line. That is the line where the nail goes from white to pink or from light to dark. If you do, you will get into the nerves or blood vessels. I'd recommend keeping about 1/8th an inch from that line. While you are working on the nails you can use the arm that is holding his ears to move his body tightly against yours, this will also help secure him in place. After a while he may get tired of laying on his back, then he will start to squirm like crazy. If he does too much, just let him flip back over by releasing both hands. It's better that he flips back over than you getting scratched to death. It may take 2-3 attempts to get all of the nails clipped.

Also you may want to wear a long sleeved jacket or take a pair of thick old socks and cut out the ends of them and slide them over your arms. If you're not the best at handling him, these can help you from getting scratched quite so badly.

I've been raising and showing rabbits for 25 years. And I won the king competion of the Rabbit Royalty Contest at the Indiana State Fair a number of years ago. When you beat out over 60 competitors in showmanship at the state fair, you know your showmanship stuff pretty good.

Answer 5

PLEASE DON'T SCRUFF HIM. I work at a rescue and this is entirely the wrong way to hold a rabbit despite other people's opinions. The RWA etc also do not say to hold a rabbit this way. I sit on the floor crossed legged, hold him gently under the arms, and with my other hand tip him back and cradle him with my forearm securing him to my body. this means if he jumps, he won't hurt himself, but my wee critters take at least 10 tries, maybe cutting one nail at a time. Another pair of hands may help. The patio idea is a good one too, as this helps to wear the claws down or make friends at a local rescue who will do it for you, normally for free or for a small donation. Good luck.

Answer 6

If you properly flip them over, you shouldn't have a problem.

I'm a 4-H advisor and have kids bring me their rabbits quite often with the same problem as you. I've helped to clip nails on mini rex, californians, netherand dwarfs, tans - even great big flemish giants!

See my website for an article I wrote on how to clip your rabbits' nails.

http://www.tranquilacresrabbitry.com/info_basiccare/trimmingtoenails.asp

There are detailed instructions and photos showing how to **PROPERLY** flip a rabbit over.

Answer 7

I have a mini rex and she is REAL hard to clip her nails. I have my boyfriend grab the skin on the back of her neck/upper portion of her back and hold her up like that (sorta like a cat hanging from the sruff of the neck) with his other hand supporting her back end. I have him hold her up like and she seems to calm down. Easy access to nails for trimming. You have to becareful that she doesnt flip funny or when you are holding her tightly becareful that she doesnt move funny because rabbits have very fragile back bones.

If anybody thinks this is a mean what of doing it, that is the proper way to hold/restrain a rabbit to keep it from hurting itself.

Answer 8

I have a mini lop rabbit and he lives in a hutch with a joint run positioned on concrete this keeps his nails down a treat - easier then trying to pin him down to cut his nails - rabbits are very ticklish on their feet- alternatively have you tried sandpaper in the hutch or cage hes in this could do the trick

Answer 9

I have a mini rex and I normally trim up her nails every two weeks. I bunny burrito her with a towel and have my boyfriend rub her head and keep her eyes closed as she is propped up on a pillow on my knees. It's really not hard to hypnotize or trance them, it just takes trust and practice. good luck!

Answer 10

Instead of clipping his nails, you could try giving him something to scratch on which might wear them down e.g. hard surface like a patio

Answer 11

i breed dutch in a variety of colour being agouti ... yellow ... blue ... tri-dutch ... all my rabbits get their nails cut about once a month ... i take a seat out with me so i can sit down ... the rabbits are placed belly up between my legs ... then off we go