Trimming bunny nails for the first time

[Princess_Lynda]

My bunnies are almost 3 months old, they enjoy being pet but not picked up or held but that’s understandable so i don’t try to do that often with them. I find it really hard to position the bunny in such away to be able to trim their nails though. I got both of my bunnies when they were 8 weeks old and i havent trimmed their nails since i have gotten them, and they do feel pretty long and i have gotten scratched before. Ive been slowly trying to get each bunny used to sitting on my lap. I just get a pinch of treats each time lay a blanket on my lap scoop them up carefully and just lay them in my lap and pet them and give them treats and let them get down from my lap safely on their own so they don’t feel so confined. I’ve done this quite a bit already and they can sit on my lap and look calm after a little while but i cant get a hold of their paw without them being so fidgety. There is a lady i talked to that has 4 rabbits, and she suggested me to trance them.  She said because they’re still young I can get them used to being in the position of being tranced as long as I don’t keep them in that position for too long grooming should be quick and easy.. I’m afraid of trying to trance them though, because I’ve never done it before, so I’m just hoping to get some better advice on how to do this.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I never trance my bunnies. I just don’t like it. I use the two man method to trim my buns’ nails. Do you have someone who can help you? I get my husband to hold the bunny like he’s burping a baby and I do the nails that way. If your bunny is super stressed you could try doing only 1 or 2 feet a day until they are all trimmed. Make sure your helper is comfortable holding the bunny. Some bunnies will try to jump, even when held, so make sure your helper is holding bunny securely. You can also wrap bunny in a towel.

There are lot of members here who do their nail trims solo. They should be able to offer you some more advice.

[MoxieMeadows]

Hi Princess_Lynda!

It’s almost more stressful on you, when you trim their nails for the first time. I myself cannot trim my bun’s nails, I am too scared I will trim too close and she’ll get hurt. (Her nails are black, so I cannot tell.) I need to bring her to the vet’s again soon to get them trimmed again. (You can also buy some sort of nail clipper, [it says it’s for cats] that senses live blood vessels)

But anyway, for the back nails, it might help to put your bun’s head in your armpit, and then secure which ever leg is not touching your stomach with your left hand(if you are right-handed), and then trim with right hand. front nails, pretty much the same thing.

Hope I helped you!

[Princess_Lynda]

I tried that, my bunny just doesn’t like being picked up at all or held at all. I try to scoop it from the front and support its butt but its so hard she just jumps away. So what i tried doing is to just gently scoop her up from the sides and put her on my lap real quick and she is really hunched down. I’m able to grab a paw, but its so hard to see in the position that shes in to get a good clip. Especially since shes a lop and has very furry feet. My bunny is only 3 months this month is it too early to be clipping? I can see that a few of the nails are getting really long, I’m just afraid that they will start curling under. I see a lot of people on youtube that trance their bunnies to be able to groom. Is trancing really that bad?

[Princess_Lynda]

Thanks for the reply it is extremely stressful. Especially since she doesn’t like to be picked up. I dont think i could put her head under my armpit i’m afraid i’d break her…

[MoxieMeadows]

As long as you don’t squeeze your armpit too hard, she’ll be fine. When I first got my bun, I didn’t want to pick her up, trance her, put her head in my armpit, or brush her with this prickly brush I bought. I thought buns were the most delicate creatures around the world. Don’t start about how I was soo worried she would run into a wall and die, when she started zooming around the room!

I gradually got over it, it was like being a first time parent! You are so worried you’ll do something wrong!

 

About the hairy feet, boy do I know! My bun is an angora, so I feel she could be a cheerleader with those tufts of hair on  her feet! I’ve been trimming the fur off her feet, because it’s also hard to tell when they need to be trimmed, when you can’t see their toes! Digging helps them to naturally keep them ‘trimmed.’ I have a dog who loves to dig so much that we almost NEVER have to trim them, they are so short!

 

Age wise, Moxie is 9 months in 2 days i believe, and There was really no need for her nails to be trimmed until she was 4-5 months, her nails were so short! But whenever you can start to tell they are too long, they need to be trimmed. Especially when they start to curl, because buns nails are supposed to be straight. All the rabbits I’ve met had straight nails.

 

Now the trance, Again, like I said, by bun is angora. I bought her from a local breeder, I’ve always loved their soft fur, and they are so interesting to look at! Anyway, back on track, when I bought Moxie, the breeder told me to get Moxie used to being in a trance from a young age. The breeder told me I would need to groom around Moxie’s tummy and bum, so it was important that she learned to be okay with it. First, you should get bonded with your bun so they will trust you. being on their back is a very vulnerable position, so if they don’t trust you, good luck getting them on their back.

Sorry for making this so long! Also sorry if anything is misspelled or doesn’t sound right.  I don’t want to go back through this all and edit it!

[Linette]

I get my buns used to me handling their feet when I pet them. Makes life easier.

When I do nails I use a “pliers” type clipper. You can buy them in the health and beauty section for cutting your own toe nails.

My male is 11 pounds and has black nails (grrrr) I put a folded towel on the washing machine to bring hip up to a good level, then trim. The front nails are pretty easy, back nails I can do one side but I can’t find a good way to position him to get to the other side, sometimes I can untuck his foot from under him and do it that way, I always offer a treat for good behavior.

[MoxieMeadows]

Linette— How do you know how far to trim their nails? My bun’s nails are black too, so I’ve never done them. The vet’s or friends who have them have to do it for me. So annoying though, I want to be able to do it myself.

Thanks.

[Princess_Lynda]

I appreciate the reply, I need all of the help I can get. I think i’m getting more and more bonded with my bunny. She isn’t so scared on my lap anymore she will take treats while she sits on me. I’m trying to slowly work her into a trance. I know there are two sides to trancing our bunnies but the lady I talked to not only owned a lot of bunnies but she fostered bunnies as well. She said its really all up to how the owner decides to go upon it. She told me that trancing would be so much easier to groom their little bums if they get poop stuck to it and especially since i have a white bunny she could get pretty dirty. I did however try to tuck her head in my arm a little and touch her feet to see how she reacted, and she kept kicking me like “ey ey! thats not your stop it!” haha I’ll keep trying though. Thank you so much for your kind response it helps a lot

[Princess_Lynda]

The lady that I spoke to had a couple bunnies with dark claws she told me that if my brown bunny has a few black claws to have a helper come and shine a flashlight over the nail so you can see exactly where the quick is.

[MoxieMeadows]

No problem. I guess your bun is bonding with you quickly! My bun didn’t bond to be until she was like 4-5 months! Her mother had a bad temper, and Moxie got it too! But anyway, Moxie doesn’t like me messing with her feet/bum. When I trance her, I cradle her like you hold a baby.(she’s on her back.) whenever I groom somewhere she doesn’t like, or she hears a noise, she starts kicking and get’s out of her trance so….. I normally try to do what I can with her on my lap.

Thanks for the tip with the flashlight! And to think I was going to try to look for a 30-50 dollar nail clipper that warned you when you were getting to close to the quick/ live blood vessels! (Don’t get me wrong, still want it, but not today!)

[Princess_Lynda]

Not sure if you care but I wanted to give you an update! I was finally able to trance her! She was such a good girl she wasnt fully tranced bc she still had her eyes open and was still very aware of everything. I was able to touch her feet and everything. I was so excited but i ended up finding a huge clump of POO stuck on her underside! Its so natted in her fur i dont now what to do right now >__<

[MoxieMeadows]

Congrats on the trance! Moxie always gets out of her trance after a few seconds…

About the poo…Hmm… I just read  your post about that…Try giving her a “butt bath.”

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