How To Trim Your Rabbit’s Nails?

Rabbit nails need regular clipping and trimming. The pet rabbits often suffer from various complications and pain due to the overgrown nails and it is their owner’s duty to keep them well-groomed so the long nails do not get the pets into any mishap.

However grooming, when done personally and not professionally, often lead to various accidents. This is not an easy process as most pets do not like the grooming or nail clipping process. The owners also become nervous when it is done by them for the first time.

Do rabbit nails need to be cut?

Rabbit nails needed to be trimmed once in a while when the owner feels or sees that it has overgrown. No two rabbit’s nail grows at the same speed so there is no specific time span after which the nails of the pets needed to be cut.

If the owners are uncomfortable doing this job, then vets can help them. The beginner rabbit owners often seek the help of vets to get their rabbit nails trimmed.

How do you calm your rabbit when trimming nails?

The rabbit is a restless creature and they do not like the nail trimming process either. If you are doing this for the first time, you should be prepared for the agitated behavior of your pet. Thus you need to take special precautions to keep the rabbit calm and manageable.

Wrap the pet in a soft and big towel, preferably old as the smell of a new towel may again excite this creature. Rabbits are not much comfort when they are wrapped so they may try to squirm. You need to be patient and get hold of the creature gently.

If you see your rabbit getting fidgety then do not attempt the clip the nails. Rather talk to it in a soft voice and make it feel comfortable. Do not attempt to clip the nails unless the creature is calm and stops moving.

Can you cut rabbit nails with human clippers?

Though many rabbit owners have tried cutting their pet’s nails with human clippers, but this is not an ideal option for clipping the nails of the pet. The shape of a human nail and a rabbit nail is quite different. Human nails are flat and thin while rabbit nails are round. Thus the clipper should have a round edge which will help the owner or groomer to cut their nails.

But if you get a safety scissor-style nail clipper then it will be ideal for the rabbits and their owners to cut their nails. Also, the scissors have less chance of getting into accidents like cutting too much or cutting the veins. So it is a safer option than using the human nail clippers on rabbits.

What happens if you do not cut the rabbit nails?

When the nails of the pet rabbits are not cut or trimmed in proper time, then the blood supply in the veins will be growing too long and outgrow the nails. The nails will become harder and will be more difficult to cut later. There is a nerve in the nail of the rabbit which grows along with the nail. When the nerve will be too grown then it will hurt the rabbit when you will cut the nail next time.

The cutting of the overgrown nails will let the rabbit bleed as the vein has to be cut along with the nails. This is not an ideal option and this will let the rabbit to suffer a lot.

How do you arrange for the nail clipping of your pet rabbit?

When you are going to clip the nails of your pet rabbit you need to gather all the important things that will be required for the nail clipping session. All the equipment should be kept near the hand so you do not have to get up and leave the rabbit to search for anything.

Get a pair of clippers that is adequate for the nail clipping of small creatures. Also, get some medicine that will stop the bleeding. Most of the owners get some powder that works for stopping the bleeding. This is necessary because if you mistakenly cut the kwik or quick, that is the vein in the nail of the rabbit, it will start bleeding. An old towel is required to wrap the rabbit while you will be cutting the nails.

Do not rush or make a hurry while approaching the rabbit for nail clipping. As rabbits usually live in the forest and are always in fear of getting hunted, they get easily scared when someone suddenly holds them or makes any movement.

You need to hold it and talk to it at the same time. When you will speak softly to the pet rabbit, it will feel assured and will stay calm. Grabbing the rabbit suddenly will make it feel tensed and anxious and the nail clipping session may not proceed further.

Take the rabbit and let it sit on your lap. This way you will be able to handle the rabbit and also it will be much easy for you to continue with the process of nail clipping. All the four feet of the rabbit should be placed on your lap of yours or else it will be difficult for you to manage the pet.

You should now hold the paw of the rabbit and check the quick. It is quite clearly visible to the naked eye which will look like a thin red or pink link. The quick will not be extended towards the edge of the nails and thus, you have to cut only the part where the quick has not reached.

Some rabbits have dark paws which makes identifying quickly a difficult task.  You can use a flashlight and focus it under the paws of the rabbit. This way you will be able to see the quick and avoid it while clipping the nail.

The tip part of the nails is to be clipped. There is no specific area of the length that needed to be cut. The only thing that you will try to make sure of is not to cut the nails too much. Unlike humans, the nail part of the rabbit should be cut only to prevent the creature from getting tangled.

The rabbit often feels really nervous and does not get calm. If you are not sure about its condition and may feel that it will move at the time of nail clipping it is best to ask for the help of a vet or take help from one of your friends. If your rabbit is not easy when the nails are clipped then it may turn into a severe mishap.

What should you do if the rabbit bleeds while nail clipping?

If by any chance you cut the quick vein then it will start bleeding immediately.  The nail clipping process should be immediately stopped and the bleeding nail needed to be taken care of. The medicinal powder that you should have earlier arranged for now will be applied to the bleeding part.

The bleeding should stop within a minute or two. But if it does not stop, then a vet should be consulted immediately.