Claw clipping tips please

We're having a bit of a nightmare cutting Piper's claws. Apart from the fact he hates having them done and starts biting the hand doing the cutting, his nails are black and it's very difficult to see the quick. (Have to shine a torch through which is difficult even with one person holding him and the other clipping.) The quick also seems to be very near the end of his nails so even when you think you're only cutting a tiny bit off it still seems to bleed. I've got Trimmex so can stop the bleeding, but it can't help him get over his dislike of the clipping if they do start to bleed can it.

Someone on here recently said that to get the quick to recede you have to make them bleed the first few times, but I don't like the thought of doing this as it'll really stress him out. If I regularly cut just a tiny bit off will the quick still recede? :?

Please save little Piper from his mean Mummy... :lol:

God no, don't keep cutting it, however said that's a bit sick! You could end up making him aenimic (sp?) No, the way to make it receed is to clip it little and often so that it draws further back up the nail.
Can you get him wrapped in a towel to spare up an extra pair or hands? Or roll him onto his back?

raven_guest said:

Can you get him wrapped in a towel to spare up an extra pair or hands? Or roll him onto his back?

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Maybe I could make a little bunny muzzle out of a face flannel. :lol:

I've started wearing fleece gloves so he can bite the hell out of me and I don't feel a thing. :roll:

It's just having to cut his nails really often (like once a week) is going to be a nightmare even if it is just until his nails get under control. He gets so stressed out by it that we usually only get one foot done each time. Are we just being wusses?

His nails just seem to have grown really quickly in the last month whereas Molly's haven't grown at all. :?

Couple of tips....

sit him on an old towel and roll it up abit near his chin.. he'll bite at that instead

If you're nervous about working out where to cut you can always mark it with a pen first. Once you've done it a few times you'll start to have a feel for where to cut.

Tamsin said:

Couple of tips....

sit him on an old towel and roll it up abit near his chin.. he'll bite at that instead

If you're nervous about working out where to cut you can always mark it with a pen first. Once you've done it a few times you'll start to have a feel for where to cut.

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Thats what i do with claude :lol:
my rexes have there nails cut every 3 weeks,all my rabbits hate having it done,but im really firm with them :lol:

Rexes are notorious for quic growing claws! I used to have to use really thick gardening gloves on my Tinker, he was lovely apart from when it came to cutting claws. Ouchies! They'll never get to like it, but maybe give hima raisin after to cheer him up?

My vet told me that if you are scared of clipping that you can file your rabbits claws down, however you will need a very patient rabbit for this. I've been thinking of doing this with my girls though (I'm scared of clipping aswell! ) but just doing a tiny bit each day so over time the nail will get shorter. It's worth a shot! :lol:

I've tried filing my rabbit's nails recently and it really does work...sometimes. I've tried both sandpaper and nail file, and I think either is fine. However it is a lot slower than clipping, and it does require patience for both rabbit and human. Cherish has good days when she'll just sit there with her paw in my hand for a manicure, but other days she won't have any of it. But it is a good alternative to clipping and it only requires one person.

Have you ever thought, maybe you can lay a big sheet of sand paper down in her cage. Her claws might get run down like that.

I'm lucky, my rabbits run is on our patio and they wear down their own claws. Haven't ever really had to clip them

Star&Stone Rabbitry said:

Have you ever thought, maybe you can lay a big sheet of sand paper down in her cage. Her claws might get run down like that.

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I have actually started taking concrete slabs out of their run as he is getting sore hocks - nothing bad at the moment, but I don't want to do anything that might make them worse.

I would think that sandpaper could be bad for the hocks, or cause other problems so I am not so sure of that. :?

Nail clipping can be a difficult thing, it does take a good level of nerve. Take a stiff drink beforehand! :lol:

I think its best to do it little, and often if possible to desensitize the experience. Also rewards afterwards can help, we dont do this anymore with Fuzzy but it did have an impact.

Also his claws can be quite dark, so its better to estimate under where you need to cut, but without leaving them too long.
Its very difficult to judge especially if you cant see the quick.

I dont see the point of making the nail bleed by overestimating what you cut off, but likewise if you know the nail is long, no reason not to cut it to where you judge it to be safe (through trial, error and experience) 8)

Tony

sounds like a weird idea, but sometimes when you take your bun into a room they have not been in before they are a lot calmer. Gypsy was like this when I took her into the kitchin to have her claws done, maybe because she didn't feel that she could just jump down and run because it was different :?

Aliandbuns said:

The quick also seems to be very near the end of his nails so even when you think you're only cutting a tiny bit off it still seems to bleed. I've got Trimmex so can stop the bleeding, but it can't help him get over his dislike of the clipping if they do start to bleed can it.

Someone on here recently said that to get the quick to recede you have to make them bleed the first few times, but I don't like the thought of doing this as it'll really stress him out. If I regularly cut just a tiny bit off will the quick still recede? :?

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if you see blood, you are cutting too deep. I used to cut them somewhat often, now it's once every 2 mth. And I cut about 1 mm to 1.5 mm on each nail. You should start cutting if you feel a reasonable round curve ( in other words, it's not really that straight, you can really feel the curve). Because the curve can obstract his running cause him to trip off & break the entire nail from the root.

Of course, even with a reasonable straight nail, if he was digging the soil, there will still be mud stuck to his nail.

So the real reason you need to cut it is to make sure the nail doesn't get in the way of running or walking around.

And I don't know why would anyone say to make them bleed a few times. Once it bleed, the cut out wound part can make contact w/ dirt, and thus bacteria, and can lead to bacteria infection.

My rabbit nail is black too. You can either view it under the sun, or if you see the "white color" part at the end of the nail and the nail is reasonable curve, just cut 1 to 1.5 mm of the white part. That way, you wouldn't cut into the blood line within the nail.