Rabbits are small animals whose fluffy, fluffy appearance, which can sometimes resemble a tiny ball of fur, makes them adorable.
The rabbit is a delicate mammal that requires much more care than you might think at first, it's not just giving it carrots and a
That's why on our site we want to teach you how to cut a rabbit's nails?, because we know how much these animals they can get scared if you approach them inappropriately when it comes to helping them with their hygiene routine.
When to trim your rabbit's nails?
Surely you are wondering if it is really necessary to cut your rabbit's nails and the truth is that it is, especially to prevent it from scratching you or other petsthat you have at home, or that his fingernail gets caught somewhere and hurts him.
In the wild, the rabbit does not need to trim its claws, as digging, running and digging in the ground naturally wear down the animal's claws, but this is very unlikely if your rabbit you live in an apartment or house where you have no contact with the outside.
Rabbits' front toenails grow faster than their back toenails, so they will need trimming more often. How often will depend a lot on the speed at which the nails grow, which varies. However, every 4 to 6 weeks you can inspect the length, it's probably time to cut the nails.
How do you know if it's time to cut them? If the nails bend or you can hear them when your rabbit jumps on the floor, then they are too long already, and need trimming.
Aspects to consider
Before cutting your rabbit's nails, you need to know certain things to avoid accidents and this routine does not cause trauma to the little animal:
- You will need the help of one or maybe two people, because although they are small rabbits can struggle very hard when they sit down threatened.
- You need a special nail clipper for rabbits or, failing that, one for cats.
- They have four claws and a spur (located on the inside) on their front feet, and four claws on their hind feet.
- Nails have a slanted shape, so you must respect this when cutting.
- Just like cats' nails, rabbits' nails are very delicate and you could hurt them if you cut them incorrectly. Each nail has a white section and inside this you can see a red part, which is called living flesh Living flesh is made up of blood vessels and under no circumstances should be cut, as it is painful for your rabbit and it could bleed to death. If her nails are darker, hold a light up to see where the raw flesh is, which will look like a smudge. You should always cut away from that section, just at the ends.
- If you cut too much, you should immediately apply an anticoagulant to stop the bleeding.
- During the entire process, reassures the rabbit with caresses and sweet words.
- Cut your nails in a lighted place, to avoid accidents.
How to cut your nails
Once you've located the part of your rabbit's nails that you need to cut, it's time to get to work. To do this you will need:
- A rabbit or cat nail clipper
- A helper.
- A hemostat or, alternatively, baking flour.
- A towel.
Before you begin, you and your helper should be calm, as a nervous attitude could put the rabbit on alert. Ask your helper to pick up the rabbit and pet it on the rabbit's lap until the animal is calm and relaxed
When the rabbit is calm, you can do one of two things:
You can choose to ask your helper to hold the rabbit against his chest, immobilizing him but not exerting pressure, because the body of this mammal is very delicate and you can easily hurt himNever put pressure on his back, as you could break his spine.
If your rabbit is very nervous, you can lightly press on its sides and rump, as this will remind it of the squeezing movement of other rabbits when inside a burrow.
While your helper is holding it, you will take each leg, remove the hair around it and make small cuts on each nail one by one, being careful not to touch the raw meat. As you do this, remember caresses and sweet words.
If, despite all care, the rabbit continues to try to squirm, you should opt for the second option, which is to wrap it in a towel, leaving the head and ears outside, and gradually remove each leg to cut the nails. To prevent the animal's body from overheating, give it a rest outside the towel when you're done with each leg.
In case you happen to cut raw meat by accident, apply hemostat to the wound to coagulate the blood The hemostat is a powder able to stop bleeding. Use it if necessary and observe the recovery of the nail. If you see the condition getting worse, go to the vet immediately.
Repeat the entire cutting process with each nail.
In case you can't get someone to help you and you have to do it yourself, we recommend:
Place the rabbit on a table and cradle it in your arm. Hold the rabbit with the back of your hand and grab the leg with your fingers. With the other hand, cut the nail.
You can also place him on his back on your knees, with his head near your elbow, since you will be covering him with your arm. With one of your hands take the leg and with the other you cut the nail. If these methods of cutting nails without help are unsuccessful, try the towel technique that we already explained.
Don't forget that some rabbits are afraid of heights, so if you notice that he is especially terrified when you or your helper pick him up, it's best to try on the floor.
Ultimately, Go to a veterinarian to trim the rabbit's nails, if you can't do it yourself. Remember that the most important thing is the animal's he alth, so if you don't feel safe and you're afraid to cut the raw meat, it's best to leave this job to the professionals.
