The Safe And Easy Way To Maintain Your Rabbit's Nails

Rabbit nails grow quickly, and can become long and sharp in a fairly short space of time. Apart from making them more difficult to handle, as the long nails can deliver a nasty scratch, rabbits kept in wire cages are at risk of getting a nail stuck between wires and tearing it out. Unless your rabbit has lots of opportunities for digging or scratching on hard surfaces, you'll probably need to trim his nails periodically- every 6-8 weeks or so. Unless you choose to take your rabbit to the vet or a professional groomer to have its nails trimmed, you'll want to take note of a few tips before trying it yourself.

The first and most important thing to know is how to properly hold your rabbit. You ought to know this anyway, but since you'll probably need to restrain your rabbit for this activity, it's a topic worth revisiting. The physical structure of a rabbit includes lots of powerful muscles, particularly in the rear legs, attached to a light, almost flimsy skeleton. A panicked rabbit that does not want to be held is likely to lash out with its powerful rear legs. If they don't have anything to push against, they can easily cause the spine to become hyper extended, causing fracture or dislocation of the spine. This will typically result in the permanent paralysis of the rabbit's rear legs. So, if your rabbit does not want to be picked up, don't try. This is part of why bonding and socialization with your rabbit is so important- if it does not trust you, all aspects of caring for it become more difficult.

When the rabbit is comfortable, put one hand under its chest, on the breast bone, and the other under its rump and hindquarters. Never pick the rabbit up by the scruff or by its ears. If the rabbit is reluctant to let you handle its paws, you can wrap it snugly in a towel and withdraw one limb at a time. Again, if your rabbit struggling or seems scared, leave it alone and try again some other time.

With the rabbit secured, take a look at one of the nails. If the nail is light in colour, you should be able to see a reddish portion that extends partway down the nail. This is the "quick," which is the fleshy portion of the nail that contains blood vessels and may become injured. Trim the nail just after the quick, at an angle such that the underside of the nail is shorter than the top. If the nail is too dark to see where the quick is, you can take a chance and cut about where you think it is, or simply take off a safe amount on a more regular basis. Either way, you'd be well-advised to keep something around to staunch a bleeding nail. You can buy Kwik-Stop, a commercial coagulant, or simply use flour, cornstarch, or the like.

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You can use just about any cutting implement to trim the nails, but there are specially-made nail trimmers for small pets. These are ideal, as they are small, so as not to obscure your view, and notched to cut a tubular shape cleanly. Some even include a safety bar that automatically prevents over-trimming. Just make sure that they are nice and sharp, as a dull set of trimmers could crack the nail or leave it ragged and sharp.

About the Author:

Andrew Massaro: With these tips in mind and the right Rabbit Nail Clippers, trimming your rabbit's nails should become an easy routine that helps promote trust and bonding between you and your bunny. In addition to keeping them well groomed it is important to provide your pet rabbit with Rabbit Cages for them to relax, sleep and feel secure in.

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