[Jovie]

Yesterday I attempted to cut Speckle's nails for the first time, and she wasn't having it, I held her on her back (my mom helped) poor girl was breathing heavily, I could feel her breathing on my hand, I felt so bad I couldn't finish and was only able to clip some of her nails (on her hands, not feet). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to help her stay calm? Simon stays very calm and doesn't move a bit, but he was use to it, I dont think Speckle's have ever really had her nails clipped (only when she got spayed and the vet did it while she was under).

thanks!

 

[Jess]

I don't like flipping them over, it might make it easier but it majorly freaks though out. I sit on a chair, hold Smudge in my lap, and gently pull out his feet from under him and clip his nails. It also works well if you put them on a gridded surface of some kind so that their nails poke through the holes, and clip thir nails from underneath. I did that before with my sister's rabbit, and he didn't even notice his nails were being clipped!

 

[caitlin14]

If you have a bunny that hates being picked up and normally wont sit still how do you get them into your lap without them bounding right off? I am s scared to cut benjis nails, and was going to try the back method, but not if it scares him as much as it did poor speckle. I might get the vet to do it the first couple times so i can learn better!

 

[Jovie]

Honestly, Speckle doesnt sit still much, but she does come to me and has me pet her, so it's easy just to pick her up and not let her go, once she's up against my chest she's stuck, so I just picked her up and flipped her over, but the whole time she was trying to flip herself back and her breathing and heart was racing, like I could hear her heavy breathing and I got scared and felt bad so I just stopped. Maybe I just need to do it more often that way she'll get use to it.

 

[moonchild]

My cats flip out when I try to cut their nails. I just leave a cutter someplace handy, and when they are calm, I just cut a few of their nails at a time. I streach the job over a couple of days, because I don't want the situation to get to a point where it is a bad experience.

 

[Dragonrain]

I don't like flipping them over like that either. I think it's stressful and not a comfortable position for them. If you're not really careful, they can hurt themselves trying to get up off their backs. Rabbits have pretty delicate spines and if they twist the wrong way trying to get up they can actually break their backs.

To cut my rabbit's nails, I'll usually wait until they are calm and will give them something to eat or have my fiance pet them - just to distract them a bit. Then I'll gently hold each paw one at a time and as quickly as I can cut the nails. If you're having a really difficult time, you can make what's called a "bunny burrito" - basically you just wrap them up in a towel or a blanket so they can't scratch you or struggle. One at a time unwrap each paw out from the towel and cut the nails, then cover that foot again and move on to the next one.

 

[Purple-Hops]

Yea I agree, you see people flipping their rabbits all the time and call it a "trance". I think it's a defensive move for predators. I know for sure that they do not like it and in their haste to get up can injure themselves.

I always have someone hold Acacia up to their chest or sit down with her and I cut the nails in 2 minutes tops. Then she can go be moody again. Bunny burrito works for a lot of bunnies. You could also try to cover their heads gently with your hand.

 

[Jovie]

I've seen Youtube videos of this "bunny trance" it's crazy, but no one knows if it's safe and I'm not gonna try it, I don't want to hurt my babies.

 

[Purple-Hops]

I've seen my cousin put Akina in the trance easy enough but she would never let me do it and would struggle it. So that leads me to believe that many bunnies are forced into it. It cannot be very comfortable for them and I for sure would not risk it myself.