Nail trimming, impossible with new rabbit @_@

[Halucinate]

Well, maybe its just cause its a female, and perhaps shes more territorial then my last male lop. Anyways, i noticed her nails sort of... being louder then usual, aka scrapping a lil not to much, but enough i wanna trim them.

Well my last male, was actually VEEEERY easy. He would run at inital "dominate and grab", but once he knew i had him, and supported his back end, he was very submissive. My new female... is acting like im trying to eat her alive @_@ lmao.

and to make things worse... seems like its gonna be double the job, because shes a lionhead, and i gotta sorta stroke her feet to get the hair out of the way lol. Well she made ME be submissive for now. She is a big time struggler, i need some advice, if i gotta wait a week for a paycheck to get some kind of useful product, so be it. Ugh what do you guys do when its trimming time, she makes me feel bad for even trying, she was breathing harder and stuff, although all fixed, im not tryna stress her out

She is now pretending i am see through :grumpy:

 

[Happi Bun]

My boy Dunkin acts like your going to cook him and eat him as well. :rollseyes He flat out hyperventilates; nostrils flaring and honking loudly. He's been known to nip in the process too. Despite having him for two years he still refuses to get used to having his nails trimmed. What works really well is doing what is called "Bunny Burrito".

Here is an article on how to, all you need is a towel.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5641404_make-bunny-burrito.html

 

[Colorguarder08]

With Freckles I held her firmly wrapped up in a towel and tays mom trimmed her nails for me

 

[Yield]

[align=center]I don't even try with my rabbit Silas. I'm so glad his nails naturally... don't grow. Of course I check in case we have to, but they're always short. *knocks on wood*

With Solara, whom hates being on her back, I hold her down and my mom cuts her nails. (It's extra hard because she has this ONE nail that ALWAYS bleeds no matter how little you cut.) But I thought it'd be impossible but it's so much easier with two people.

I tried bunny burrito.. didn't work for me. =P
Good luck!

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

I don't ever let the rabbit be boss. EVER. They're not. I will pull the ears back where they lay across the back put my hands over where the scruff of the neck is and that is how I hold them. Firmly. The ears should be agasint your hand, and that will help hold their head still. firmly grab the their bottom to flip them over. With some it takes a few tries.

also if have someone help you. Have them hold the rabbit like above and trim the nails. I do that with first timmers getting theirs done.


unfortunately all that above info went out the drain when I ask my boyfriend to hold them to clip nails =p But he still gets them to stop wiggling lol

 

[Nancy McClelland]

You should never let your bunny be the Alpha, ever. Leads to way too many behavior issues. You have to handle them enough to get them used to it, otherwise you won't be able to do nails or scent glands and a host of other things. We do a double team--Nancy holds them and I trim them, especially with fur issues, the double team is the best approach. Most of our bunnies came to us not having been socialized as they are all rescues, so we won't touch on the issue of lackluster owners, but time will be needed to get them used to handling.

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

i agree w above. try turning them over like i said. and just do it often and make them get used to it. hold them that way til they calm down and then release them. thats rewarding them for doin what u want. this works w bunnies to snakes. they have to give to get

 

[Acacia-Berry]

LOL Classic teenage bunny attitude! I could never trance bunnies- I also don't like the idea of it. Burrito did not work for Acacia so I also double team it. I have my Matty hold her and he strokes her head and I do a quick trim. She keeps them generally trim just by running along the carpet. I hope you figure it out and get them nails clipped!! lol I also don't like the idea of firmly holding their heads, that's a sensitive area and I wouldn't want to risk harming my bunny. Best of Luck!!

 

[Halucinate]

hahaha okay, ill show her whos boss next time hopefully tonite, if not tomorow. again there not generally TO long, but they do go past the red enough to where i should probably get her done sooner then later, so i can not worry for a few weeks

thanks for all the advice, and i already didnt like the bunny burrito technique with her, to hard for me to support her back end i fine, just sort of uncomfortable that way lol.

You guys find males easier then girls? out of curiosity.

edit: ALSO, is there something i can buy her, maybe something to dig up or something, that may reduce how often i have to trim her nails? like i know cats can get scratch posts

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

the way i described is the easiest. it just takes practice. I don't know anyone who has rabbits who does it a different way.

 

[tonyshuman]

I am not comfortable scruffing a rabbit, so I wrap the difficult ones in a towel. AS I sit here typing, I have bandaids on both hands from a shelter bunny that bit and held on. I had to throw a towel over her and wrap her up in it burrito style to get anywhere near her.

 

[MiniLopHop]

I normally don't have an extra pair of hands so I use a pillow on my desk. I flip them over onto the pillow (their back) and my chest (one side) then I can get my arm around the top of them so their heads burrow in the crook of my arm. I think I need a picture to expain this, sorry.

It leaves one hand for holding a foot and the other for clipping. The buns feel secure having something on all sides so they don't struggle. I will have my husband take a picture of this tonight.

 

[Happi Bun]

When I'm doing bunny burrito I sit on a low stepping stool so the rabbits butt is supported by my knees. Not sure if you have tried doing it that way. It works for me, I used this technique a lot with troubled bunnies at a rescue.