# HOW do I know how far back I can trim the nails on a black rabbit?



## harleybabe (May 16, 2011)

*SEE UPDATE BELOW, i DID IT!*

I just adopted her today, and her nails are HORRIBLY long, like afraid she is going to break one.  I need to let her her settle in for a couple days, but they have to be done soon!  I have the bypass scissors and know to burrito her and cover her eyes.  I just don't know how to SEE the quick on a dark nailed bunny


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## Margali (May 16, 2011)

Have some practice sessions with rabbit first. Burritoed and fed treats for letting clippers tap on toenails. That way there will be less struggling when you actually clip the toenails.

I did a mini session everyday when I adopted cadbury. He had really bad nails. I took off the minimum I could get a grip on. The daily trimming made the quick (blood vessel) move back so I didn't make him bleed.

Hope this helps.


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## dewey (May 16, 2011)

Similar to dogs, on the underside of the nail is a groove that runs from the base of the nail outward towards the tip.  The groove only goes so far and does not go to the tip.  The clip is made after where the groove ends, between the groove's end and the tip of the nail.  

Nails can usually safely be cut just after the point where the nail curls on itself at the tighest point...between that sharp curl and the tip.  To be safe while learning on one not overgrown, at first I'd use the groove method, cutting well after it towards the tip.  On one with overgrown nails I'd use the groove method and just take a little off each time in a few sessions. 

There's probably youtube videos that show it if you have access to youtube.


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## rickerra (May 17, 2011)

Okay... newbie rabbit raiser question.

Do you have to trim your rabbits nails?

No where in any of my readings did I come across that topic.  I've done dog and cat nails... so I'm not afraid... but my bunnies don't like to be picked up.

Hmm... I have Amer.Chinchilla/'d'Argent/Black NZ crosses.

Cheers!


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## Lizzie098 (May 17, 2011)

rickerra said:
			
		

> Okay... newbie rabbit raiser question.
> 
> Do you have to trim your rabbits nails?
> 
> ...


I would say no. I never needed to, and when we take our bunnies to the fair they always say NOT to clip their nails!  But I have done it before, I had a bunny that I really liked to hold, and her naills hurt on my lap, so I clipped them. But other than that I really had no reason to do it.

Just my bit of advice!


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## dewey (May 17, 2011)

rickerra said:
			
		

> Okay... newbie rabbit raiser question.
> 
> Do you have to trim your rabbits nails?
> 
> ...


I have to trim mine regularly (NZW & Cali's).  It's not something that I can say I enjoy, but I do have to do it.  Some of mine can be cradled belly up easy enough for it, but others that are harder to handle I gently scruff mid back with support and then "hypnotize" them once on the table to accomplish the deed (kinda like hypno on chickens but done differently).  There's other constraint methods but these work best for me.


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## harleybabe (May 18, 2011)

UPDATE!

THIS BUNNIES NAILS WERE SO LONG ! 2 of her nails had curled around and were digging into her FEET!!  It was SO sad.  She HAD to be in pain!!

I cradled her and used the kitty clippers and just took the very tips off, maybe 1/8th of the growth. Checked the nail to be sure it still looked "dead" and not live, and then repeatd.  The two curled one were hard and she was NOT happy when i did it, but boy o boy she hopped around happy when i was done!

I will give her a couple days and trim them a bit more.


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## Lizzie098 (May 18, 2011)

Oh wow I have never heard of that! I have had Californians, Lops, jerseys, and many more, but I have never had to clip any of them!! Well I'm glad it all turned out for you!!!


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## woodleighcreek (May 18, 2011)

I have 2 dark nailed rabbits and what I do is use pedipaws. It takes a bit longer, but if your patient, it does a realy good job.


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## flemish lops (May 18, 2011)

THIS BUNNIES NAILS WERE SO LONG ! 2 of her nails had curled around and were digging into her FEET!!  It was SO sad.  She HAD to be in pain!!

Yikes, that sounds painful. I never clip my rabbits nails so im not really sure what to use.


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## woodleighcreek (May 18, 2011)

flemish lops said:
			
		

> THIS BUNNIES NAILS WERE SO LONG ! 2 of her nails had curled around and were digging into her FEET!!  It was SO sad.  She HAD to be in pain!!
> 
> Yikes, that sounds painful. I never clip my rabbits nails so im not really sure what to use.


Cat clippers work really well.


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## rabbitlady4433 (May 19, 2011)

Just a thought.... I have never had to trim any of my breeder rabbits nails, however they do have these's wood 'shelves' in their cages to get up on.  I often see them scratching on them to rearrange hay to lay on, so I'm betting that's why I've never had to do it.  Though, they are never long I have sustained some really bad scratches when breaking up a fight between a buck and a doe.  (Of coarse the one time I thought I didn't need long sleeves, lol)

I do however clip the tips off of the kits nails because my kids handle them daily if their going to be pets for some one or sold at the local feed and grain and I just want to avoid them getting any bad scratches.


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## DianeS (May 19, 2011)

Ouch! I'm glad you were able to get that taken care of. Must have hurt. Now you have the confidence to check that rabbit's feet on a regular basis and trim the nails whenever they grow too long - since that rabbit seems to have the abilty to grow them long. Good for you!


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## dewey (May 19, 2011)

Maybe everyone else's buns are nail biters or someting, lol, but mine need a trim at least every 2 months.  It's not something I enjoy, even though I can do surgeries on them without a blink.....even clipping the nails on my children when they were babies would make me shake!LOL  They had lots of cute little baby mittens.


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