Rabbit nails that start to grow too long or begin to curl inward can put a lot of stress on the rabbit’s feet. They will be forced to shift their weight and walk in an unnatural way. Overgrown nails are also very likely to get caught on something, such as the carpet, and break off completely.
To avoid this, you need to trim your rabbit’s nails every couple of months to keep them from getting too long and brittle. This is, of course, easier said than done. Most pet rabbits do not like when their feet are touched and will put up a struggle when you try to trim their nails.
This article is meant to walk you through the process and give you some tips for clipping rabbit nails on your own. I still wouldn’t say it’s easy, but if you can be a little patient with your rabbit (and yourself), then you’ll get it done. Over time, the process will get easier and easier.
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How to trim a rabbit’s nails
I won’t sugar coat this, clipping a rabbit’s nails by yourself is not easy. Keeping a rabbit calm while you handle their feet and find their nails is a challenge. This whole process can take a lot longer than it seems it should. The first time I clipped a rabbits nails on my own, the whole process took more than half an hour. But we did it, and I know you can do it too!
Tools you need for rabbit nail clipping:
- A pair of animal nail clippers. You can use the spring loaded clippers for a quick cut, or use smaller handheld clippers for more control. You should NOT use scissors or human nail clippers.
- It is also useful to have a towel handy. The towel is to put under them and give their feet traction. Or if you are dealing with a particularly fidgety rabbit, you can use the towel to burrito the rabbit while you clip their paws.
How to trim rabbit nails:
- Place your rabbit on a table. Make sure you have a towel on the table for traction so your rabbit will be more comfortable. Pet your rabbit and give them a massage so they will relax and calm down.
- Wrap one arm around your rabbit and gently pull one of their front paws out from underneath them. You want to hold your rabbit on the edge of the table against your body so they will feel secure. Make sure you always keep yourself between your rabbit and the side of the table. You don’t want them to struggle and fall off. Put your hand on top of your rabbit’s head to help them stay calm during the next step.
- Clip the nails on the first front foot. Try to get all five nails. The ‘thumb nail’ on the inside of the foot is always the hardest to find. This step will probably take a long time because your rabbit will keep pulling their leg back. If your rabbit will not cooperate at all, you can try putting them in a half burrito in a towel, with their front-legs sticking out in front of them. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the other front paw.
- Hold your rabbit up on their hind legs and clip their back feet. Hold your rabbit underneath their chest, keeping them pressed up against your body so they will feel secure. Slowly clip the nails on your rabbit’s back feet. I find the hind legs are easier to clip than the front legs, but if your rabbit keeps getting out of your grip, rearrange how you’re holding the rabbit and try again.
After you’ve finished clipping their nails, give your rabbit a yummy treat as a reward and let them go to roam around as they please. Many rabbits will be very mad at you for a short period of time afterward. Leave them alone until they are ready to forgive you. Over time, as you handle your rabbit more and get used to clipping their nails, this process will get easier and your rabbit will get used to it.
What if the nail starts bleeding
While it is a little painful for the rabbit if you clip into the quick (kind of like when we humans break a nail), this is not a serious situation for the rabbit. They will be just fine. Your rabbit will recover in no time and wonder why you are making such a fuss.
(note: the quick is the vein that runs down each of your rabbit’s nails)
If you accidentally clip into the quick and the rabbit’s nail starts to bleed, you can use a cotton ball with a little cornstarch or styptic powder to help stop the bleeding. Press the cotton ball against the nail for a couple minutes. After the blood has stopped flowing, allow your rabbit to go free. They will lick their nail to clean the ‘wound’ and then continue hopping around like normal.
How long should rabbit nails be?
There is no perfect length that a rabbit’s nails need to be kept at. The indicator that I use to know when it’s time to clip my rabbit’s claws is when the nails starts to extend beyond the fur of their feet. For most breeds of rabbit, this is the best way to know that their nails are getting a little long.
If the nails have started curling significantly, then it’s already been too long. You should clip them as soon as possible. Likewise, if your rabbit’s nails are so long that they can’t seem to hop around comfortably, then they are in need of a trim right away.
Sources:
- McBride, A; Day, S., McAdie, T., Meredith, A., Barley. J., Hickman, J. and Lawes, L. “Trancing Rabbits : relaxed hypnosis or a state of fear?” Proceedings of the VDWE International Congress on Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare, http://wabbitwiki.com/images/b/bb/Tonic_immobility_paper_ghent.pdf.
- “Rabbit Nails.” Rabbit Welfare Association And Fund. https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/rabbit-nails.
- “Trancing.” Rabbit Welfare Association And Fund. https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/trancing.
- “Why Rabbits Should Not Be Declawed.” House Rabbit Society, July 10, 2011, https://rabbit.org/why-rabbits-should-not-be-declawed.
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