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Rabbits are small animals that have a furry and soft appearance that can sometimes resemble a small fur ball, making them adorable.
The rabbit is a delicate mammal that needs a lot more care than you might think at first, it's not enough just to give it carrots.
Therefore, at PeritoAnimal we want to explain to you how to cut a rabbit's nails, because we know how much these animals can be scared if you approach them inappropriately when helping them with their hygiene routine.
When should you cut your rabbit's nails?
I'm sure you've already wondered if it's really necessary to cut your rabbit's nails, and the truth is, especially for prevent scratching yourself or other pets that you have at home, or that your nail gets stuck somewhere and it hurts you.
In the wild, the rabbit does not need to cut its nails, as digging, running and digging in the earth will wear out the animal's nails in a natural way, but this is very unlikely if your rabbit lives in an apartment or house. in which it has no contact with the outside world.
Rabbits' front toe nails grow faster than their hind legs, so they need to be clipped more often. How often to cut will depend on how fast the nails grow. However, the every 4 or 6 weeks you can check its length as it is likely that you will need to cut your nails already.
How do you know if it's the right time to cut them? If the nails bend or you can hear them when your rabbit jumps on the floor, then they are already too long and need to be cut.
Factors to take into account
Before cutting your rabbit's nails, you need to know a few things to avoid accidents and ensure that this routine does not cause trauma to the animal:
- will need the help from one or maybe two people, because although they are small, rabbits can have a lot of strength when they feel threatened.
- Need a special nail cutter for rabbits or, failing that, one for cats.
- The nails have a slanted shape, you must respect this when making the cut.
- Like cats' nails, rabbits' nails are very delicate and you can hurt them if you cut them incorrectly. Each nail has a white section and inside it you can see a red part, which is called live flesh.. Live meat is made up of blood vessels and under any circumstances must be cut as it is painful for your rabbit and may bleed. If your nails are darker, put a light on to detect the area where the raw flesh is, which will appear as a stain. Always cut away from this section, only at the ends.
- If you cut more than what you should, you should apply an anticoagulant immediately to stop the bleeding.
- During the entire process, tranquilize the rabbit with caresses and sweet words.
- cut nails in one lighted place, to avoid accidents.
clipping the rabbit's nails
Once you've located the part of your rabbit's nails that you want to cut, it's time to get down to business. For this you will need:
- One cuts the nails of rabbits or cats.
- A helper.
- A towel.
- A hemostatic or flour for cooking.
Before starting, you and your helper should be calm, because a nervous attitude can put the rabbit on alert. Ask your helper to hold the rabbit and pet it until the animal is calm and relaxed. When the rabbit is calm, it can do either of two things:
You can choose to ask your helper to hold the rabbit against your chest, immobilizing it but not exerting pressure, as this mammal's body is very delicate and can hurt you easily. Never put pressure on your back as it could break your spine.
If your rabbit is very nervous, you can press lightly on its hips and sides as this will remind you of the tight movement of other rabbits when they are in a burrow.
While your helper holds you, take each paw and remove the fur from around it. Make small cuts in each nail, one by one, being careful not to touch the raw flesh. When doing this, remember to pet him and say sweet words.
If despite all these precautions, the rabbit continues to twitch, you should choose the second option, which is wrap him in a towel leaving the head and ears out, and taking each paw out to cut the nails. To prevent the animal's body from overheating, give it a rest off the towel when you're done with each paw.
In case of cut blood vessels by accident, apply hemostatic over the wound to clot the blood. The hemostatic is a powder capable of stopping bleeding. Use it if necessary and observe the recovery of the nails. If you see that the condition worsens, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Repeat the entire cutting process with each nail. In case you can't get someone to help you and you have to do it yourself, we recommend that:
Place it face up on your knees, with your head close to your elbow, so that you will cover it with your arm. With one of your hands take a paw and with the other cut the nail. If this method of trimming your nails without help doesn't work, try the towel technique we've already explained.
Don't forget that some rabbits are afraid of heights, so if you notice that you're especially scared when you or your pet grabs you, it's best to try the procedure on the ground.
In last case, consult a veterinarian who cuts the rabbit's nails, if it is impossible to do it yourself. Remember that the most important thing is the animal's health, so if you don't feel safe and are afraid of cutting blood vessels, it's best to leave this job in the hands of professionals.
