Thursday Tips - Bunny Care

Do you have a house bunny? Does clipping her nails terrify you?



I used to be afraid of clipping my bunny's nails. But it was a necessary evil. Pepper is about as placid as a bunny can be as long as she doesn't think you want to eat her. If you get clippers near her toes...she assumes you want to use them to eat her. I learned a new trick and I'm not afraid anymore.

First you wrap your bunny up in a towel like a burrito. It's a good idea to get someone else to help you in case you need a second pair of hands.



Then you lay her gently on her back. It's very important to be gentle and move slowly. Your bunny's spine is extremely fragile. One wrong jerk of the leg to break free and your rabbit can snap her spine. When my bunny is in a burrito wrap she doesn't fight. Her arms and legs are completely held against her body. It's also good to have your helper hold her down firmly during the process. I've gotten quite good at it, and she stays pretty still now.

I gently pull one leg out of the wrap at a time and gently clip the nail with giant toenail clippers (the fingernail clippers don't open wide enough). Be extremely careful not to cut bunny's nail to the quick. This could cause bleeding and your bunny doesn't have a lot of blood. It can also be difficult to stop the bleeding once it starts.



Once you get into a routine with your bunny she will no longer be frightened. I still burrito wrap my bunny so that I don't take any chances with her spine.

If your bunny gets away from you, you can catch her by throwing the towel over her. This will cause her to pause. Then quick as you can scoop up your bunny, towel and all.

After it's all over, be sure to spend some time rubbing your bunny down. She will associate the burrito wrapping with good lovin' and will look forward to her next mani/pedi.