How to properly trim a rabbit's claws at home: step-by-step instructions

Nail trimming is an essential part of caring for your pet rabbit. Some breeders, due to inexperience, believe that trimming is unnecessary or may harm the animal. But this opinion is wrong, because such a procedure, on the contrary, prevents uncontrolled growth and possible problems with the movement of the animal. Haircuts can be carried out at grooming centers or veterinary centers. But if you know some of the nuances, you can even trim your rabbit’s claws at home yourself, and at the same time save money on salon procedures.

Why does a rabbit need to have its nails trimmed?

Many breeders claim that a decorative rabbit needs to have its nails trimmed regularly. But in nature, they help the animal cling to the soil and other surfaces, and grinding occurs naturally. Therefore, beginners are often at a loss. As a result, overgrown nails interfere with rodents and cause a lot of discomfort.

There are many reasons for mandatory nail trimming:

• reducing the risk of developing pododermatitis;
• protection of the posture and spine of animals from deformation;
• reducing the risk of nails getting caught and pulled out on carpet or other surfaces;
• protection of limbs from dislocations and joint problems.

Inexpensive grooming of rabbits and chinchillas at home in Moscow

Among the clients of our grooming salon you can find not only cats and dogs, but also decorative rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas of various breeds, sizes and characters. If previously caring for rodents was limited to trimming their claws and cleaning their ears, today a whole range of grooming services are offered for them, including trimming fur, claws, and cleaning their ears.

Rabbits, like cats, can be smooth-haired or long-haired; this fact is the main thing when choosing an image. Of course, the choice of haircuts for long-eared animals is not as wide as for cats and dogs, but owners still have plenty to choose from.

Additional grooming services:

• Combing out mats + 300 rubles
• Nail trim + 200 rubles
• Express molt
• Glitter tattoo from 300 rubles
• Wool dyeing from 500 rubles
• Rhinestone decoration from 150 rubles
• Shaving a pattern from 300 rubles
• Anti-scratch + 1100 rubles
• Departure to the Moscow region + 300-500 rubles

Rodents, just like other animals, are best taught to care from an early age, so as soon as a new inhabitant appears in your home, consult with the breeder about caring for its coat.

Main Reasons for Grooming Rabbits

The fluffy fur coat of rodents needs care no less than that of a cat; it must be combed daily and ensure that it does not get tangled. Short-haired breeds do not require special care, unlike long-haired species, whose coat needs close attention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLhKlRQrxpY

Decorative rabbits with fluffy coats need to be bathed periodically and must be combed every day. Without proper care, fluffy wool quickly becomes tangled, becomes dull and loses its beauty.

Four reasons to trim your decorative rabbit:

1. Hygiene. If you do not have time to comb the coat and remove mats every day, then the best solution would be to cut your pet's hair.
2. Thermoregulation. Breeders and groomers recommend trimming furry animals for the summer to avoid overheating and illnesses associated with heat. In winter, when the heating is turned on in their homes, many rodent owners also prefer to shave off their warm fur coat.
3. Beauty. The unusual and well-groomed appearance of the animal after the work of the master is simply magnificent, so for many owners this is the main reason to call a specialist to groom a rabbit in Moscow.
4. Veterinary indications. It happens that the reason for the procedure is a less pleasant fact, for example, skin diseases. After each procedure, the groomer's tools must be processed and disinfected.

If you decide to trim your pet and have never done this before, then it is better to entrust your furry to the hands of a professional animal groomer.

Cost of grooming a rabbit in Moscow?

The cost of the procedure depends on the complexity of the work and the chosen image. There are two types of haircuts for rabbits: hygienic and model. From the names it becomes clear what the difference is between the two options: the first is aimed at care, the second at aesthetics.

Bathing is not included in the cost of a haircut, so the owner can either bathe the animal the day before or order this service additionally.

1. Hygienic grooming of a rabbit includes trimming nails, cleaning ears, cutting mats and combing. The cost of such a procedure is not high and allows the owners to invite a specialist once every two weeks to tidy up the rabbit’s fur.
2. A model's hairstyle is the result of the groomer's work and imagination. In this option, the rodent’s body is shaved almost bald, the hair on the paws is shaped like “boots”, the hair on the ears can be made shorter, or can simply be combed and left long (at the owner’s discretion). The price of such a hairstyle for a rabbit is quite affordable, so if you have long wanted to experiment with your pet’s appearance or just want to trim its warm coat for the summer, make an appointment with our hairdresser.

A specialist will come to your home on any day convenient for you to trim your four-legged friend.

Professional grooming of rabbits and chinchillas at home in Moscow

Despite the fact that the climate in our region is not the hottest, it is still necessary to trim our brothers’ hair less. It is better to do this in professional salons or at home, but only by calling an experienced specialist.

Attention! Never entrust your animals to students starting their activities; the prices for their services, of course, attract many, but the consequences can be very sad. An inexperienced person can not only ruin an animal’s fur coat, but also accidentally injure it in the process.

If you want to give your rabbit an inexpensive haircut, use the services of an experienced mobile groomer; there are now quite a lot of such specialists in Moscow.

How to find a hairdresser for a rabbit or chinchilla in Moscow:

• on recommendations from friends;
• on the Internet based on customer reviews.

Or just call our grooming salon, whose specialists work at the client’s home. Our employees work seven days a week and are ready to come anywhere in Moscow and provide a beautiful and high-quality haircut for a cat, rabbit or dog of any breed and size.

Source: https://lusigroom.ru/kroliki_i_shinshilli

Treatment frequency

The first nail trimming may be required as early as two months of age. If at this time the baby rabbit finds a new family, the owners receive detailed advice from the breeder.

In the absence of recommendations, the entire task of care falls on the shoulders of new family members.

Important! Rodents are susceptible to stress, so nail trimming is done carefully and infrequently.

Different breeds of rabbits have different rates of nail growth. For some, a haircut is recommended as early as 3 months, while for others – only for six months.

A number of factors also influence the growth rate:

• food quality;
• hereditary traits;
• breed characteristics;
• animal activity;
• conditions of detention.

The average break between procedures is 6–8 weeks. But a visual inspection of the limbs will tell more precisely. Also, the need for the procedure is indicated by the clicking sound of claws as the animal moves across parquet and linoleum.

If a capillary is damaged...

... and the blood began to flow. Just don't panic, okay? You will lament and cry later. Before the procedure, place any disinfectant, for example, hydrogen peroxide, next to you. And prepare some cotton wool.

Before the procedure, do not forget to wash your hands well and wipe the nippers with alcohol. If you suddenly cut off more than necessary, immediately disinfect the wound and hold the cotton wool until the blood stops. There is no need to do anything else.

Then calm down and carefully trim the remaining claws. Don't give up halfway. Believe me, at first I also injured my pets a couple of times out of fear and uncertainty. And then she cried in horror. However, I overcame myself (otherwise I would have gone broke at the vet) and now I trim the claws quickly and accurately.

If you have any questions about the process, ask in the comments.

Required Tools

Little rabbits have rather soft claws. To cut them, nail scissors or pedicure clippers are usually used. Adult pets will need a special tool - a nail clipper. It is sold at any pet store or pet salon and is intended for cats or dogs. The tool looks like a guillotine cutter or scissors.

Important! Ordinary scissors are not used on adult animals. They make my nails very crumbly.

There are models with or without a special limiter. The first option is preferable, especially for beginners. It allows you to choose the appropriate length of the nail without catching small vessels. The nail clipper should be made of steel, with well-sharpened blades and rubber lining on the handles.

Photo gallery

Photo 1. Schematic illustration of the correct haircut

Photo 2. Rabbit on its knees before trimming its claws

Photo 3. Trimming nails using a nail clipper

Correct fixation of the rabbit

Before the grooming begins, your pet often shows anxiety and fear. This is especially true for animals undergoing the procedure for the first time. In this state, cutting is impossible - the rabbit breaks free and tries to escape. The owner must calm him down, pick him up and stroke him.

Attempts to escape will also be made in case of strong fixation. If this is the reason, it is enough to weaken it. There is a special sequence for correctly picking up the animal before the procedure:

1. Place the rabbit in your arms.
2. Grab it from the sides and squeeze it a little when trying to escape.
3. Place the rabbit on its back so that its head is on your elbow.
4. With your left hand, hold the animal and the paw on which the claws will be trimmed.
5. Use your right hand to perform the procedure itself.

Important! It is forbidden to squeeze the pet's back, as this can cause injury.

To make the task easier, the animal is secured with a towel. The paws will be removed from it one by one. It is advisable to carry out the first haircut with an assistant. One person holds the rabbit securely while the other trims its nails.

Useful tips

To avoid many of the mistakes that beginners make, listen to the recommendations of experienced rabbit farmers. They are as follows:

• immediately after the procedure, give your pet a treat; in the future, he will perceive the procedure easier, as he will understand that this is followed by a treat;
• if you are cutting your claws for the first time, give a treat after trimming each claw, and next time after completing the procedure with each paw;
• when during an event the animal suddenly begins to get nervous, do not continue, but stop for a few minutes and calm him down again;
• immediately after washing, do not let your eared dog go outside for a walk, as microcracks remain in the nail plates through which bacteria penetrate;
• for the same reason, before putting it into the cage, treat it and all its attributes (tray, feeder, drinking bowl, toys) with an antiseptic.

A rabbit's claws must be trimmed, making it easier for him to move around. If you are completely confident in your strengths and abilities in manicure, take it on boldly, but remember that rabbits are very timid animals.

Step-by-step instructions for trimming nails

Step-by-step instructions will help you trim your rabbit’s claws correctly:

1. The easiest way to start the procedure is with the front paws. To maximize the exposure of the nail, move the hair and press on the soft pad. Under good lighting, the internal structure of the claw will become visible. Namely, the pulp is tissue with capillaries and nerve endings. Thanks to the blood vessels, it is clearly visible.
2. Only the dead areas of the nail are trimmed. For better confidence, removal is carried out in parts so as not to touch the pulp and not cause severe pain to the animal.
3. After trimming, the claw is inspected for excess parts. Sharp ends are sharpened with a file or cut off.
4. Rabbits need to have all their nails trimmed, even those on their vestigial toes.
5. If the animal is wrapped in a towel, a 5-minute break is taken after each clipped paw. It is necessary to normalize body temperature and prevent the animal from overheating.
6. At the end of the procedure, the pet is rewarded with a treat.

Contacting a specialist: all the pros and cons

It is advisable to apply for a rabbit claw trimming procedure if you have a small number of pets on the farm or for breeders of ornamental animals as pets.

If the farm is of impressive size, then this will lead to significant financial expenses, since rabbit manicure is expensive.

Trusting a professional is often the best option when it comes to caring for your rabbit's claws.

For this reason, large business rabbit breeders are trying to master the shearing technique on their own. If the procedure leads to pain and bleeding, and there is no other way, then keep in mind that next time the wounded little ear will resist as much as possible, to the point of not being able to be picked up.

Despite this, a professional service has many advantages:

• no unpleasant consequences; an experienced veterinarian will not allow cutting of a live area;
• professional and very sharp nail clippers, the procedure is carried out quickly;
• painless for the animal, the doctor performs all actions confidently;
• Lack of stress for the owner Many owners experience anxiety and stress before, during and after the event.

The high cost of a manicure is not the only drawback, but the second disadvantage is more related to the negligence of the veterinarian; if he does not disinfect the instruments in accordance with the norms and requirements, there is a risk of an infectious disease in the animal.

Peppermint treat

Ingredients:

• 1 medium overripe banana.
• 2 chicken eggs.
• 3 tbsp. spoons of honey.
• 3 tbsp. tablespoons of liquid coconut oil (can be replaced with sunflower oil in the same amount).
• 1/2 teaspoon mint flavoring.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
• A quarter cup of carob (roasted carob powder). A small amount of cocoa can be substituted, but this is not recommended for animals. Therefore, try to find an original product.
• Oat flour.

Cooking procedure.

1. Mash the banana in a bowl.

2. Beat eggs into the resulting mass, add honey, baking powder, cinnamon and coconut (sunflower) oil.

3. Add oatmeal to the mixture to form a firm but slightly moist dough.

4. Divide the resulting volume into 2 equal parts.

5. Pour 1/4 cup of carob powder into one half, and add the same amount of flour to the second half. A hard lump should form that does not stick to your hands.

6. Roll out 2 rectangles, 9-10 mm thick.

7. Place the layers of dough on top of each other and roll along the long side. Wrap the resulting sausage in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight.

8. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

9. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

10. Remove the film and cut into 3-3.5 cm rounds.

11. Place on a baking sheet. During cooking, portions of dough will not increase in volume, so you can place them close to each other.

12. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

If you want to please your pet with a crunchier treat, cut the rolls into thin slices (about 1 cm), and after cooking, additionally dry them in a warm oven or even in a non-stick frying pan.

The finished product is stored for a long time in a dry place. So, by baking peppermint rolls once, you can treat your four-legged pupil with them for a long time.

Bon appetit to your dog!

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