Trimming claws in domestic rabbits is one of the necessary procedures in keeping them. The length of the claws directly affects the health of the animal.
You can contact a veterinary clinic to a specialist, and you can perform this procedure at home by yourself, having gained patience and having trained before that.
Do I need to cut the claws of the rabbit
In the wild, rabbit claws are needed when running to cling to the ground, while they grind off naturally on their own. There is no such possibility in the room, so the claws grow and interfere with the animal. 
There are several reasons for the need to trim the claws of rabbits:
- Long claws prevent the animal from evenly distributing its weight on the legs. When moving, body weight falls on the heels, from which corns are formed, and fur is erased on the pads and purulent wounds appear. It also twists the fingers.
- Regrown claws can cause injury to others and to the rabbit itself.
- A sign of discomfort is that the eared mouse itself begins to gnaw its claws.
Important! Claws need to be cut regularly as they grow. Since they grow differently in rabbits, this procedure can be done once a month, and in someone - once every three months.
How to cut the rabbit's claws
To trim the claws, you need to prepare all the necessary tools, soothe and fix the rabbit, and then carefully carry out the procedure itself.
Preparation for the procedure
To perform a haircut, you need to prepare a tool - these can be claws for cats and dogs, which are of two types:
- Nail clippers, scissors, which are used for grooming cats. The principle of operation is the same as for ordinary scissors. The positive side of this tool - great maneuverability when performing haircuts.
- Guillotine claws, intended for clipping claws in dogs. Used for trimming thick claws. The advantage of the guillotine is an exact fixation of the claw in the hole of the device.
In the pharmacy, you can also purchase a styptic pencil, which is more convenient in applying the binder to the cut.
Rabbit fixation
In order to carry out the procedure easily and painlessly for the rabbit, it must be properly fixed. Before this, the animal must be reassured. The animal is put on his knees and stroked. When he calms down, you need to limit his mobility so that during the procedure he does not begin to break out. It is necessary to act firmly, but carefully, so as not to harm the animal. Efforts should be made only when the pet tries to escape. It is strictly forbidden to press on the back, because it is very easy to injure.
Read about how many years rabbits live in different breeds at home.
To make the rabbit stop panicking, you need to hold it by the sides and hips of your hind legs. Such pressure is reminiscent of the feeling that he feels in the cramped hole, surrounded by his relatives.
Most often, breeders use the following methods of fixing animals:
- It is possible to fix the rabbit by simply pressing the back of its body in a sitting position. To do this, occupy a comfortable sitting position. The animal is placed on the edge of the table and is pushed by hand. You need to do this so that your palm is on his chest. In this case, the animal should be comfortable to sit like that.
- The fixation in the supine position is most liked by the animal. True, it is necessary to accustom this eared mouse, as soon as it appeared in your house. One hand fits on his stomach and strokes the animal, while the other hand takes the foot and claws are cut off in turn.
- The most convenient way for a person is to wrap in a towel. The animal is wrapped in a towel so that only the head remains outside. This will help to fix the animal well, while not causing him any harm. Rabbit can be placed on the lap or on a non-slip surface. The procedure begins with alternate stretching of the paws and cutting off the claws on them.
- An unfamiliar room can also help in this procedure. These animals behave very calmly in a new place.
Did you know? The long hairs on the eyebrows and cheeks in rabbits are the organs of touch. With their help, the animal moves in the dark. The span of a mustache is equal to the width of its body, which helps the animal to estimate the distance between obstacles.
A haircut
The first haircut is recommended to do at the age of 2 months pet.
Consider how to conduct this procedure step by step:
- Start haircut with front paws. To gain access to the claw, they press on the pad and move the wool away. Before circumcision itself, it is necessary to determine where the pulp begins, a living tissue with blood vessels that cannot be touched during the circumcision.
- With a nail clipper you need to remove only the dead end. It is better to remove it gradually in a few steps, so as not to cause bleeding.
- After trimming, the foot is carefully inspected once again for the presence of sharp parts that need to be cut or cut, if there is a nail file with a large dusting.
- It is important not to forget to cut the claws on the rudimentary fingers too.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of breeding rabbits at home, as well as some useful facts about such breeds: California, Angora, black and brown, butterfly, golden rizen, flandr, Soviet chinchilla.
Video: How to cut rabbit claws
What will happen if you do not cut the rabbit's claws
Rabbit claws are constantly growing, and if they are not trimmed, they can begin to cause discomfort to the animal, and in the future even lead to health problems, which manifest themselves in the following:
- bloody calluses on paws;
- joint pains;
- sprains of the limbs;
- rachiocampsis;
- pains in the paws during each step.
Did you know? Previously, rabbits were purposefully released on deserted islands. This was done so that in the event of a shipwreck, the injured people had something to eat on such an island.
Despite the fact that clipping claws is not difficult, for the first time you can use the services of a pet care specialist. He will show how to properly carry out this procedure so that it is quick and painless.
