Cutting the claws of a rabbit is an important part of grooming that pet owners should not neglect. Let's figure out why to do this and how to properly carry out the procedure.

Does the rabbit need to cut its claws?

The domestic rabbit, unlike the wild counterparts, needs clipping. The procedure should be carried out regularly with a frequency of 1 time in 3-6 weeks. The frequency depends on the activity of the pet and natural grinding of the claws.

Did you know? Wild rabbits make a semblance of a home haircut on their own, grinding their claws on branches, stones and bark. The decorative pet needs the help of the owners.

Benefit

• Among the advantages are the following:
• prevention of deformation of the fingers;
• providing comfortable movement;
• eliminating the risk of tearing or damage to the nail;
• proper distribution of the load on the body of the animal.

Harm

• However, this procedure has several disadvantages, which include:
• the ability to injure a pet;
• infection with insufficient tool handling;
• damage to the animal with improper fixation;
• stress due to inept or painful cutting.

How to cut a rabbit's claws

In order to avoid harmful consequences, the owner must strictly follow the rules for trimming nails. These include: determining the cutting area, preparing tools, fixing the rabbit, and cutting itself.

Training

The rabbit’s claw is divided into a free edge, which is trimmed, and living tissue, which can catch, can cause pain and damage the blood vessels. Before cutting, you need to determine the living area. For this, it is necessary to examine the paw of the animal.

1. On colorless nails, living tissue has a reddish tint.
2. Dark claws should be checked with a flashlight. With artificial translucency, an area that cannot be cut will be slightly darker than the free edge.
3. If both of the previous methods do not help, slightly press the claw with your finger. If the pet does not respond, exposure to the free edge occurs. When pressed on living tissue, an animal reaction will follow.

Tool selection

You can trim using two types of tools, which include:

• nail clippers;
• nippers for claws.

Both devices can be purchased at a specialized veterinary store. Specialists advise using wire cutters that minimize the risk of damaging living tissue. Before cutting, the tool must be sanitized.

Important! If there are no nail clippers or nippers at hand, you can use nail clippers designed for humans. In this case, you need to act carefully and apply all precautions.

Animal fixation

Immediately before the procedure, the animal may begin to get nervous. This behavior is associated with fear and anxiety about an unusual impact, especially if pruning is done for the first time. In this case, the pet does not allow to cut its nails and breaks out. To calm the rabbit, you need to take it in your hands and stroke it.Right and wrong nail clipping procedure Also, the pet may start to break out if it is held too tight. In this case, you need to slightly relax the grip. The fixing rules before the procedure are as follows:

1. Gently pick up the rabbit.
2. Hold the animal by its sides, squeezing slightly only when it breaks out.
3. Turn it over on your back with your head on your elbow.
4. With one hand, hold the body and hold the foot, with the other, cut the nails.

Important! It is undesirable to press on the back of the pet - this way it can be injured.

To simplify the procedure, the animal can also be fixed with a towel and take out the legs one at a time. The most convenient option is to ask for assistant help: in this case, one person holds the body, and the second cuts the nails.

Haircut procedure

By disinfecting the instrument and fixing the animal, you can proceed to the haircut itself.

1. Lock the front paw.
2. Move the coat away.
3. Using the tool, begin to trim the free edge of the nail, avoiding the live part.
4. Cut all your nails and go to the second front paw.
5. After trimming on the front legs, repeat the above steps with the hind legs.

Video: how to cut the claws of a rabbit

What to do if the capillary is affected

Even with reliable fixation, the rabbit can be injured. This situation often happens in inexperienced owners or restless rabbits. In this case, it is always necessary to have an antiseptic solution, ointment or powder. It can be hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine bigluconate or any other disinfectant.

Did you know? For disinfection, you can wash the wound with saline. To prepare it, you need to stir 1 tsp in 500 ml of boiled water. salt.

With severe cuts, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian, however, small wounds heal on their own. It is not difficult to cut the claws of a rabbit, however, the procedure requires preparation and compliance with the rules. With proper pruning, the rabbit will not feel discomfort when moving and will be able to avoid the negative effects of unshaved claws.