Emma Jones
If rabbits don’t wear their claws properly, they will grow too long over time. In this case, you will have to cut the claws of your rabbits. Here you can read how this works.
Actually, rabbits’ claws wear out by themselves. However, this is not always possible if the posture is incorrect. Older rabbits and young animals, in particular, are affected. In this case, you need to cut your rabbits’ claws, otherwise, they risk getting caught and hurting themselves. In addition, claws that are too long impair the gait of the rabbit.
You can support the natural wear and tear of claws by allowing your rabbits to run free on different surfaces every day.
How to trim rabbit claws
Use claw clippers to trim the claws. It is important that you do not cut off too much when clipping the claws, as this will damage nerves and blood vessels! If you hit the blood vessels, the cut will bleed and the rabbit will show that it hurts by lifting up and shaking its foot.
If the claws are light, you can clearly see where the blood vessels and nerves end. The claw pliers are applied a short distance behind and the claw is shortened.
Especially with dark claws, it is difficult to find the optimal interface because the blood vessels are not visible. Sometimes blood vessels can be seen by shining a powerful flashlight on the claws. When in doubt, it is better to leave the claws a little longer than to cut them too short and into the blood vessels. Another indication of the correct claw length is the length of the hair on the paws. The claws are always a little longer than the fur at this point.
Rabbit claw trimming at the vet
It can happen that your rabbits develop enormous stress when their claws are clipped. Since these animals are not very circulatory stable anyway, you should make the procedure as short as possible. One option is to work in pairs, one holding the rabbit and the other clipping the claws.
But you can also go to the vet without further ado because he is very experienced at it. If you are unsure the first time, you can have the vet show you and then trim your rabbit’s claws yourself in the future.