My 16-month-old rabbit has untrimmed nails. Is that a problem?

Don't worry, they won't charge you with animal cruelty, it can happen quite fast in some rabbits, it's not uncommon, the nail clipping procedure will take a couple minutes only and Toffee will feel much better after it's done!

Congratulations on your rabbit! Rabbits should consume the majority of their diet (70-80%) from Timothy hay. Hat shotkdnalways be available in his house. A small amount of rabbit pellets (1/4 cup) daily and occasionally fruits and veggies as a treat. Any diet change in a rabbit should transition very slowly as their GI tract does not tolerate change well. Toe nail trim frequency is based on the individual and how quickly they grow but probably every 2 months or so. Best of luck and have fun with your new rabbit! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Since you've already tried clipping the nail short and it's grown back, I recommend making an appointment with your vet. There is likely an underlying problem with the nail such as a fungal or bacterial infection that needs to be treated.

Thanks for your question, and thank you for the pictures - they are very helpful. In the pictures, the nails on Pierre are pretty long - I am not sure if you took these before you trimmed the nails or after, but this may be the reason that he was biting at his feet. When rabbits' nails are too long, they can be irritating to the rabbit and can even break and tear the skin or cause a wound. Rabbits typically dig to keep their nails short, so this may be the reason that he was trying this activity. I would recommend monitoring Pierre now that the nails have been trimmed to see if he responds. If he continues to bite at the fur, then he may have something underlying going on and he should be evaluated by a veterinarian. I hope that gives you a place to start, and that Pierre feels better soon!

Ouch, poor Thumper! His nail may have caught on something and gotten torn. This is very painful, and the remaining quick and nail bed can be susceptible to infection. Thumper may be chewing at his foot for either reason. I recommend having him seen by a vet, to make sure his foot otherwise seems ok, ensure there is no infection developing, and get him put on appropriate pain medication. You can have his nails trimmed at that time as well - nails often get torn if they are getting too long, so your vet can help trim those down if you haven't been trimming them yourself. Hope this helps!

Clipping nails can be really tricky! It is best to get a professional to help you if you are unsure, but if this is really not an option I will give you some tips. First and foremost wrap Fluffy up well in a towel, this will stop the jumping. You can pull out each leg as you need it. Have someone hold the towel and extend the leg for you. You need a good sharp and strong pair of nail clippers for a rabbit, I use dog ones. Have a look at the nail for the red quick and aim to cut about a quarter of a centimeter in front of it so you definitely don't get blood. With black nails cut very tentatively on the first nail and use as a guide of how much to remove on the rest. When you decide to cut a nail commit to it and cut clean and quick so as not to damage the nail bed. It is a good idea to have some permanganate on hand just in case they do bleed. Best of luck

Your bird will probably need to have the nails trimmed about every 8-12 weeks. The toe in the picture does look a little abnormal but it is probably not because of the nail. If the toe is causing an issue I would recommend having your vet take a look at it. Xrays may need to be performed to revaluation the bone. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.