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Animal Nails

Animal nails sound exactly like nail art designed with animals or animal prints in mind. These designs can include everything from cute little bunnies to bohemian elephants, so there's something for everyone. Overall, animal nail designs are a fun and creative way to show off your love for animals and add a unique touch to your nail art.
Animal nail designs are flexible in terms of design and color. You can choose a specific animal or even mix up different animals to create unique art. Some popular designs that go well with animal nail art designs include paw prints, scales, stripes, and spots. Animal faces or silhouettes can also be incorporated into the design for a more dramatic effect. You can pair the artwork with glitter or rhinestones for a glam effect or combine it with floral or tribal designs for a more eclectic look. General motifs include paw prints, fangs (like an alligator), claws (like a cat or tiger), feathers, horns/antlers (like a deer), and scales (like dragons). A good color combination for animal nails is one where the base color is similar to the animal's natural habitat—for example, yellowish green for frogs or brownish green for turtles. You can also add splashes of contrasting colors. Metallic colors, such as gold or silver, can also add a stylish touch to animal nail designs.
If you've never tried an animal nail design, now's the perfect time! Whether looking for something cute, cuddly, or edgy and fierce, animal nails can help you get there. We'll share some of the best animal nail designs so you can get inspired!

The Best Animal Nail Art Ideas

The Most Popular Animals for Nail Designs

Panda Nails
Bear Paw Nails
Tortoise Shell Nails
Butterfly Wing Nails
Ladybug Nails
Fish Scale Nails
Dragonfly Nails
Eagle Claw Nails
Bee Nails
Spiderweb Nails
Cat Nail Designs

Bat Nails
Owl Nails
Peacock Feather Nails
Flamingo Nail
 Octopus Nails
Jellyfish Nails
Dolphin Nails
Seahorse Nails
Crab Nails
Lobster Nails
Dog Nail Designs

Animal-Inspired Toe Nail Designs

Easter Pedicure Nail Design with a Bunny | Easter Nails - NB3782
Easter Pedicure Nail Design with a Bunny | Easter Nails - NB3782

Black and White Cow Print Pedicure Design | Animal Print Nails - NB4382
Black and White Cow Print Pedicure Design | Animal Print Nails - NB4382

Turkey Toe Nail Design | Thanksgiving | Holiday- NB1212
Turkey Toe Nail Design | Thanksgiving | Holiday- NB1212

Glitter Turkey Nail Design | Thanksgiving | Holiday- NB1208
Glitter Turkey Nail Design | Thanksgiving | Holiday- NB1208

Tropical Parrots Matte Nail Design | Tropical-NB-D-447
Tropical Parrots Matte Nail Design | Tropical-NB-D-447

Tropical Parrots Matte Pedicure Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-444
Tropical Parrots Matte Pedicure Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-444

What Nail Designs Go Well With Animal Patterns?

How to Choose the Best Colors for Animal Nails

When it comes to animal nail design, the best are those that complement the animal's natural coloring while also accentuating its unique features. First things first: what kind of animal are you going for? Do you want something that looks like a tiger? A lion? A dog? A cat? For example, if you want to paint a lion or an elephant on your nails, you may want to use shades of orange because they are both animals that live in warm climates. If you want to paint a dog or cat, you could use bright colors like green or blue because these animals have short hair, and it will make their coat look even shinier than it already is. It's also important to consider your animal's color naturally before choosing one for them.

Animal Nail Designs for Long Nails

Sea Animals Stuck in Plastic | Nail Art | Save the Ocean Nails - NB3097
Sea Animals Stuck in Plastic | Nail Art | Save the Ocean Nails - NB3097

Green Leaf with Tropical Parrots Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-501
Green Leaf with Tropical Parrots Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-501

Peach Fuzz and Blue Nails with Decorations | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1819
Peach Fuzz and Blue Nails with Decorations | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1819

Tropical Flamingo Chrome Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-130
Tropical Flamingo Chrome Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-130

Spongebob | Cartoon Nails - NB39
Spongebob | Cartoon Nails - NB39

Cute Bunny Nail Design
Cute Bunny Nail Design

Project_paznokcie

Glitter Ombre Nails with Butterflies
Glitter Ombre Nails with Butterflies

Mari_mari_nailart

Tropical Parrots with Green Fern Leaf Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-494
Tropical Parrots with Green Fern Leaf Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-494

Tips for Animal Nail Designs

Use thin nail art brushes to create intricate details and textures, such as the spots on a leopard pattern or the scales on a snakeskin pattern.

Don't overdo it with animal patterns. Instead, incorporate them into your overall style in a subtle and tasteful way.

Choose colors that complement each other and the animal pattern you are trying to create.

Start with simple designs and gradually move on to more complex ones as you gain experience.

Use reference images to ensure accuracy and attention to detail.

Use glitter or rhinestone embellishments to add dimension and sparkle to your animal nail design.

Animal Nail Designs for Short Nails

Winnie the Pooh and Stripes Nail Design | Cartoon Nails - NB2886
Winnie the Pooh and Stripes Nail Design | Cartoon Nails - NB2886

Alice in Wonderland Dark Nails
Alice in Wonderland Dark Nails

Daimondhand

Halloween Cat on Short Natural Nails
Halloween Cat on Short Natural Nails

Melificentnailartistry

Hand-painted Cat on Gel Nails
Hand-painted Cat on Gel Nails

Mur.nails.ekaterina

Maneki-neko Nails | Cultural - NB986
Maneki-neko Nails | Cultural - NB986

Blue Easter Nails with Cute Lambs | Easter Nails - NB3499
Blue Easter Nails with Cute Lambs | Easter Nails - NB3499

Blue Nails with Egg Design Accents | Easter Nails - NB3586
Blue Nails with Egg Design Accents | Easter Nails - NB3586

Nail Design and Art / Animal Nails
Valentine Panda
Valentine Panda

Paulina_migdalek

Valentine
Valentine's Days Jerry Nail Art

Nna_naomynailart_official

Valentine
Valentine's Days Tom Nail Art

Nna_naomynailart_official

Valentine
Valentine's Day Mickey Mouse Nail Art

Nna_naomynailart_official

Valentine
Valentine's Day Minnie Mouse Nail Art

Nna_naomynailart_official

Gray and Yellow Theme for Easter
Gray and Yellow Theme for Easter

Paulina_migdalek

Ladybug on Leaves
Ladybug on Leaves

Nails_by_evelyn9

Fall Teddy Bear
Fall Teddy Bear

Klamaja

Snake in the Woods
Snake in the Woods

Mari_mari_nailart

Tropical Parrots with Green Fern Leaf Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-494
Tropical Parrots with Green Fern Leaf Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-494

Tropical Parrots Floral Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-499
Tropical Parrots Floral Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-499

Horned Lizard on Marble Nail Design| Desert Nail Design-NB-D-625
Horned Lizard on Marble Nail Design| Desert Nail Design-NB-D-625

Horned Lizard Glossy Nail Design | Desert Nail Design-NB-D-617
Horned Lizard Glossy Nail Design | Desert Nail Design-NB-D-617

Easter Bunny Ears
Easter Bunny Ears

Sylwia_nailss

Ariel and Flounder from the Little Mermaid
Ariel and Flounder from the Little Mermaid

Nna_naomynailart_official

Gradient Aurora Nails with Reindeer Design | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3143
Gradient Aurora Nails with Reindeer Design | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3143

Green Leaf with Tropical Parrots Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-501
Green Leaf with Tropical Parrots Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-501

Tropical Animal Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-218
Tropical Animal Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-218

Tropical Parrots Tulip Almond Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-452
Tropical Parrots Tulip Almond Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-452

Tropical Parrots Colorful Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-441
Tropical Parrots Colorful Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-441

Easter Colorful Nail Art | Easter Nails - NB3592
Easter Colorful Nail Art | Easter Nails - NB3592

Animal Print Tropical Nail Art| Tropical-NB-D-237
Animal Print Tropical Nail Art| Tropical-NB-D-237

Tropical Parrots Floral Toenail Design |Tropical-NB-D-453
Tropical Parrots Floral Toenail Design |Tropical-NB-D-453

Glossy Colorful Nails for Easter | Easter Nails - NB3591
Glossy Colorful Nails for Easter | Easter Nails - NB3591

Tropical Parrots Glossy Long Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-442
Tropical Parrots Glossy Long Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-442

Tropical Flamingo Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-137
Tropical Flamingo Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-137

Tropical Flamingo Glossy Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-134
Tropical Flamingo Glossy Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-134

Tropical Parrots with Flower Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-445
Tropical Parrots with Flower Nail Design |Tropical-NB-D-445

Tropical Parrots Minimal Toenail Design |Tropical-NB-D-451
Tropical Parrots Minimal Toenail Design |Tropical-NB-D-451

Tropical Parrots With Leaf  Nail Design With|Tropical-NB-D-449
Tropical Parrots With Leaf Nail Design With|Tropical-NB-D-449

Aurora Nails with Arctic Hare | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3160
Aurora Nails with Arctic Hare | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3160

Chocolate Brown Easter Bunny Nail Design | Easter Nails - NB3677
Chocolate Brown Easter Bunny Nail Design | Easter Nails - NB3677

French Nails with Coast Salish Carving Ancient Art | Canadian | Tribal - NB1481
French Nails with Coast Salish Carving Ancient Art | Canadian | Tribal - NB1481

Blue and White French Tips for Easter | Easter Nails - NB3549
Blue and White French Tips for Easter | Easter Nails - NB3549

Plastic Pollution Affect Marine Life | Nail Art | Save the Ocean Nails - NB3096
Plastic Pollution Affect Marine Life | Nail Art | Save the Ocean Nails - NB3096

Desert Horned Lizard Nail Print| Desert Nail Design-NB-D-620
Desert Horned Lizard Nail Print| Desert Nail Design-NB-D-620

Adorable Baby Seals Nail Design | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3151
Adorable Baby Seals Nail Design | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3151

Tropical Flower with Animal Print Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-220
Tropical Flower with Animal Print Nail Design| Tropical-NB-D-220

A Fox and Snow Sparkle Nail Design | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3146
A Fox and Snow Sparkle Nail Design | Polar Wonders Nails - NB3146

Blossom and Tropical Parrots on Black Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-502
Blossom and Tropical Parrots on Black Nail Design|Tropical-NB-D-502

Polka Dots and Turkey Nail Art | Thanksgiving | Holiday- NB1207
Polka Dots and Turkey Nail Art | Thanksgiving | Holiday- NB1207

Yellow and Pink Textured Nails
Yellow and Pink Textured Nails

Hnnailsbyhoney

Egg with Bunny Ears
Egg with Bunny Ears

Paulina_migdalek

FAQs:

Animal nail designs can be suitable for all ages if they are age-appropriate and done safely and hygienically. Some animal nail designs, such as a cartoon or cute animal designs, can be suitable for children and young adults, while more sophisticated designs featuring animal prints or patterns can be appropriate for older adults.
Let Us Know Your Ideas and Suggestions