What do I need to know about tattooing?

[DianeS]

It's time for me to actually tattoo my rabbits. I have eight sibling Angoras that are having their first molt. I'm grooming and plucking like mad, and have realized I can no longer tell a couple of my rabbits apart with their "new" coats.

I've looked at tattoo kits, but am wondering what I actually need to know. How difficult is it to tattoo? Does it require a lot of hand strength to do correctly? Do the rabbits struggle during it? Is it good to have a second person holding the rabbit, or can it be done by one person? Can an incomplete or not dark enough tattoo be redone, or is it a one-shot deal? Any pointers you've learned in your experience?

Thanks!

 

[Ms. Research]

I would PM Roll Farm. She just finished tattooing her DH's Silver Foxes. Said they screamed like mad so maybe she could give you a few pointers.

I have no experience. Wish I could more helpful.

Hoping you get the info you need. And then please post. I know I'll be doing tattooing in the future. DH already said no way is he doing it. Doesn't want to hurt the bunnies.

Amazing, a man who did give needles to past dogs, already agreed to administer to future goats, but won't tattoo ears of bunnies. Go figure.

K

 

[CYGChickies]

Tattooing supply places sometimes have a zip canvas bag that the rabbit goes in and you pull the ear through a hole. I don't believe a tattoo can be redone right away but as long as you don't ink I believe when the holes heal up you would be able to retry. It is advised that you try on paper to make sure your numbers and letters are correctly aligned before you tattoo the rabbit. I haven't tattooed mine yet so I don't know about the reaction but most information says it's a quick pain and they recover very quickly. I would suggest the bag however since the ink takes a while to wear off and I've seen newly tattooed rabbits at fairs with green and blue heads from ink spills. Good luck!

Ps - Tattooers are expensive if you need more than one set of numbers or letters! Ugh!

CYG

 

[Ms. Research]

Tattooing supply places sometimes have a zip canvas bag that the rabbit goes in and you pull the ear through a hole. I don't believe a tattoo can be redone right away but as long as you don't ink I believe when the holes heal up you would be able to retry. It is advised that you try on paper to make sure your numbers and letters are correctly aligned before you tattoo the rabbit. I haven't tattooed mine yet so I don't know about the reaction but most information says it's a quick pain and they recover very quickly. I would suggest the bag however since the ink takes a while to wear off and I've seen newly tattooed rabbits at fairs with green and blue heads from ink spills. Good luck!

Ps - Tattooers are expensive if you need more than one set of numbers or letters! Ugh!

CYG

Thanks for the tip.

Apologies to Diane if this is like "thread hijacking",

When you say more than one set of numbers or letters, are there different numbers and letters for different BREEDS of rabbits. I know you raise Lionheads, Hotots and New Zealands. Does the breed or the LINE of the rabbit have different numbers and letters? Hope I'm being clear with my question. lol

K

 

[Citylife]

Tattooing supply places sometimes have a zip canvas bag that the rabbit goes in and you pull the ear through a hole. I don't believe a tattoo can be redone right away but as long as you don't ink I believe when the holes heal up you would be able to retry. It is advised that you try on paper to make sure your numbers and letters are correctly aligned before you tattoo the rabbit. I haven't tattooed mine yet so I don't know about the reaction but most information says it's a quick pain and they recover very quickly. I would suggest the bag however since the ink takes a while to wear off and I've seen newly tattooed rabbits at fairs with green and blue heads from ink spills. Good luck!

Ps - Tattooers are expensive if you need more than one set of numbers or letters! Ugh!

CYG

Thanks for the tip.

Apologies to Diane if this is like "thread hijacking",

When you say more than one set of numbers or letters, are there different numbers and letters for different BREEDS of rabbits. I know you raise Lionheads, Hotots and New Zealands. Does the breed or the LINE of the rabbit have different numbers and letters? Hope I'm being clear with my question. lol

K

The numbers and letters are for identification at a show, to the breeder, buyer. I think what they are refering to is if you were going to use a tattoo such as BB1. Then you would need to buy two sets of letters so you had two B's. Most breeders come up with their own system for tattooing. I know Storeys Guide has real good examples for keeping ID's straight.
Hope this helps.

 

[Margali]

Sorry if cross forum posting is bad manners.... if so please delete.

I am on rabbittalk and there have been several good threads about tattooing rabbits.

equipment http://rabbittalk.com/rabbit-tattoo-kit-t1781.html?hilit=tattoo
naming patterns http://rabbittalk.com/tattoo-numbers-thought-t2505.html?hilit=tattoo

The people over there are awesome. Some of them are here too. I am getting rabbits this spring sometime.

 

[currycomb]

started out tatooing goats, so those letters were too big. found some at local farm store, one set of numbers and i bought letters, around $30.00. then they had a sale on extra letters and numbers, bought them all.(yeah greedy, but you never know). i use a pillowcase with a hole in the end. stuff the rabbit in, pull the ear out. is best to have someone hold and pet the bunny to relax it while you get everything ready.
alcohol and cloth to wipe ear before the procedure
tattoo with wanted letters and numbers (check on paper before doing the rabbit)
clamp the tattoer onto the correct ear. (i have had one rabbit make a noise while being done)
smear and rub tatto ink into the holes. remove rabbit from pillowcase
use whatever numers and letters you want to identify your rabbit

 

[Ms. Research]

started out tatooing goats, so those letters were too big. found some at local farm store, one set of numbers and i bought letters, around $30.00. then they had a sale on extra letters and numbers, bought them all.(yeah greedy, but you never know). i use a pillowcase with a hole in the end. stuff the rabbit in, pull the ear out. is best to have someone hold and pet the bunny to relax it while you get everything ready.
alcohol and cloth to wipe ear before the procedure
tattoo with wanted letters and numbers (check on paper before doing the rabbit)
clamp the tattoer onto the correct ear. (i have had one rabbit make a noise while being done)
smear and rub tatto ink into the holes. remove rabbit from pillowcase
use whatever numers and letters you want to identify your rabbit

The pillowcase sounds like a really good idea. I know my rabbits like to hide their faces when a bit nervous. They really don't see what coming the way you do it, and someone extra there to assure the rabbit, really sounds well thought out.

Thanks for the input of your experience.

K

 

[oneacrefarm]

From my own experience, the younger the better. 12wks is good and they do fine. They will flinch and some will spaz out a bit, but none of mine screamed. It is not good to try to restrain them too much, as they can break their back struggling if you try to wrap them tightly. For us, I hold the rabbit loosely, hubs does a quick clamp and release allowing the needles to penetrate the ear, then we use a toothbrush to push the ink into the holes, wipe off the excess ink and slather the ear with bag balm. Once we had a 6mos old jerk and mess up the tattoo. We just let it heal and then tried again later.

 

[terri9630]

My girls 4-H leader does our rabbits. She puts the ink on the ear before tatooing so we don't have to mess with it after the tatoo is done except to put some neosporin on. Its like getting your kids ears pierced. Some kids cry some don't. We try to miss the big vein that runs up the ear because it bleeds quite a bit.