Clamp tattoo done not so well. It is very light and cannot be read.
Clamp tattoo done correctly. Deep ink color that can be read easily.
Faded last letter on tattoo.
How to hold the ear for a tattoo with a pen.
Today we will be going over tattoos and why they are important.
Tattoos are mainly used for identification purposes at shows and within the breeding program. The tattoo should only be put in the left ear for showing purposes because the right ear is reserved for the registration tattoo.
There are two different ways to tattoo rabbits. There is a tattoo clamp and a tattoo pen which both work if you know how to use them properly.
The location of the tattoo should not be at the very edge of the ear where the fur is or the rabbit will react more to the pen/clamp. There are a lot of nerves running across the sides of the ear towards the end so the tattoo should be located closer to the top of the ear where the skin is the thickest.
Some people use numbing spray on the ear before starting the tattoo and some just tattoo the ear right after the rabbit is taken out of the cage.
You can use alcohol on the ear to clean it before starting the tattoo or you can just tattoo the ear as it is. All of the rabbits we have tattooed without alcohol were left with no infections from tattoos so it is solely based on what the owner chooses to do.
The ink type should not matter too much as long as you do not purchase the cheapest ink you can find. Some people use paste inks for clamps or you can use liquid ink.
For commercial breeds like New Zealands, the clamp normally works better than a pen because their ears are thicker and tend to be more waxy. Waxy ears are hard to get a pen to go through. Additionally, the ears that are thicker will bend the needle on the end of the pen. Needles are not cheap so clamps are the way to go with commercial breeds. Just add the ink and clamp the ear real fast.
Tattoo pens can be difficult to use at first but once you learn how to hold the pen and the rabbit it is very simple.
It is strongly recommended that you do not add anything to the tattoo like balms or triple antibiotics or your tattoo will disappear or cause faded letters. The ink needs to dry before being touched or wiped away.
It is also recommended that the rabbits be tattooed at least 2-5 days before a show if you are not experienced so that the ink has time to dry. If the ink spreads out it can sometimes get on the fur of the rabbits and cause a disqualification. Judges will appreciate tattooes that were done ahead of time since they are the ones who have to read the tattoos.
The correct location for a tattoo. This was done with a pen.
Kaitlyn Stone
Kaitlyn"s Bunnies
406-852-2666