Anyone use leg bands?

[Rainbow_Rabbits]

I stumbled across a website where someone in Europe is using leg bands to identify the rabbits.

Does anyone do this in the States? How have they worked for you?

I have found other kinds of metal bands, some should be the right sizes, but they are not round edged like the one in the picture below. I haven't gotten an email back from them.

http://goodebunnies.webs.com/ourbluelilacrex.htm

 

[Dood]

I personally hope they never catch on over here. Even in Europe it is only show rabbits who wear them and they are promptly removed once their show carreer is over.

I have seen too many dogs and cats with imbedded collars, which are very easy to remove unlike these rings which are slipped on at a young age and the rabbit grows into them, and shudder at the thought of a rabbit with a too tight band loosing a leg or at the very least getting an infection under it.

 

[3mina]

I'd rather tattoo, clamp or pen, I see far too many possible issues with leg bands for mammals

 

[Zass]

I have seen too many dogs and cats with imbedded collars, which are very easy to remove unlike these rings which are slipped on at a young age and the rabbit grows into them, and shudder at the thought of a rabbit with a too tight band loosing a leg or at the very least getting an infection under it.

:yeahthat:

 

[LilacGal]

I'm with Dood on this one. Just looks like a bad idea.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Agreed. It looks like a very bad idea to me. The ring could catch on something, get something lodged under it (including parasites), rub the fur off, or worst case scenario cut off the blood supply to the leg as Dood mentioned.

Tattooing may cause a bit of discomfort while it is being performed (although most of my rabbits can be tattooed with the pen without restraint now since I have gotten the hang of it) but at least the rabbit doesn't have to constantly wear something that may put it at risk. I'm sure most of the rabbits do fine with them, but there are bound to be accidents.

 

[Dood]

From - http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Man/ ... m#LegRings

Fur and debris can get trapped beneath a leg ring, which can cause skin necrosis and infection.
Daily checking of the ring and leg is recommended, or removal from pet rabbits (since they are not needed in a pet).
Ring removal:
Removal requires chemical restraint of the rabbit and a hacksaw or a small saw on a power drill to cut through the ring.
Place something between the ring and the rabbits leg as protection during sawing (and to keep fur out of the way) - part of a wooden tongue depressor is suitable.
Cool the ring periodically during sawing, e.g. using cotton wool soaked in cold water.

 

[dayna]

Or you could probably remove it using a leg band cutter for avians. My macaw leg bands are pretty large.

 

[Rainbow_Rabbits]

In the States, they have the C bands for birds in really large sizes. It would be easy to put them onto adult rabbits and remove them. Looks like in Europe, they use solid O bands that need to be slipped over the hock at an early age. That is where the issue is, since the rabbit could keep growing more than expected. Those would be more tricky to get off, but not impossible if you have some wire cutters and pliers.