How do you stamp your rabbit's ear?

[Petlover500]

I was wondering if you have to professionally have your rabbit's ear stamped, or If you can do it yourself?
Because the ear stamps that I have seen on rabbits, some looked very nice, like they came from a stamper, and others looked pretty messy, like they were written with some sort of ear die or something.

 

[Zass]

You mean a tattoo, right?

There are both clamp style tattoos machines, and pen style ones.

 

[Petlover500]

Yes, tattoos!

Oh... so you just pick what you want your rabbit's ear # to be?
Where do you get the clamps style ones?

 

[Zass]

Here are some examples of clamp style equipment:

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.htm ... b0d0204ae5

http://www.bassequipment.com/miscellane ... fault.aspx

This is a tattoo pen:

http://kbtatts.weebly.com/

And yes, you can pick any combination of numbers and/or letters for the ear, so far as I know.

 

[Petlover500]

Ahh, I see now.
I thought they were stamps at first. But you are literally using a tattoo needle on your rabbit Is it painful for them?

 

[Zass]

Having seen both up close, I feel the clamp would be much more painful then the pen.

I can't be 100% sure though, since I've tested the pen on my own skin (it hurt less than a human grade tattoo machine), and there is no way I'd allow my body parts to be clamped. :x

There are several threads with a lot more opinions comparing the two...I'll see if I can find them.

 

[Petlover500]

Ok, thanks!
I found a topic on the web, and it says the clamps can cause nerve and vein damage, are pretty traumatizing, and more cons.
http://animalid.com/rabbits-and-guinea-pigs/35
Not sure if its all true, but from what it says I think I'm going to steer clear of clamps!!!

 

[Zass]

By hyperactive, I think they mean traumatized and fearful of handling. I don't think it's quite that bad, since many breeders still use them, and I'm sure they care about the welfare of their bunnies.

The ear drooping effect wouldn't fly with show rabbits either, so I doubt it's common..
Still looking for an RT thread on the subject.

-- Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:30 pm --

Here is one, I know there are more
post241219.html?hilit=tattoo%20pen%20clamp#p241219

-- Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:31 pm --

post268723.html?hilit=tattoo%20pen%20clamp#p268723 <br /><br /> -- Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:35 pm -- <br /><br /> There is also the option of paying people at shows to do tattoos for you. I've had 4-H leaders do my kid's buns for only $1 each.

 

[Petlover500]

Thank you so much Zass!
I think I will order one of those tattoo pens that you linked
I watched the rabbit video that they have, and it looks so easy, and almost painless by the looks.

 

[FourRingCircus]

I have a pen and wasn't too successful with it... One didn't take at all once it healed up, one was super light, and one - well, the rabbit was so twitchy that I couldn't hold her well enough (even wrapped in a towel) and do the tattoo that she has marks all over her ear :roll: ... not to mention I was only doing a single letter . I probably just suck at it, but am ISO a clamp style one. I have seen a few videos on it and I think some of the issues might come from placement, and also force used. Once I watched squeeze with enough force it went all the way through the ear and they had a hard time getting it off where as others it was a pretty quick pinch and done. I even tried practicing on an orange first. I am going to try one more time with fresh batteries and see if that makes a difference. Maybe it's the dye as well? I have no idea.

 

[Petlover500]

I have a pen and wasn't too successful with it... One didn't take at all once it healed up, one was super light, and one - well, the rabbit was so twitchy that I couldn't hold her well enough (even wrapped in a towel) and do the tattoo that she has marks all over her ear :roll: ... not to mention I was only doing a single letter . I probably just suck at it, but am ISO a clamp style one. I have seen a few videos on it and I think some of the issues might come from placement, and also force used. Once I watched squeeze with enough force it went all the way through the ear and they had a hard time getting it off where as others it was a pretty quick pinch and done. I even tried practicing on an orange first. I am going to try one more time with fresh batteries and see if that makes a difference. Maybe it's the dye as well? I have no idea.

Aw darn
Yeah It is probably a lot harder than it looks, but look how easily this girl did it in the first video: http://kbtatts.weebly.com/
Did you have this same pen?