How do you tattoo really dark rabbits?

[Phrick]

I guess the title it basically says it all, but I’ll attach a picture. Some of my babies are super super dark, almost pure black, including the inside of their ears, and I’m not sure if I simply need to pick a different color of tattoo ink or if there’s some other way of marking them that I’m not aware of. This wouldn’t be like a rabbitry tattoo, I’m just looking to keep track of which kids belong to which mother, especially if I have to foster. I’m leaning toward a dot system so that any I sell still have plenty of room for their new owners to tattoo if they desire. Note, the one pictured is the lightest of the dark ones but it's hard to take pics one-handed at the moment so I didn't get pics of the darkest ones.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

If it's an ear tattoo, you could probably use a different ink color, but I have a Black Doe and Black Himis and black ink shows in their ear just fine
If it's just marking to tell the difference, you could use light/white marker on their tails

 

[Phrick]

If it's an ear tattoo, you could probably use a different ink color, but I have a Black Doe and Black Himis and black ink shows in their ear just fine
If it's just marking to tell the difference, you could use light/white marker on their tails

Thank you! I’ve had more and more people want assurances that the rabbits they are buying are unrelated, and I don’t have the time or energy to educate them about line breeding so figuring out a way to keep track is just much easier. Unless/until they groomoff the marks I suppose.

I recently bought a dozen silver sharpies so I’ll probably try that first. Because even thoughI have the tattoo pen and black ink and everything, I’ve never actually used it. My mind understands it’s not difficult, but my heart is not as convinced

 

[Alaska Satin]

I guess the title it basically says it all, but I’ll attach a picture. Some of my babies are super super dark, almost pure black, including the inside of their ears, and I’m not sure if I simply need to pick a different color of tattoo ink or if there’s some other way of marking them that I’m not aware of. This wouldn’t be like a rabbitry tattoo, I’m just looking to keep track of which kids belong to which mother, especially if I have to foster. I’m leaning toward a dot system so that any I sell still have plenty of room for their new owners to tattoo if they desire. Note, the one pictured is the lightest of the dark ones but it's hard to take pics one-handed at the moment so I didn't get pics of the darkest ones.

The tattoo usually goes down inside the ear where it's pink. Rabbits seem to be much more sensitive to the tattoo needle closer to the tip of the ear, so tattooing them deeper is generally less uncomfortable for them. That seems to be true for both tattoo pens and clamp type tattoos. Placement deeper in the ear also keeps the tattoo from being obscured by hair. Here is where the tattoo usually goes:

I'd suggest that since you're doing it anyway, you might actually tattoo for identification, while you're at it. I try to tattoo every rabbit that leaves my barn, and it has come in really handy when someone down the line ends up with one of my rabbits and wants to know some background on it (e.g. birth date, genetic or pedigree details so they don't end up breeding sibs, etc.). I use a distinct ID system, so it's easy to tell if it's a rabbit from my barn or not.

If you have a tattoo pen, writing a few characters might be as easy or even easier than trying to make distinguishable dots. Many folks suggest practicing on a banana until you're comfortable handling the pen. I'd also suggest wrapping the bunny snugly in a towel or other fabric (a cut-up t-shirt is my preferred material since it's slightly stretchy), with just its head and ear outside the wrap, kind of like swaddling if you've cared for babies, to prevent the bunny from jerking and ruining the tattoo. Don't wrap it too tightly or it'll struggle just to free itself. You can practice wrapping (my kids call it a bunny burrito) to see what level of snugness your rabbits are happy with (it'll also help them not be so freaked when you do it for real).

Most of the rabbits I tattoo with the pen don't fight it or flinch at all, unless I get too close to the tip of the ear, or hold them/wrap the too tightly. Although there are always rabbits who are flinchy no matter what (the Polish cold be awful that way).