How long after tattooing do you wait to sell your rabbits? Do you use balm on the ear, too?

[MuddyFarms]

Looking through old posts, I have noticed that some breeders use a balm on the fresh ear tattoos. Others don't. Anyone have input on this? Do you have anything specific you use as the balm, or is that not too important?

Also, after getting the tattoos done, how long do you wait before selling the rabbits? Should care be taken with the tattoos for a few days to make sure the ink sets well and nothing goes wrong with the tattoo, before selling?

(I'll be using a pen-style tattoo pen, in case that makes a difference.) Thanks for any input!

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

I'm tattooing for the first time this week. <3

 

[jaxmarblebuns]

Here’s my process for tattooing:

• Get all supplies laid out completely
• clean the ear with rubbing alcohol
• Tattoo
• Let sit for 30 ish seconds
• Rub ear again with rubbing alcohol, making sure to get all excess ink off
• Touch up if needed, then repeat step 5

That’s it I’ve never had to do any after care, and I’ve never used and ointment after the tattoo is done. It will cab over within about 2 days, and the scab should be gone at most a week later. That is when you can see the final final product. You can wait for the scab to be gone before selling them, but from my experience if the tattoo is there after the initial rub down it will stay there.

Also, when using a tattoo pen. I would suggest putting something hard behind the ear, as a sort of writing surface (like the ear is a piece of paper and the block is the desk.) I use a small scrap piece of wood.

One more tip, rap the rabbits in a towel because they will kick.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I don't tattoo my own, but at the last show we got Pearl tattooed and she was still up for sale right after

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

Here’s my process for tattooing:

• Get all supplies laid out completely
• clean the ear with rubbing alcohol
• Tattoo
• Let sit for 30 ish seconds
• Rub ear again with rubbing alcohol, making sure to get all excess ink off
• Touch up if needed, then repeat step 5

That’s it I’ve never had to do any after care, and I’ve never used and ointment after the tattoo is done. It will cab over within about 2 days, and the scab should be gone at most a week later. That is when you can see the final final product. You can wait for the scab to be gone before selling them, but from my experience if the tattoo is there after the initial rub down it will stay there.

Also, when using a tattoo pen. I would suggest putting something hard behind the ear, as a sort of writing surface (like the ear is a piece of paper and the block is the desk.) I use a small scrap piece of wood.

One more tip, rap the rabbits in a towel because they will kick.

What do you do with the needle and inkwell afterwards? Can you wash and reuse?

 

[rockyhillrabbits]

I like using a balm. I have a natural balm with chamomile, plantain, other good stuff that I keep at the barn. It works great for my skin too when I get scratched lol.
I have tattooed and sold a rabbit the same day. It's important to rub the tattoo with alcohol and a cotton ball after tattooing to make sure it looks good, all letters and numbers legible and dark enough.
I also use numbing spray in the ear before I tattoo and that makes a big difference but you have to wipe the excess off before starting or the ink doesn't "stick" as well.
After tattooing clean the needle with alcohol and wash the ink well.

 

[MuddyFarms]

Thank you all for replying and being so helpful. Appreciate it!

 

[hotzcatz]

Usually we only tattoo the rabbits we're keeping. Most folks who buy rabbits from us are only getting one or maybe two so they can tell them apart without tattooing so we've not bothered to tat the rabbits being sold. But, if we were, the buns would go out with a fresh tat. Their new people would probably pay more attention to them than we would, being a new bunny to them and all so they'd be better off with the new people checking them.

 

[KelleyBee]

Looking through old posts, I have noticed that some breeders use a balm on the fresh ear tattoos. Others don't. Anyone have input on this? Do you have anything specific you use as the balm, or is that not too important?

Also, after getting the tattoos done, how long do you wait before selling the rabbits? Should care be taken with the tattoos for a few days to make sure the ink sets well and nothing goes wrong with the tattoo, before selling?

(I'll be using a pen-style tattoo pen, in case that makes a difference.) Thanks for any input!

I don’t tattoo any rabbit unless I am keeping it for my herd or if it has been sold. I usually tattoo the a day or two before the new owners pick up but that has more to do with my schedule than anything else. I do not use balm. I disinfect with alcohol before giv the tattoo and that’s it. There’s never been a problem.

 

[MuddyFarms]

Good to know- thanks for sharing what you guys do. I just did the first ear tattoos this week and they are looking good so far. I used the Inkinator and really like it! I was surprised how even the squirmy kits settled down for the process once I got started with the pen on their ear.

All of your tips were very helpful! Made things more successful than they might have been otherwise. Like wiping off the extra numbing spray before tattooing them- wouldn't have thought of that (and forgetting that one of the times I saw what you mean!). And wiping the extra ink off with rubbing alcohol to make sure it is dark enough is definitely important.