Identification marking for rabbits.

[Apple Cider]

I have never had a need to mark our rabbits until recently. Our grandchildren are visiting more this summer than in the past. Just for fun we have designated three of the bunnies as "their bunnies" but all three are totally white New Zealands. One buck and two does and they are our breeding bunnies for meat rabbits. The kids like to let the rabbits run around in the chicken run but when it comes time to put the rabbits away they cannot determine who is who.

Do any of you dip one rear foot into some kind of colored dye to mark the rabbits? We thought this would be a good way to do it but we don't know what to use for the dye. Of course we don't want anything that would harm them and it needs to last a long time as well.

Any suggestions out there? Thanks.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I once dyed a white dog blue using laundry bluing mixed with shampoo. You could just dilute the bluing with water since you probably don't want to bathe the rabbits.

 

[Secuono]

Use a Sharpie in the ear.

 

[akane]

If you don't want to get them tattooed you can color the ears with a sharpie but it will wear off every few weeks. I suppose mark them as you take them out so you can put them back each time.

 

[LauraNJ]

With puppies that look similiar, I have used a permanent marker on the back of their neck- on the fur. That is usually a hard area to lick an get off for a dog so that is usually my preference. Different color for different pups. I have also used nail polish on nails. Marker on ear would work also.

 

[3mina]

Food coloring will work, I'd dab a bit on the inside of the ear rather than a foot. Since its edible there's no issue with toxicity and inside the ear means it'll stay longer

 

[tnelsonfla]

Nail polish works great also. I find that dirty ears and a dot on the inside and out stays the longest. Seems the hair holds the color.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

i'm currently using permanent marker to write mayan numerals in the rabbits ears. working very well for me so far. i touch them up every few days just to make sure i dont forget and end up losing track of who is who with weighing, etc.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

i'm currently using permanent marker to write mayan numerals in the rabbits ears.

Interesting- have you tried translating the numerals to Morse code? :lol:

 

[3mina]

i'm currently using permanent marker to write mayan numerals in the rabbits ears.

Using Mayan numerals will bring about the end of civilization as we know it :lol:

 

[fuzzy9]

+1 for sharpies! :lol:

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

:lol: hahaha... i was going to just use numbers but they are to easy to confuse if i were to let the mrker fade too much or if it got smugded up... the mayan numerals are simple and harder to mistake for each other in my eyes...

http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-me ... 1E4041.gif

 

[3mina]

Much easier to read

 

[Apple Cider]

Thanks everyone. A long time ago I saw someone dip the left rear foot of her bunnies into a small jar of dye. I seem to remember that the dye would last for a year or so. I just wondered if this was a standard practice these days.

I already have my rabbits tattooed but I think I'll try the Sharpie markers in the ears, too. The kids do not know what the tattoo codes mean. Heck, sometimes I don't even know what my tattoo codes mean.