Tattoo Pen or Tattoo Clamp?

[QuinnStarRanch]

OK, this is my first post on "Rabbit Talk," but I decided to give it a swirl. I have admired angora rabbits for a very long time and I finally decided to work on attaining a few(I want to specialize in purebred REW Giant Angoras). Currently, I am deciding whether to attain a few a pets/fiber producers or to start out with 1-2 TOP quality bucks and then after 1-2 years of learning the ropes purchase the best does I can find to produce some really wonderful show/breeding quality babies with loving temperaments. But, before I start attaining/falling in love with specific animals, I want to add up the costs of owning pet/fiber animals(plan A) compared to breeding animals(plan B) to see what I can afford. I already have Plan A for 2 pet/fiber rabbits added up, so now I am working on Plan B which leads me to the question about tattooing angora kits.....

What are the pro's/con's of using the Tattoo Clamp and the Tattoo Pen? Which one and which brand do you prefer? Finally, at which age do you tattoo your kits?

Thank you,
QSR!

 

[Brus]

Welcome to RT!!!!

I would also be curious to see what other people use.

I currently just use a very fine tipped non-toxic permanent marker and make small dots in a particular pattern.

I was looking at getting into tattooing, but i am unsure what the best method would be.

i mark mine as soon as their eyes are open.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:hi: Quinn!

I have both- I bought the clamp set when I first started in rabbits, but much prefer the pen.

The pen allows much more versatility in letters/numbers, and when the tattoos start fading they are easy to touch up.

The clamp type just makes a pattern of dots in the shape of the letter or number, so as the rabbit matures the dots get further apart. It is impossible to "touch up" or redo a tattoo with the clamp, as you will never be able to get it back into the exact same spot.

There are a zillion posts on tattooing- just enter "tattooing" in the search engine and you will have reading for days. <br /><br /> -- Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:24 pm -- <br /><br /> Oh! You can get a pen from KBTatts for under $50 including shipping.

 

[Zass]

I have the KB tatts pen and I love it. I tested it out by touching up a bad tattoo on my ankle.

Using myself as an experiment probably sounds extreme, but I have experience with giving tattoos to humans using professional quality tattoo machines.

I wouldn't have been confident using it on my rabbits without a pain test on my own skin. And now I can say that it worked great, the ink penetrated well, and it didn't hurt me at all.

In contrast, I've seen a clamp style machine at work. It looked painful, but I have no way of knowing for sure.
The ink made a huge mess.

 

[Bandits Bunny Farm]

:hi: Quinn!

I have both- I bought the clamp set when I first started in rabbits, but much prefer the pen.

you have the clamp?

would you sell/give it away, since you don't use it? (just wondering... I'm wanting to use the Clamp because I have bad handwriting, so I'm trying to look for the best deals)

 

[MamaSheepdog]

It is the Registrar's set which has the alphabet and two sets of numerals 0-9, which sells for $83 + $23.25 shipping. I would sell it for $70, and give you some human grade ink along with it. If picked up at the rabbit show in Bakersfield you wouldn't have any shipping charges either.

I'll bring it along anyway- someone is bound to want it.

But personally- I highly recommend the pen. Maybe it was due to poor technique and lack of experience, but I had a lot of trouble getting good ink penetration in the punctures.

 

[Bandits Bunny Farm]

the thing for me is that I don't think my handwriting would be legible. I just think it'd be easier for me to get the clamp. I'll see if i can get enough deposits to afford to buy it, otherwise I'll just wait to order it until after I start meet breeds

 

[QuinnStarRanch]

Thank you everyone for the welcomes and great advice! Now I do not feel so confused about all of the different options--the KBTatts defiantly seems to be my best option especially since I have a family member with incredibly awesome handwriting and then I get to do the fun part...holding the rabbit.


:gnight:,
QSR!

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have never used a pen, only a clamp set, -- [and have had very little trouble] -but -- I have nothing to compare it to, -I would be interested in trying a pen, because I have not seen much negative posts about them, and-- just to avoid sorting through my box of parts before each tattoo,-- and-- to have the flexibility of being able to add what ever I wanted to,-- I have been very interested in the threads on tattooing ,thanks...

 

[ek.blair]

I made the choice to buy a KBtatts pen, and do not regret it one bit! One suggestion when using the pen is to put something other than your finger behind the ear. I use a few cotton balls and just recently heard of someone buying the older style tampons that are longer and more round. She had better success with the bunnies moving around less when she use the tampon vs just her finger. Worth a try I figure, so I am gunna give it a shot next batch that I need to tattoo.

 

[Sagebrush]

I also got the KBTattoo pen and LOVE it. Nice clean lines. I have human grade blue ink that I got from a friend that was getting out of tattooing. Will need to go over my first attempts and make larger lines, go figure. I highly recomend using petroleum jelly to cover your stencils if unable to get bagbalm or their bunny balm. Makes it much easier to fallow your lines.

 

[RR MiniSatins]

Sage, how do you get the bunny balm not to smear the stencil? I have tried their stencil and sharpies, but they all smear.

 

[Sagebrush]

I tap it along the stencil instead of wipeing it

 

[dangerbunny]

I have a pen, don't like the tats from a clamp, plus they can make the rabbit scream.

My tats are nothing to write home about, I though I would improve with practice but I still mess them up, plenty of bunnies get different markings than planned, one buyer got upset with me because she thought I sold her a rabbit with different sire and I had to confess I just lame and messed up the tats. My husband is great though, so he is the new rabbitry tattooer, I plan, prep and hold them.So I would say tidy handwriting is a must when using the pen. We tat and evaluate at weaning.

 

[PSFAngoras]

Pen. Most definately. I have never used te clamps, and don't intend to.

I've tattooed people and for longevity of the tat you should be going through 3-4 layers of the 7 layers of skin. I assume it's very similar on the rabbits, and I just don't see how rubbing the ink over top can achieve the same quality of tat.

I see where MSD says that it would be impossible to line the clamp up again to redo the tat, and fully agree with her, but I have also tattooed rabbits as adults before as opposed to at weaning when I usually do, and let me tell you, I would rather make sure it sticks when they're younger than have to go back and touch it up at 12 pounds... Bunny burrito or not.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I have both.. I hate the pen.. did I say hate.. .. prefer the clamp ... I hate changing the letter tho and messy on my hands..