Rabbit Showing Basics – How to Tattoo your Bunny Safely
According to the rules of any ARBA show, a rabbit is required to have an identifying tattoo clearly visible in its’ left ear. Those new to showing rabbits may be nervous in this area doing this, but with care and practice it is possible to do this yourself. Many people question if it hurts the animal. The resolution is yes, but only for a few seconds. Just like when a human gets their ears pierced.
Rabbit Tattoo pliers are readily available in most pet supply stores, and are honestly simple to use. Here are a few tips that may be helpful:
• Practice with the pliers previous to you start. Place the numbers or letters into the pliers then clamp down on a cut of paper or cardboard. It is simple to end up with 13 when you really wanted 31. Checking this way avoids mistakes later
• Wipe your rabbit’s ear with rubbing alcohol to clean the surface of oils. This helps the ink adhere to the skin.
• Examine the ear. You should not place a tattoo near any of the larger blood vessels. There will nearly always be some flow of blood involved, but applying gentle but preside over pressure to the area should stop it quickly.
• Get help. Ideally rabbit tattooing should be a two person job. Wrap your bunny in a towel, so that just his face and ears are showing, then have a friends hold and talk to him to keep him as cool as possible.
• Really clamping down is always the toughest part. No one wants to reflect that they are inflicting pain on their furry friend. Try to focus on completing the task as quickly and efficiently as possible. Release the pliers immediately after clamping down and the toughest part is over.
• After you have given your rabbit a few seconds to cool down check his ear. The tattoo should look like a series of small dots.
• When applying the tattoo ink you can use something as simple as a toothbrush or a Q Tip. Opportunely most rabbits don’t mind this part of the procedure.
If you are very nervous, have a vet of breeder help you through the initially tattoo session. But with a small practice you should be just fine.
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