# Marking rabbits no tatoo



## SquashNut

Is there a way to mark rabbits with out a tatoo kit.
I will only have possibly 4 mature rabbits at a time, and don't see any need to buy a tatoo kit for that.
My rabbits will be solid white NZW.


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## MariaAZ

When we purchased our tattoo kit, we also bought a "touchup pen", a dowel of wood with three small tattoo needles embedded at one tip. The idea of this device was to dip the needles in ink and jab the ear with it in order to fill in places where the tattoo didn't take. I would think one could use this little device to mark rabbits, though it would take a long time to tattoo in a whole number (and I don't think the rabbits would appreciate it either!). Maybe one dot for one rabbit, two for the next, etc? I don't think this would be acceptable if you need to identify the animal for competition, but for an internal way of keeping track of who is who, it might work. As I remember, the pen didn't cost more than a few dollars.


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## Reauxman

Tattoo kits are cheap(under $25). Go ahead and buy one. It will save the trouble in the long run. Chances are the tattoos won't last if you tried to do them with just a pin.


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## MaggieJ

I can't remember, SquashNut, if you are doing a colony or keeping them in cages. If they are in separate cages and you only have a few, I don't quite see why you need to mark them. Why not just use a cage card with the rabbit's name... and maybe just dab a bit of food colour on on a doe before popping her into the buck's cage to make it easier to pull the right one out afterwards.


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## SquashNut

I hope by the time I am breeding them I will be able to tell them apart, The buck and doe I mean.
I was concerned if for some reason I wanted to raise 2 replacement does from different mothers in the same cage or something like that.Or have a large grower cage with more than one litter. So I can keep track of growth ect. past weaning.
I am sure I don't need any thing to complicated.
I am not sure if I am going to try to breed all the does at once or breed on alternating monthes. Alternating monthes may solve the problem as the kits will be way different in size and won't be able to be raised together any way.
The problem with that is I cann't use one for brood when needed.
So many things to learn. I had rabbits years ago, but I cann't seem to remember any of this stuff.


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## Cat

If you're not wanting to put out the $ for a tattoo kit I imagine you're not wanting to put out $ for what I'm suggesting but they actually have ketchum type ear tags for rabbits and mice! I have a box of mice tags which may be the same size used on rabbits. I don't recall. They're the cutest things in the world and that in and of itself is the reason I have a box. lol 

http://jorvet.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/336


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## MaggieJ

SquashNut said:


> I hope by the time I am breeding them I will be able to tell them apart, The buck and doe I mean.
> I was concerned if for some reason I wanted to raise 2 replacement does from different mothers in the same cage or something like that.Or have a large grower cage with more than one litter. So I can keep track of growth ect. past weaning.


I'm sorry... I didn't mean you couldn't tell a buck from a doe, just that the dab of colour would make it easy without turning them over. 

I see what you mean about raising two replacement does in one cage. I wonder if a small stud earring would work? You could tell everyone that your bunnies are Steiffs.


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## sewtlm

Permanent magic marker.

You will need to redo the mark every so often as it does fade over time.


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## MariaAZ

Maggie, you mean like this? Can't forget the ID tag  









www.SteiffUSA.com


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## MaggieJ

Exactly like that, MariaAZ! They do make nice stuffed toys, don't they?


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## KSALguy

you can also get a toe punch for the ears, or livestock paint and dip one color for one rabbit and one color for another,


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## MBFoley

I was thinking perhaps a dab of nail polish on the forehead or in the ear. I am in the same boat, I plan on having a fe more adults than you but I am just not all that interested in tatooing (not against it, just not interested in doing it if I can find a viable alternative) since I am just raising for meat. I too plan on growing litters together and would like a way to tell litters apart if not necessarily each rabbit individually.


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## Lilandra

sharpie markers - they come in all colors and you just have to make a good size dot in their ear. It does fade in time... but just remark them...you could also use the marker on a paw too. Maybe dip a paw in easter egg dye or food coloring?

just an idea


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## turtlehead

I use food coloring to differentiate between the does in the colony. I put out a treat and while everyone is chowing down, I drop a couple of drops on the back of the neck at the base of the skull. It spreads as they move around and it lasts a few weeks because that's a hard place for them to groom.

I only have two does right now, so there's green doe and blue doe.


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## Forcast

found this: So what is the best way to mark all black rabbits? 

I am still doing rabbit round up here on the hill. I wanted to mark the males and females as I catch them and cage them, just to make it easier if they get left out again, that might be a stupid idea, not sure. They all look and act alike so I have to sex them each time to make sure what I have. And remember I am new at rabbits--- the young rex rabbits are 3 months old .


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## ChocolateMouse

The best way to temporarily mark a rabbit (2-3 weeks or less) is with sharpie magic markers in the ears. Bright colors will show up even on black rabbits (I also raise Rex) and they will last long enough for things like marking which kit is which between each stage of growth. On kits under 2 weeks mom cleans off the markings and they grow too fast for the marks to stay. A big $15 box will give you enough colors to mark a whole litter. You can also use this on adults if you don't mind refreshing it 2-3 times a month.

For permanent marks, a tattoo kit is the way to go. Mine was about $40 I think? I got the pen style. You can make marks tiny for IDs (A few dots for example) or big for competition or sales (letters and numbers). It's handy. But sharpies are a good, non-invasive option.

Sharpies are dye-based which is what makes them so permanent. It's like getting hair dye on you skin or something. They soak in and they stay there for a long while.
On black rabbits, always mark inside the ears. Their skin is light and thin there and the marks will show up best. Even a black tattoo can be seen. Good luck!


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## Caprice Acres

If you're raising purebreds to occasionally market as breeding stock, invest in a tattoo kit. Used, they're often cheap and complete. Takes a few mins per animal if that. No need to redo in the entire life of the animal. I used to tattoo every kit born, and could get a dozen litters done in a couple hours. Even brand new kits are not that pricy. They usually resell easily if you ever get out of rabbits, and don't go 'bad'. I've been out of rabbits for over a year, and my tattoo equipment is still good to go for when I get back in. You'll need new ink probably every few years is all. Black or green liquid roll on are the kinds I liked, personally. I wouldn't trust someone's pedigrees without permanent ID even with just a few rabbits of a breed, especially if they are all the same color, or the litters consist of similar colors. Mistakes are too easy even if you 'know your rabbits' and 'know fifi from fufu' because fifi has a better personality.  Once had a breeder try to sell me a kit, but admitted she'd mixed the litter with another litter... but was 'sure' that animal was out of the one litter because 'she knows her rabbits'. No thanks, I don't trust that. I'd rather use a tattoo kit to get a permanent ID in the ear, than try repeatedly poking an animal with, say, a needle to try to get a similar effect. They won't like it, you won't like it. 

Tags are not the way to go IMO. Sounds like an excellent thing to rip out regularly. More irritating than a tattoo and more likely to become infected I'd bet. And can't be cheaper/easier than a tattoo. If anything, an ear notch/punch would be a bit kinder because at least nothing could rip out. It would work, but I don't see any advantage over a tattoo. 

Raising for nothing but the freezer or unpedigreed brood animals for sale, no permanent ID needed. Sure, it would be nice to track peds for your own use, so you know what genetics work for you, but not necessary.


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## ChocolateMouse

For adult animals I can 100% tell one animal from another, even in the same color and breed.  And I always know which animal is in which cage. I might be convinced that they were a different rabbit after 1-2 weeks if someone randomly switched up my herd but I'd be very skeptical and confused if nothing else. (That actually happened once and it took about 3 days to discover who was who.) But I absolutely use something else to mark kits of mixed litters. There's NO way to tell them apart once they're mixed.


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## Chris16

SquashNut said:


> Is there a way to mark rabbits with out a tatoo kit.
> I will only have possibly 4 mature rabbits at a time, and don't see any need to buy a tatoo kit for that.
> My rabbits will be solid white NZW.


We just started with NZW I painted a different color nail polish on the outside tip of each rabbit, each has a name and a color. The polish will wear off in time but I just reapply there color. I just have not invested in a tattoo kit yet. We are expecting our first kits in a few days and will use a sharpi pin for the little ones. I have thought about coloring one ear with the organic hair coloring my girls use on there hair can mix colors, red/blue = purple, etc.


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## Danaus29

I was all excited thinking SquashNut was back. They haven't logged on since 2012.


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