# Ear tags for rabbits



## devittjl (Jun 24, 2004)

Can I use wing tags (metal piercing style) for chickens on rabbit ears? 

I just moved to a colony setup and want to keep track of my two does and buck.


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## bassmaster17327 (Apr 6, 2011)

Just tattoo them, that is the standard way to mark rabbits. I would not put anything through a rabbits ear


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## devittjl (Jun 24, 2004)

Yes they are tattooed already, but in a colony set up it is a little harder to "look" at the ears.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

I would think a rabbit could easily rip it out


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## ChocolateMouse (Jul 31, 2013)

I agree with Sherry.

I mark my kits with brightly colored permanent marker in the ears. It seeps into the ear wax and stays there for weeks. Maybe you could do something similar?


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## HayBabies (Feb 27, 2013)

Well if you aren't going to show. Then go ahead and do it. They may rip them out, but that is the way we do guinea pigs (cavies), goats, sheep and many other animals. Put them up close to the head and tight on the ear so they don't hang down. Will have a better chance of them staying on.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Rabbits can twist around so much more than any of these other animals. If they rip them out then there is risk of infection, of other rabbits chewing on their bleeding ears, flies, etc. I would look for another alternative.

I have also used bright colored Sharpie pens on my rabbits. They come in many colors. I would sure try that first.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Not sure why long range ID would be necessary in rabbits...

Yes there is risk for tearing them out. But, that's a risk in most animals. Just redo it elsewhere on the ear. I doubt other rabbits are going to chew it. I doubt you'll get fly strike if the bleeding isn't bad (has to do with where you place the tag). Many other species use tags that get ripped out on a 'fairly' regular basis and it's not that much of a problem. I personally don't think the risk would be higher for rabbits. Just manage away from cage wire and other things that it could get caught on and plan ahead with EVERYTHING you put in there - is it lkely to catch an ear tag? If so, don't use it. 

Put the tag probably near the base of the ear away from any major blood vessles. PLEASE back-light the ear with a flashlight and examine where you want to place it, and mark with a sharpie...using the INNER fold edge seems like it would inimize snagging. Pierce reasonably close to the edge as possible, and use as SHORT Of a tag as possible.

I'd probably get cavy ear tags, and use paint and color code them. Those are the only things I think would be small enough for me to want to use them on rabbits. I'm imagining how big a metal sheep tag is, and if you placed it where I think you should, It'd get ripped out quick.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

I was thinking the cavy ear tags instead too. They are quite small and would make a tiny unnoticable slice if they ripped out. Downside is they are too small to read from a distance. I don't know if you can get precolored ones or only the numbers. You might be able to color them in marker. I sent mine with the silver cavies when I sold them so I can't test it for you. I don't know how big poultry tags are.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

If you scroll down to product 893 it says small animal ear tag and comes in colors with number or many custom options. ~$8/100 plus applicator. http://www.nationalband.com/nbtpoult.htm


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## Wildfire_Jewel (Nov 5, 2006)

neon colored nail polish  - color code the cavy ear tags with it or I suppose you could actually put it in the ear somewhere but I don't know that'd you'd want the chemicals leaching into the rabbit.


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