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The tattoo pen takes a little practice and the equipment is more expensive, but the results are well worth it if you are dealing with a larger number of animals. We have found it to be faster, less traumatic, more legible, more durable, and more flexible as far as numbers and letters go. In fact, we never use the clamp method any more.
At nearly every show, Anna gets compliments from the judges for her clear and legible tattoos. Clamped tattoos usually fade, and judges get pretty tired of shining flashlights behind the ears of dozens of rabbits in the effort to tell what those numbers USED to say. Occasionally a pen tattoo will also fade… but it is quickly and easily touched up.
When you are starting, it is a good idea to practice on some lesser quality animals before you tackle your best show stock.
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Types of Tattoo Pens
The two types I have seen are the “Bat Tat” pen and what I call the “tuna-can pen”, which is what we have. I have never used a Bat-Tat, but it is the most common and I have heard from both happy and unhappy customers. I was afraid my unit would be awkward to hold at first, being a little top-heavy, but after the first few times of using it I became accustomed to the balance and have never had a problem. Whichever type you use, the process is the same.
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1) Collect Your Materials Have on hand your tattoo pen, tattoo ink (use a type that is thinner in consistency, as the pen will not take up the pasty stuff), paper towels, rubbing alcohol, antibiotic ointment or Preparation-H, and a towel if you need it to restrain the animal. Pour some ink into a lid or something so that you can dip the pen into it, and set it away from you a bit so you won’t bump it over.
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2) Prep the Ear In the LEFT ear of the bunny, swab with a little rubbing alcohol to sanitize the area and remove dirt and oils. Rub dry.
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3) Restrain the Bunny I generally do not use anything special to restrain the animal. I drop the hindquarters between my knees and hold the bunny securely. With my left hand (I’m right-handed) I firmly press the tip of the ear between my thumb and forefinger, while pressing my second finger into the middle backside of the ear. This turns the ear inside-out so that I can get to the area and also stretches the skin taught, which is essential to getting a good tattoo. You must keep that area stretched tightly over your finger at all times. My left palm and little finger wrap over the face and hold the head securely. Keep your right hand (or writing hand) free to move.
If I am doing very small bunnies (weanlings) I will wrap them in a towel to restrain them. They are too small to control easily and their bones are so delicate that they could be injured if they struggle.
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4) Tattoo Turn the pen on and dip the tip into the ink well for a couple seconds. Dip just the tip of the needle, not the whole pen cartridge, or you’ll have ink dripping everywhere. If you do get excess ink onto the cartridge, just turn off the pen and wipe it off, then continue.
Holding that ear stretched securely, begin to make your mark directly over your middle finger. The pen won’t come through and tattoo your finger EXCEPT in the case of very young, thin ears, when you might feel a prick and need to back off on the pressure you’re exerting. Make steady strokes, going over the same stroke a few times each, and holding the pen at a slight angle. If the ink seems to be fading, simple re-load it by dipping into the ink well again.
I HAVE FOUND that the upper ends of the rabbits’ ears are far more sensitive to pain, and they jump more if I try to put a tattoo there. Therefore I always place my tattoos lower in the ear, on the thicker cartilage near the base, just below the middle of the ear. They almost always sit quietly if I use this area, and begin to struggle more as I move up into the upper ear. Work steadily but quickly. Do not cover the rabbit’s nose or squeeze its chest to the point that you are shutting off the airway. If the rabbit struggles too much for you hold, do wrap it in a towel or use a tattoo wrap (a towel with Velcro straps).
When you have completed your tattoo, wipe a little antibiotic ointment or Preparation-H over the marks.
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5) Follow Up Return the rabbit to its cage or carrier and give it some hay to calm down. Especially with very young animals, keep an eye on them for a couple days to check for signs of stress (diarrhea, not eating, etc.) Check the tattoo for a few days and watch for any signs of infection (redness, swelling, etc) In a few days, you may find that the tattoo sheds the top layer of skin and ink, and a clear and permanent tattoo should be left imbedded in the skin.
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Links to Related Articles:
How to tattoo with a Bat Tat, from M&E Rabbitry http://www.manderabbitry.com/Misc/tattoobattat.asp
Order a tattoo pen from Vanacek’s Bunny Farm http://bunnyrabbit.com/Newsletter/2002issue2/WhatsNew.htm
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