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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Microchips?

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    • Timberlee Fields
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        I live in Louisiana and we have very bad hurricanes and flooding. Because of the greater risk of natural disasters where I live, I am looking into microchipping Thatcher. I am not concerned with him getting loose as we have two flights of stairs I don’t think a bunny would risk going down to get to the ground, but even that COULD happen. It’s to my understanding that most vets and rescues don’t check bunnies but I’d rather be safe them sorry and in the off chance wherever he ends up does scan, he can be reunited with my fiancé and I.

        I wanted to hear what you all have to say before I call the vet and start inquiring as y’all could have experience living with a microchipped bunny vs just doing the procedure.


      • mia
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          Mines are not microchipped (yet) but it’s something I’m really interested in doing. Just wanted to mention if you have a humane society, they may do it cheaper. When I asked around, the vets’ costs were very very steep compared to the costs at my local humane society. The local humane societies around here also does do checks and all pets adopted out are already chipped; I had a good laugh when they told me the hamster I adopted was chipped.


        • Timberlee Fields
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            Thank you for the response!
            I read that it’s painful for them. How is it painful if its a shot? He’s a 4 month old Flemmie so it’s not like he weighs 2lbs and is having a grain of rice shoved in his back….


          • manic_muncher
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              My lil shih tzu was the first animal micro-chipped at the vet hospital where I used to work. He was a huge baby when it came to shots, so we wanted to use him as a guinea pig. The needle seemed HUGE compared to ones used for vaccines. He didn’t even flinch! I was shocked also to find that even though we knew exactly where the chip was placed, we had a pretty difficult time finding it under his skin. He never seemed to notice it and had no reaction of any sort.

              I agree too, vet hospitals are way steep in price compared to the humane society.


            • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                I don’t think there is any harm, and with the natural disasters it might be a very good thing to do! Even if scanning the chip doesn’t get them home should something happen, you could always use it to verify ownership when you did find them!


              • Beka27
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                  I think microchipping is a great idea, especially if you’re in a natural disaster area. If he isn’t neutered yet, the vet should be able to do that while he is under for that surgery. If he’s already neutered, you’d have to call the vet and ask about their procedure.


                • BinkyBunny
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                    Many of the rescues around here microchip the animals they put up for adoption. They also check as well during intake and the many vets have scanners too as they get emergency cases of injured lost animals too… so it definitely depends on where you live. My bunny came with her microchip and so I didn’t actually see it get put in but its not something that bothers her. Her
                    chip is connected with “Home Again” and I have it on automatic renewal which I think is $20 a year.


                  • Timberlee Fields
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                      He’s being neutered this week through the rescue he’s in, so he’ll be awake for the implant. I’m sure he’ll do fine getting it, I’m just being overly concerned. I was sure I was gonna get bashed for mentioning it but everyone is so supportive!!!!


                    • Beka27
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                        Why would you be bashed? Microchipping is a fantastic tool for those who live in high risk areas.

                        Can you contact the rescue and ask that he be microchipped while he is under and you just pay the extra?


                      • Timberlee Fields
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                          I contacted them asking if bunnies could even be microchipped and they were like, “yeah, but we don’t even check for them it’s too uncommon. Don’t do it” I want EVERU chance possible of finding my baby should something happen. Ill take him myself, they are getting frustrated with my questions.


                        • BinkyBunny
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                            The good things is YOU will know your bunny is microchipped and so if he ever gets lost, you can notify the vets, the rescues and animal shelters. Usually when an animal is lost, a person will have to go to the shelters (though so have online forms) and you can fill out a form (with a photo copy of your bunny) and the shelters ideally look through the binder to see if any of the recent strays are in that binder and if yours also indicates it has a microchip, then they will know to do that for your bunny. And also when you call to ask if a bunny has come in, they can scan any that seem similar to your description. That way you don’t have to go and try and identify every single intake.

                            I sure hope that in the future that scanning for a microchip becomes more mainstream and common practice. I would imagine though that in times of natural disasters and pet displacement, that the use the scanners to match up owners to their animal companions would be more common


                          • Timberlee Fields
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                              I do hope so. I feel better knowing I can watch it be put in so I know it’s there. Idk what happens when FEMA and SPCA come through. I’m sure they scan all animals they find. There hasn’t been a BAD hurricane since New Orleans here but there’s often a great deal of flooding where I live and we will be living here for the next 4 years or so, so I want my bases covered just in case. From my searches on the Internet, in 2010 this was a very widely discussed topic and it was frowned upon. That’s why I was concerned bout bashing. Microchipping gives your pet a 2% chance of cancer but 8% of pets will get cancer in their lifetime so the fact that it doesn’t even come close to that makes me feel pretty good. I also read that it’s a good idea to have a DNA background ordered at the same time so in the event someone steals your pet, you can say he has a microchip and here’s his DNA profile to prove its your animal. But I couldn’t find information on that.


                            • tanlover14
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                                I’m very interested that you posted this topic! It was something I looked into extensively….

                                I will give you my opinion and how I came to my conclusion. I have decided not to microchip my buns after talking to the rescues AND my vet about this topic. One main reason is it IS painful. My vet explained (and showed) me the procedure and the tools they use and I was a little disturbed. I could not put my rabbit through that without them being under. With that being said – if any of mine are under at any time they will be microchipped in a heart beat.

                                Many rescues actually do the procedure during the spay and neuter so it’s not painful to the rabbit in the least. Every rescue in my area does scan for microchips. One of my buns IS microchipped (he was done during his neuter).

                                I will urge you to talk to whoever (I’m guessing your vet?) that may do it beforehand. There are actually two types of microchips. One shows up on all the scanners and the other only shows up on the scanners that go with that particular microchip so if you go through with the procedure I would ensure it’s the microchip that shows up on all.


                              • manic_muncher
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                                  I’m glad you cleared that up, tanlover, about it being painful. I know for dogs and cats that wasn’t the case. It has been.. uhh wow.. 20 yrs since we did that, and it was only a syringe-needle setup. Is it different now? I would definitely choose to do it while the animal is under anesthesia if that were possible.


                                • Elrohwen
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                                    It definitely is a bit painful (it’s a big needle after all) but when my dog had it done they applied a topical anesthetic so he didn’t feel anything (and he’s a big baby who yelps for any normal shot). Not sure if it’s safe to be used on bunnies, but that’s on possibility. They can also put bunnies partially to sleep, and often do for teeth work. It’s not full anesthesia so the risks and cost are lower, but it keeps them still.


                                  • tanlover14
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                                      Elrohwen – I believe the vet told me they can’t use the anesthetic on the buns (I believe..) because I was very worried about the pain. The needle is very big, a little scary to be honest! I would die if my doctor showed up with a needle like that for me!

                                      I would check into the anesthesia if it’s something you are definitely very adamant about doing. With 4 buns, it would have been way more expensive than just one! My vet is very confident about putting bunnies under – but was hesitant to do it for something that wasn’t necessary either. Which helped sway my decision, I’m not going to lie. There is always a risk when putting them under no matter what and that probably helped sway the decision as well.

                                      I know the feeling about being adamant though – the thought actually crossed my mind when my condo complex had an explosion and I couldn’t get the bunnies out right away. All I could think about was if someone found them and dropped them off at a shelter or vets – I wouldn’t know – and no one would have a way to know they were mine. A lot of people have told me with buns it’s not necessary because mine are never running around outside and we live in a condo complex on the 5th floor so it’s not like they are just going to scamper out. But life has ways of really shocking you – and I didn’t want that to be a shock at the cost of my buns.

                                      As you can see… I’m still a little conflicted but as of right now, I don’t feel comfortable putting them all under for the procedure so I’ve opted out unless someone goes in for a procedure and is being put out anyways. I’m really kicking myself in the butt for not thinking about it before Nora was put under for her spay… I would say just consider everything – and then make an informed decision based on your own situation.

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                                  Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Microchips?