Microchipping? Questions & Opinions Please!

[hiskatey93]

So speckles has started a new thing. Every time the front door opens she make a break for it. And we figured out why. She loves her harness, which yes I know many people do not approve of. She enjoys going outside, and spending time at the park and farmers market, relishes it. When her harness comes out she circles our feet and bestows us with kisses, and binkies galore.

Well somewhere along the line she realized the front door has led to the outdoors, so now she tries to go for it all the time. and so far the boyfriend and I are very cautious and have prevented her from escaping, but we are worried it could happen by chance.

I’ve read a lot of negative things about leaving the buns in their harnesses all the time, which makes me a bit sad, since they both have information tags on their harnesses, just as a precaution. So my next thoughts went to microchipping. It’s a great idea. All of my dogs in the past have been chipped, and one time my Akita got out and got lost, and because of the chip she was returned home safely.

But I know a lot of people wouldn’t even think a rabbit is microchipped. So my next thoughts were to get them chipped, and have a breeder help me tattoo microchipped in their ear, so nobody could miss it. Chom has an ear tattoo because he was a former show bunny, but I know a LOT of people think it is insanely cruel to do that to a rabbit. For something like this, I see it as reasonable, but maybe I’m biased. As much as it would hurt my heart to do that to them, if they ever escaped and were found and brought home, it would be worthwhile to me. So I’m torn. I don’t know what I should do to mark my bunnies. Can anyone offer me any ideas, or even opinions about this?

[Gem]

My rabbit is micro chipped, was done before I got him but when I had to take him to the vet first thing he asked was if he was chipped and checked if it was working. Its more common than you think and if your rabbit would be handed into a shelter, vets or police they would check for a chip.

Gives me peace of mind as I’m sure Soundwave is Harry Houdini reincarnated.

I didn’t know that you could tattoo rabbits so I can’t comment on that.

[Paradigm]

Can’t comment on tattooing the ear because I don’t know much about it but Charlie came with a microchip and we got Mr Roger one. Just need to get George one now.

[hiskatey93]

Yeah they make tattoo pens especially for buns. Most show rabbits have their serial number, or name tattooed into their ear. Chom has one from his former show days.

I don’t trust myself to do it myself, although they do sell the tattoo pens to anyone. I’d take them to a reputable breeder to have them tattooed. It’s the same type of aftercare for a human getting a tattoo, which I am capable of. ((I have 3, and a 4th coming soon.))

[Gem]

Learn something new every day 🙂

[hiskatey93]

Yeah I never knew about it until I started to go with my friend to shows, long before I got Chom.

I was thinking about tatting them, because a lot of people I talk to have no idea you ccan chip bunnies. And if they ever do get lost and picked up randomly, or by a pound it’s a sure sign they have a chip and are owned, and even a pound without a scanner can bring them somewhere to find out where they belong.

The more I think about it the more I really wanna do it tbh.

[MoxieMeadows]

Is the bunny tattoo painful? I’ve heard of them but am not familiar with them.

I feel a lot of places wouldn’t bother checking for chips in a bunny though, because if it’s found (and not wearing a harness) they will most likely assume it’s been released or escaped from an outside hutch.

[hiskatey93]

I was there when Chom got his. He didn’t squirm, wiggle, or really show any reaction to it, other than shaking his head after, and being cautious when grooming or scratching there. I’ve seen plenty of other rabbits get tatted, and very few showed any sign of it bothering them, so I’m gonna assume it’s no painful than a light scratch in their ears. And it’s like a 2 minute process.

I feel that way too, hence why I want to tattoo them. To show that they are owned and cared about. An owner who didn’t care, wouldn’t chip, and tat the word “Microchipped” into an ear. It shows that the owner cares, and someone would have a higher chance of realizing that the bunny wasn’t released intentionally.

[Eepster]

We used to tattoo our own bunnies in 4H.

Yes, it is painful, but not long or dragged out. It isn’t the same procedure as for a human getting a tattoo. It’s more similar to a human getting an ear piercing.

Here a link to a video; normally I would embed it, but I thought some people might find it upsetting. I do think she should have had better control over the rabbit before she started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJyb7ge7zfA

[Author]

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