Rabbit Identification Day

This morning started off clear, if a bit chilly.  Shortly after beginning my day with a bit of yard clean up (yay! no rain), I looked out the window to see the beginning of a deluge (yay! rain....).  So it wasn't perfect timing when my friend called to say she was on her way over to help tattoo the kits for identification.

Luckily, by the time she arrived and we had set up, the rain had abated somewhat, and we were able to organize our gear on a table in the carport to weigh and tattoo all of the rabbits from the two 7-week-old litters.  I still couldn't swear as to the sex of the bunnies today (and Jen commiserated about how difficult that can be as we both peered closely as fuzzy bunny genitals).  Development at this age is minimal, and there's....well....a *lot* of fur down there.

So, with each bunny weighed, we slathered ink in their left ear (on which I had spread anesthetic cream an hour beforehand), and clamped the Ketchum tattoo pliers to make their mark, spread more ink, and then whisked the annoyed bunnies back to their cages.  Everyone got a bit of grain for good behaviour (well, mostly good!)

So, may I introduce kits H131 through H1310, weighing in between 2 pounds 7 ounces, and 3 pounds 4 ounces.

 

I don't like you anymore.

 

After tattooing, additional ink paste is rubbed into the tattoo holes to ensure a clear tattoo.  Why yes, those are fresh scratches on my hand.

 

Clearly, there are going to be some trust issues for a few days.

As I left them with their grain, the bunnies were recovering and consoling one another. (It's ok - the ink is edible.)