# Rat ID?



## Venomous_RBB (Jun 17, 2012)

Hi guys, I have 4 Red eyed white rats and was thinking of finding a *HUMANE* method of identifying them?
I am new to breeding rats and cannot find any info on humane ways to ID them, like rings(that a bird wears around its foot) or food dye, as they are white?
Or would ear tags be better, even though I dont really like them :/
Just throwing this up.... how do you ID your rats when they look the same, lol?
Thanks


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## Thyla (Jun 17, 2012)

I don't keep rats or mice but at my university when we were doing mammal trapping we used ordinary nail polish to colour a section of their tails. Tip, middle, rear, or if you're going to have lots more, use combinations of these. Doesn't sound very high tech but if that's what the lecturers were using there must be reasons why.


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 17, 2012)

You could paint numbers on them with hair dye? I wouldnt be ear tagging them, they would rip the tag off and prolly thier ear too? Even a permanent texta might be ok on the tail? I would be worried about nail polish if they are going to end up a snakes dinner.

The textas say they are 'non toxic' you could get a red, blue, green and just put a coloured stripe somewhere where they cant lick it off.... you might have to re-do it occasionally. 

Might be worth a try?


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## Darlyn (Jun 17, 2012)

Food dye?


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## ArcticMonkey (Jun 17, 2012)

Spray paint.


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## Manda1032 (Jun 17, 2012)

food dye or diff colour permanent markers, dots on tail or ear or back. Or the long way.... 4 diff tubs


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## Cold-B-Hearts (Jun 17, 2012)

iv head a non toxic marker. colour in there tail. or food dye but they somthimes eat it off


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 17, 2012)

I think food dye is probably the most nicest things for them, I am hoping to keep them with my male, that is the only thing about 4 tubs.
Thank you all so much for your opinions


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## saximus (Jun 17, 2012)

I've tried food dye and it's usually gone by the next day, maybe two or three if you're lucky. I think something more permanent like the nail polish idea would be a better idea


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## CameronWright (Jun 17, 2012)

you could try shaving something out of there hair XD


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 17, 2012)

saximus said:


> I've tried food dye and it's usually gone by the next day, maybe two or three if you're lucky. I think something more permanent like the nail polish idea would be a better idea



Awesome thank you


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## saximus (Jun 17, 2012)

Could you let us (me) know how you go please. I asked the same thing a while ago and didn't get any answers that I liked


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 17, 2012)

Will do, thanks again


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## Echiopsis (Jun 17, 2012)

BlackHeaded92 said:


> Hi guys, I have 4 Red eyed white rats and was thinking of finding a *HUMANE* method of identifying them?
> I am new to breeding rats and cannot find any info on humane ways to ID them, like rings(that a bird wears around its foot) or food dye, as they are white?
> Or would ear tags be better, even though I dont really like them :/
> Just throwing this up.... how do you ID your rats when they look the same, lol?
> Thanks



Ear notches, differnt parts of the ear giving each animal a number. Quick and easy and most animals don't even flinch. It's how we identify our recaptures in the field. I think a fraction of a seconds pain is better than the animal grooming out chemicals constantly.

http://www.loris-conservation.org/database/wild_survey/earmark.png


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 17, 2012)

BlackHeaded92 said:


> I think food dye is probably the most nicest things for them, I am hoping to keep them with my male, that is the only thing about 4 tubs.
> Thank you all so much for your opinions



I agree with the fact that food dye will not last long.... like I said about nail polish.... it contains acetone (some) which may poison anything eating it..... I think permanent marker.... say a gt stripe down the middle of the spine.... different colour for each..... down the spine they couldnt reach it to lick it. Behind the head or the tail, they could reach. You may have to touch up the line regularly, but that would be ok 



Echiopsis said:


> Ear notches, differnt parts of the ear giving each animal a number. Quick and easy and most animals don't even flinch. It's how we identify our recaptures in the field. I think a fraction of a seconds pain is better than the animal grooming out chemicals constantly.
> 
> http://www.loris-conservation.org/database/wild_survey/earmark.png



Ouch! he said HUMANE  If someone is a gubbermint agency or in a lab situation and dont give a poop about the rats..... thats prolly what they would do  Captive small scale breeding rats just a dot of colour would be quick, painless effective.... I cant imagine holding any of my rats still to trim/notch an ear :shock: would prolly end up cutting off its ear (if not its head) :shock:

Recaptures obviously you would have to notch an ear or something permanent.... you couldnt use colour on something dark and that you cant re colour whenever you need to.


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## Echiopsis (Jun 17, 2012)

CaptainRatbag said:


> I agree with the fact that food dye will not last long.... like I said about nail polish.... it contains acetone (some) which may poison anything eating it..... I think permanent marker.... say a gt stripe down the middle of the spine.... different colour for each..... down the spine they couldnt reach it to lick it. Behind the head or the tail, they could reach. You may have to touch up the line regularly, but that would be ok
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Harden up princess, it's a small notch that's permanent, not requiring you to constantly coat your animal in chemicals. The process is quick and easy with a notching tool, even a dimwit (not referring to you, probably:lol shouldn't be able to damage the animal.


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 18, 2012)

Echiopsis said:


> Harden up princess, it's a small notch that's permanent, not requiring you to constantly coat your animal in chemicals. The process is quick and easy with a notching tool, even a dimwit (not referring to you, probably:lol shouldn't be able to damage the animal.



How can putting a coloured dot or line of non toxic texta on a rat, where it cant reach to lick it off.... but might have to be redone every couple of months, be concidered 'coating an animal with chemicals'?

Blackhead92 asked for a humane, easy solution to a simple problem..... textas cost a couple of bucks... and come from woolies. Where would someone buy an ear notching tool? how much would it cost? What if BH doesnt want to drill holes in his rats ears? Perhaps he is a princess like me?


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## Elapidae1 (Jun 18, 2012)

Yeah i like the ear notch method i find a single hole, paper punch works fine and if you experiment with patterns and angles you can make some pretty cool designs I managed to hole punch the shape of a flower into one ear so as well as identification it's like "BODY MODS" for rats. 
You need to wait for the bleeding to stop before you reintroduce it to the other rats though I clipped one rat in each ear and then threw him straight back in the tub.
I call him Chopper now.


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## Justdragons (Jun 18, 2012)

Elapidae1 said:


> Yeah i like the ear notch method i find a single hole, paper punch works fine and if you experiment with patterns and angles you can make some pretty cool designs I managed to hole punch the shape of a flower into one ear so as well as identification it's like "BODY MODS" for rats.
> You need to wait for the bleeding to stop before you reintroduce it to the other rats though I clipped one rat in each ear and then threw him straight back in the tub.
> I call him Chopper now.



.... Thats pretty rough.. is there sarcasm there? its so hard to tell with text. they may be food but they are relativly intelligent. kinda seems rought punching a flower in the ear.. 


On the other hand a tattoo gun is like $40 off ebay.. maybe a dragon for all the boys and a flower or dove for the girls.. and some tough sleeves for the breeder males


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## cwtiger (Jun 18, 2012)

[h=3]Nail Polish is very toxic for rats they also like the taste so would tent to chew it off. Sharpies are non toxic or crayola perm markers and come in different colours you could put a ring around each rat you need to identify. Ear notching, tagging or any injury to the ear can cause infection which can then lead to the death of the rat. Some food colouring contain chemicals so if taking this option make sure it is does not contain chemicals or make one out of beetroot juice or other natural ingredients. Also keep in mind that a rats skin is sensitive hence why they are used in lab studies. RSPCA don't agree with the method of ear notching, tagging, percing (sp) below is a study that they directed me to regarding ear notching, tattooing etc.
Abstract
Individual and permanent identification of experimental animals is a common and often essential research practice. There is little information available on the short-term effects of these procedures on the animals. In this study, seven rats were implanted with telemetric devices. The effects of three different identification methods (ear tattoo, ear notching and microtattoo) were compared. Cardiovascular data were collected for 24 h after the procedures. Time periods of 0-1, 1-4, 4-16 h (dark) and 16-24 h after the procedure were analysed separately. The most pronounced differences in measured parameters were observed during the first hour after the procedures were performed. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was significantly higher (P < 0.012) following the ear tattoo than the microtattoo procedure by a difference of approximately 5 mmHg. Heart rate (HR) was significantly elevated (P < 0.001) after ear tattoo compared with both ear notching (Δ = 31 beats per minute [bpm]) and microtattoo (Δ = 44 bpm). During the 1-4 h period and the following dark period, the MAP was highest in the ear notching group, but no differences were observed in the HRs. During the following dark period (4-16 h) and the next day (16-24 h) differences in MAP and HR were minor. In conclusion, microtattoo appears to cause the mildest changes in HR and blood pressure. Based on these results, ear tattoo and ear notching should be replaced by microtattoo whenever possible.

Why do you need to identify your rats. I have several rats that are all white with pink eyes and white with black eyes and I have no trouble telling who is who they all have there own personalities and that is how I tell all my 21 rats apart.


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 18, 2012)

Good work cwt ^ at least someone on here agrees there are better ways of identifying them without cutting up parts of thier body.....

common sense rules


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 18, 2012)

cwtiger said:


> [h=3]Nail Polish is very toxic for rats they also like the taste so would tent to chew it off. Sharpies are non toxic or crayola perm markers and come in different colours you could put a ring around each rat you need to identify. Ear notching, tagging or any injury to the ear can cause infection which can then lead to the death of the rat. .




Dead right mate  agree +1


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 19, 2012)

I will go with the permanent marker, I do not want to cut holes in their ears, or hurt them in anyway, even being poisoned.... :/


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 19, 2012)

BlackHeaded92 said:


> I will go with the permanent marker, I do not want to cut holes in their ears, or hurt them in anyway, even being poisoned.... :/



Look for the ones that say 'non toxic' My nephew sucked most of the ink out of a texta type pen when he was about 2.... no ill effects, so I dont think it will harm the rat or any snake that might eventually eat it 

I have a few pews as well, so I am going to try it as well...... let us know how you go.... I will too


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## rvcasa (Jun 19, 2012)

BlackHeaded92 said:


> Hi guys, I have 4 Red eyed white rats and was thinking of finding a *HUMANE* method of identifying them?
> I am new to breeding rats and cannot find any info on humane ways to ID them, like rings(that a bird wears around its foot) or food dye, as they are white?
> Or would ear tags be better, even though I dont really like them :/
> Just throwing this up.... how do you ID your rats when they look the same, lol?
> Thanks



Paint the toe nails a different colour for each rat!!
(only needs 1)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



saximus said:


> Could you let us (me) know how you go please. I asked the same thing a while ago and didn't get any answers that I liked



Paint toe nails (or claws) a different colour for each rat. 
Even if you only paint 1 nail per rat
(just like zoos do it!)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## $NaKe PiMp (Jun 20, 2012)

i worked maintaining a Uni rodent collection and a mammal collection and ear notching is the accepted method,and believe me Animal ethics are very fussy on what can be done with animals and they allow this method


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## scorps (Jun 20, 2012)

Ear notching is defiantly an accepted method and isn't considered painful, no worse then getting an ear peorcing in humans,

If done at a pinkie age the rodents arnt even meant to feel a thing.

Im sure there are others on hear that know more about it


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## Mulgaaustralis (Jun 20, 2012)

Many comments here who show their lack of knowledge towards an animal that they apparently care for. 
Snake Pimp and Echiopis are right on the money. 

Cheers 
Mulgaaaustralis


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 20, 2012)

scorps said:


> Ear notching is defiantly an accepted method and isn't considered painful, no worse then getting an ear peorcing in humans,
> 
> If done at a pinkie age the rodents arnt even meant to feel a thing.
> 
> Im sure there are others on hear that know more about it




How could you find a pinkies ear? What would you do it with that wouldnt remove the entire ear if you could find it?:shock:

Imo, rats ears are delicate.... if the rats are in a cage together, the others might chew at each others ears? A hole might catch and tear, or be chewed by others? become infected?


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 21, 2012)

Got some non toxic highlighters the other day, have it on the rats and they dont care:



Tails have the marker on it, sorry for the bad quality pics - iphone.


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## cwtiger (Jun 26, 2012)

To quote Scorps If done at a pinkie age the rodents arnt even meant to feel a thing.
Can't feel a thing I would not agree with this. Pinkies if grabbed by Mum and move will squeek to me this means they can feel. Ears are sensitive in human or animal therefore putting a hole cut what ever in them you are sure and they are sure to feel it. There is also the risk of infection people say ear tagging ripping is allowable in labs well look at the different enviroment that lab rats live in compaired to house rats. We clean them regularly but they are not the full on germ free clean as a pin enviroment. Yes the rats are feed to our pet snakes but does this mean that they should suffer be hurt and exposed to potential infection I think not they are intellegant animals with feelings and meanings to life treat them with the respect that they deserve. Great markings with the rats BlackHeaded92 easy to see and safe for rat other rats and snakes.


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## Darlyn (Jun 26, 2012)

What about different coloured vests or sunglasses?
They'd look pretty cool too.


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## Wally (Jun 26, 2012)

You could introduce them to several 'rat' type deities. They'll soon break off into their own little groups. Of course the independent thinkers will be drinking and protesting loudly in their own corner.


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 26, 2012)

lol, I love the sense of humour on APS


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## cwtiger (Jun 27, 2012)

Darlyn will you source the sunglasses and I will try my hand at the vest. Problem is they might use the material for nesting. Hence starting the id problem all over again.


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## Venomous_RBB (Jun 27, 2012)

lol

The texta idea is working wonders, no rub off (it has faded a bit but you can still see it clearly). Mums are too busy cleaning their velvet "Rittens" (Pups) to worry about it.


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