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Several days ago, AAA estimated that the 2012 end-of-year holidays might be the busiest holiday travel season since 2006, with nearly 93.3 million people taking to the road in the United States alone.
And with the holidays in full swing, the HappyCavies have been thinking: If Humans all across the world leave to celebrate the holidays, who’s at home to be the guinea pig sitter?
Human #1 and #2 have had some experience looking for, finding then firing a less-than-awesome guinea pig pet sitter several years ago. So we thought it might help others to put together a few things you can do to find a reliable, qualified guinea pig sitter while you’re not at home.
Please leave us a comment if something to share!
Ask Your Local Veterinarian
Your vet is your best bet.
Most veterinarians are well connected to local pet communities, making your vet’s office a great starting place to find names and phone numbers of reliable, trustworthy sitters who can watch your guinea pig while you are away.
If you’re just beginning your search for a guinea pig pet sitter, be sure to start at your vet’s office.
Find a Local Guinea Pig Rescue or Shelter
Have a guinea pig rescue or shelter in your area? Lucky you!
Give them a call and be super-friendly: they have connections!
Local Guinea Pig Rescue
Get a list of guinea pig rescues and shelters in the USA, UK, and Australia at Where to Find Guinea Pigs to Adopt.
Rely On The Kindness of Family and Friends
That’s what friends (and family) are for! Even if you don’t have someone in your family or close circle of friends who can be considered a “guinea pig expert,” anyone can learn the very basics of care in a reasonable amount of time — with the expectation that they will call you if they aren’t sure about something.
When training family or friends to care for your guinea pig, follow two important rules:
Trust
Choose a family member or friend you can trust. You should choose someone that you not only can trust in your home, but also one that you can trust to be responsible. They should show up when they need to show up and follow a list of instructions you will leave behind.
Good Judgment
Pick someone who isn’t afraid to call or email you for advice BEFORE making an important decision for your guinea pig. And keep in mind: under certain circumstances, it may be better for your sitter to do nothing (“Your guinea pig looked so hungry!…So I fed him roast beef.”) rather than do something that can result in serious consequences. Remember: common sense isn’t always common.
Guinea Pig Forums
Visit any active guinea pig forum to solicit some kindly advice or suggestions on where to locate a guinea pig sitter in your area. Just be sure to be respectful of the forum community and its rules.
Here are a few great forums to help you get started:
Search Engines
Sometimes, when you’ve exhausted all other options, Google (or Bing…maybe?) can be a real day-saver. Whether you use common search terms (like “guinea pig pet sitter“) or more geographically-specific keywords (like “small animal pet sitter Salt Lake City Utah“), you should be able to find at least one or two results to point you in the right direction.
And, if the pet sitter lists small animals but no “guinea pig sitting,” you can still send the pet sitter an email or call them up. A friendly pet sitter may be willing to give you a reference to someone they know and trust who can take care of guinea pigs.
Looking for more guinea pig pet sitting advice? Check out GuineaLynx’s Pet Sitters Advice page.
Locate a Pet Sitter
Websites where you can search for pet sitters by name, location, and keyword.
Service Reviews
Once you’ve found a candidate pet sitter you like, release the hounds: look up as many reviews as you can!
Interviewing a Guinea Pig Pet Sitter
OK, so you’ve found a few potential leads, but how do you make sure that they are truly qualified to guinea pig sit?
First, don’t go any further if a potential pet sitter tells you that they are unfamiliar with the proper care of guinea pigs but they are willing to learn. You can’t afford to hire a “guinea pig student”, so continue your search elsewhere.
Second, use Google and other forums to research a pet sitter’s reputation. You can start digging up dirt by using the links above in Service Reviews and always ask for a list of references from the potential pet sitter.
Third, ask a family member or friend you trust if they would be willing to step in and take over if things don’t work out with the guinea pig sitter. It’s always important to have an alternative pet sitting plan, so make sure someone can be there to help in case things don’t go as expected.
Wanted: Your Guinea Pig Pet Sitting Advice
Please share your pet sitting successes (or horror stories) below! We want to hear what you think and how you would advise others as to how to go about finding a guinea pig friendly pet sitter.
Thanks for sharing and helping us to locate a good pet sitter and to review there services too thanks a ton
You are more than welcome, I’m glad you found How to Find A Guinea Pig Pet Sitter helpful!