# Rabbit boarding kennels



## CiaraPatricia (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi guys, I'm just looking for people's opinions on what is a reasonable amount to pay for a place looking after your rabbit? Per day, or per week or whatever. If the rabbit is being cleaned out everyday, hay, bedding and food is provided by the kennels, and the rabbit is exercised everyday, and also given some attention or grooming.

Thanks


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## irishbunny (Apr 20, 2010)

I charge 40 a week, but I ask them to bring their own food since you might not use the same food and that can upset their systems (sometimes very severely). If you do provide food, though, I would charge an extra ten a week.


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## CiaraPatricia (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Apr 20, 2010)

I know someone who does pet sitting. I think she charges $3 per day if they provide food and litter, $5 a day if she has to provide that. I think the monthly charge is $100, not sure if it is a bit more if she has to provide stuff. 
I would say about $5 per day is average. If you want them to come to your house, it might be a bit more.


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## CiaraPatricia (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks, I was thinking about â¬5 a day, depending on their needs


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## tonyshuman (Apr 20, 2010)

WOW I pay a lot at the vet!! Well, we have two bonded pairs, and it was in the $15 range per day for each bonded pair (2 bunnies in one cage). They provided litter and stuff, I think. Luckily we didn't end up paying for it--my bf's parents did because we had to kennel them for his brother's wedding!

I contacted a pet sitter about it too and he charged $25 an hour--meaning he'd come in once a day for an hour and do all the stuff needed, including socializing if there was time. We chose the vet because at the vet's we wouldn't have to worry about the air conditioning! We have window units that have to be manually turned on and off and it was August.


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## CiaraPatricia (Apr 20, 2010)

Yeah I imagine it would cost alot at the vet here too! It's so expensive for dogs and cats, but I think bunnies are less high maintenance


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## slavetoabunny (Apr 20, 2010)

I hired a petsitter for when I will be away Memorial Day weekend. She is charging me $28/day, which is for a morning and an evening visit.


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## degrassi (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm a petsitter and I charge 10$/day for rabbit/small animals if they stay at my house. They bring their own cage/food/liter. If they prefer I visit at their home, its 15$/1 hour visit.


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## elrohwen (Apr 20, 2010)

My vet, the only place I've found to board, charges $35 a day. My pet sitter charges the same for 2 visits per day and she comes to my house, so I use her instead.

I should add that I live in one of the wealthiest/most expensive counties in the US, so prices here are higher than most.


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## kirbyultra (Apr 20, 2010)

My vet charges $34 per bun per day so as far as Danbury and manhattan goes I think we're both paying crazy prices!!

I know one shelter charges $15 per bun per day and $25 per bonded pair for boarding. I also know of a bunny sitter I've inquired into before, charging $25 a day for up to 2 bunnies which includes health check, feed, clean, exercise.approx 1 hr worth of work and this was a home visit.


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## massie777 (Apr 20, 2010)

Elrohwen your pet sitter chages alot, but she does have to come to your house.
Just so you know I do pet sitting in my home for bunnies and I charge $10 a day. I supply the cage and veggies. I tell the owners to bring pellets and any toys that the bunnies like.
Also all the money I collect from petsitting goes toward the rescue. so it helps the bunnies


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## slavetoabunny (Apr 20, 2010)

I do petsitting for our rescue in my home. I also charge $10/day which goes to rescue.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Apr 20, 2010)

I do pet sitting in their home and charge 20 bucks a day. 

Or in my home 15 a day. 

Normally when its in their home I have to drive at least 30 minutes one way. Which is why price is higher. 

I have my few friends/clients and don't spread out much I do rabbits cats and dogs under 30 pounds. 

I only keep up to two weeks. 

Half is paid before half after.


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## irishbunny (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow some of ye have to pay an awful lot! 
All animals stay at my house, since I have people drive a few hours to have me pet sit for them. I'm the only ''proper'' small animal boarding. I have a group of four piggies coming next week and I'll only be charging â¬50 for a week. It isn't really all that hard to just feed them, cuddle them and clean them out.Plus I love it so I would do it even if no one would pay me 

Oh and another good thing to do is ask them for half the money up front when they are bringing their pet over. Stops people from thinking they can just dump their pet there and not come back.


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Apr 21, 2010)

Do those of you who run petting sitting operations get a genuinely large amount of interest? I am interested in petsitting, but not sure if I would get much interest. 

Would love some tips on how to start up, what type of policy I might need, etc. etc. 

(PS. Not trying to hi-jack the thread! )

Emily


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## okiron (Apr 22, 2010)

For those who petsit at their house, what do you do to prevent the spread of illnesses and other things that are normally found during quarantine?

That's basically the only thing keeping me from wanting to petsit at my home. The fear that someone will bring in a sick animal and get my own animals sick along with other animals I might be watching at the time.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Apr 22, 2010)

All I did was put a ad on craigslist. And I just look for signs of illness.

I require vac records and a temp up on arrival. 
They always bring there own food I supply crate, bowl, and toys.

I have about 8 clients that I have I really don't spread out cause I have become friends with these people and I alway know when I need to watch a pet. 

I make about 500 a year. On thanksgiving and X-Mas I could have upwards of five extra animals for up to a week. 

But my pets like these pets. So the cats go in with boss and dog kennels get stacked next to phe phe. 

I am not your average jo either I am very careful what I do. Because It works I think I have taken one dog that I did not really know because family sent them to me. 

But when I started I charged a base line 15 a day 70 a week. so if they pay by the week its only 10 a day. 

But doing it for two years and knowing everyone now really well. 

Check your local laws make sure you can do it. 

Most place have a limit of so many pets. 

Also make sure you have some sort of contract.

I did do 50 percent before 50 percent after. 

I had one person leave there dog here witch now lives with my older sister toya. A poodle mix 

I have picture of one of my pet sitter dogs we have become very close kujo even in my blog here. He is the ugliest thing in the world. But he is so sweet.


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## irishbunny (Apr 22, 2010)

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:


> Do those of you who run petting sitting operations get a genuinely large amount of interest? I am interested in petsitting, but not sure if I would get much interest.
> 
> Would love some tips on how to start up, what type of policy I might need, etc. etc.
> 
> ...



I get quite a large amount of interest, if there are very few to know services like it in the area you are more likely to get more people interested. A lot of people struggle to find someone to look after their smallies, since there are usually a lot of places that will take cats and dogs, but not other animals. 

Starting up isn't all that hard, I think in some places they say you should take out insurance and all that but I'm not sure about that whole side of it. I don't have insurance and not planning to, don't even know if you can get it. It might be something you want to look into though. You also have to decided stuff like will you ask them to bring a cage, or have you spare cages, do you need them to come with food, or are you going to provide it, what kind of animals are you going to pet sit, are you going to ask them to bring them to you, or go to their house etc. Then come up with a decent fee. If there are other pet sitters in your area for smallies check out what they are charging, and try do it for a little less 

Some of my policies are stuff like I must get half the fee up front to prevent them from dropping off their animals and not coming back. I will take their animal to a vet if neccessary, but I'll look for the money back when they get home. I take no responsibilty what so ever for deaths if they can't prove it was my fault. I also take no responsibilty caused by animals that are supposedly bonded, fighting and being injured/killed. I haven't had an injury or death so far though.

Hope I helped!


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## degrassi (Apr 22, 2010)

> For those who petsit at their house, what do you do to prevent the spread of illnesses and other things that are normally found during quarantine? That's basically the only thing keeping me from wanting to petsit at my home. The fear that someone will bring in a sick animal and get my own animals sick along with other animals I might be watching at the time.


The small animals that come into my home are kept in a separate room. I also make sure I wash my hands etc. after touching them and if I've been handling(holding them) them I also change my clothes if I plan to come into contact with my rabbit. 

As for dogs, I make sure they have proof of current vacinations, including the vaccination for kennel cough. 

For treatment of sick animals, its a little bit more complicated. I was screwed once before on a vet bill so now I have some rules. I will bring the animal to the vet but it is the owners responsibility to arrange payment of vet bills with the vet. I also charge a "vet fee" and a "medical" fee if I need to give treatments. My time spent taking your animal to the vet isn't free. This is all discussed with the client before hand and I make them sign a contract. Unless is an emergency the client is contacted first, before any treatment is sought. 


> Do those of you who run petting sitting operations get a genuinely large amount of interest? I am interested in petsitting, but not sure if I would get much interest. Would love some tips on how to start up, what type of policy I might need, etc. etc. (PS. Not trying to hi-jack the thread! )


My petsitting "business" has a lot of interest. I started when I was 18, just doing it for my best friend. Just by word of mouth it has spread like crazy and now I have lots of clients. I have found there is a high demand for petsitters and owners are willing to pay extra for quality(compared to sending them to a kennels for cheaper). 

How you set it up depends on how you want to run the business and your city/area's laws. If you plan to actually run it as a business them you will need contracts, get bonded or have insurance(about 500$ or so a year) and claim it on your taxes. If you plan to just do it part time for only a few clients, then its probably best to "keep it under the table". But even then I'd still recommend using contracts. 

I personally don't use insurance. Pet sitters insurance mostly is for your benefit like if their dog bites you and you can't work anymore kind of thing. I've considered getting it but its around 500$/year and I only do petsitting part time, so its not really worth it. I'll get it if I ever start doing it full time and as more of a real business. 

But if you want to start petsitting i'd recommend researching a lot. Look to see what other local petsitters charge, how they do it, examples of their rules and contracts(client and medical). Also there is lots of examples of petsitter contracts, schedules, and invoices on the internet.


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## slavetoabunny (Apr 22, 2010)

I offer sitting services through our rescue. We don't have a set fee, but ask for a $10/day donation. A lot of people pay more.


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## kahlin (Apr 24, 2010)

For the past year or so it's been free for me. My bunny sitter watches my monsters in exchange for me watching hers. I usually get her bunnies some toys and then get them a gift certificate for $30 ish to make myself feel better about it being free.

However, in the past I've paid anywhere from $40-60 for a week for 2 rabbits...the price ranges depending on quality of care, medical issues, etc. And if I come home and I'm impressed and the bunnies are all healthy and all of that, I give an additional $20-40 as a tip.


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