Small Pets Holiday Home

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katiep

katiep

Adult Guinea Pig
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We went to see the Small Pets Holiday Home in Sandbach, Cheshire today to check it out before we go on holiday. Despite taking ages to get there (thanks to me insisting I knew the way via the A roads!), and it peeing down, we were really impressed - all the hutches and cages were really clean, they had some with runs attached, they were really nice and had their own giant bunnies, and they have a vets over the road where they can take any poorly pets if necessary.
If we can't find anywhere closer we will be taking our 4 little furries there because I felt confident that they would be well looked after. :)
It will be horrible leaving them there though! I will probably whinge! :embarassed:
 
Well it certainly sounds like a good place Katie, if you can't find anywhere else. Well done for checking it out beforehand O0
 
When i had clover and caramel, we left them at a holiday home once... and it really was embarrassing because i cried at leaving them! especially because i worked at a kennels/cattery and most of the owners didn't even flinch when they said goodbye! 98)

On our return though, the lady said they were spoilt, because everytime she went to see them, they wheaked for food (oopsie) lol. I think they had a nice time though, they seemed well :)
 
That sounds great! Its always nice to know if you can't leave them with friends of relatives that they're going to be well looked after!
 
I'd love to run guinea boarding, but I wouldn't want to give them back.

And my gang would get jealous :smitten:
 
Lucinda can I book mine in now, a holiday in cornwall with piggies in boarding with a lovely piggie lover would be ideal where do I sign ;)
 
I run a guinea pig hotel in Kent and its a nice little earner, and i get to see other peoples guineas, i love it, and you don't have to jump through to many hoops to get it up off the ground.
 
Piggybaker,do you mind me asking how you go about setting up a piggy holiday home?I"m in Norfolk and would love to set one up but am not to sure how to get started.
 
dazie said:
Lucinda can I book mine in now, a holiday in cornwall with piggies in boarding with a lovely piggie lover would be ideal where do I sign ;)
Click to expand...

ahh, thank you :smitten: Watch this space ;D
 
I'd be interested in starting up a boarding facility too, was gonna do it earlier this year but wasn't sure if it would work out or not.
Any help or suggestions would be great
 
Well mum first of all go to the council and ask if it is OK then environmental health to check, the RSPCA said we were not big enough to be a problem, and then get together some cages, advertise get yourself in the local paper, then get a year diary and away you go,,,


I am in the process of replacing my wooden hutches with the ferplus cages, easier to clean,,,also a big shed or garage to make into your hotel, as you don't want that many animals in the house, i have 10 boarders in over 2 weeks


Also get together a terms and conditions, which your customers have to sign, so if vet bills are incurred whilst they are away they have to pay, also if heaven forbid if there pet passes away ,where are there vets to have the body held, as you don't want to be storing it in the bottom of the freezer!

also a consent to have the pet put to sleep if it need to be done.

and last but not least have the facility to be able to split the boys from the girls so bonded boars are no where near the girls so you don't have any fighting,,

I have lost one rabbit and one guinea pig and i have been open a year and have not long hit the £1000 mark for the year.


also try not to take guineas that are ill or pregnant sows only if they are not due whilst the owners are away.

so what do you think,, it is very easy, Keep me posted

them
 
we got as far as getting permission from the council, but didn't take it any further, i haven't got any indoor facilities, and only having outdoor hutches is not enough.
 
Who did you actually contact at the Council Piggybaker, any particular department? Did you actually have an environmental health inspection or was this not deemed necessary because the RSPCA thought you weren't big enough? Sorry got a bit confused! I also offer a similar service, like you on a small scale, and spoke to my vet about regulations etc. They felt that no inspection was necessary. Having done tons of research at the library/online etc., it appears that you don't actually have to be registered/licenced to mind piggies and buns, only cats and dogs etc.

Sounds like you are doing a roaring trade Piggybaker! I totally agree with all your points i.e. terms and conditions, not taking sick piggies, etc. One of my initial concerns was what I would do should, heaven forbid, the worst happened and a visitor died on me - piggies or buns in the freezer is not a good idea! I spoke to my own vet about this and they agreed to hold any animals in their cold store/mortuary until the owners returned.

We thoroughly enjoy looking after the lots of different little characters that pass through our doors and have generally found that if people are willing to pay someone to look after their pet, their pet care is usually first class (you get the odd exception) - have made some really good friends in the process too.

Pros - you get to meet lots of lovely piggies and/or buns, working from home is great.

Cons - time consuming, but then it's your job! People don't realise how much time it takes to put all the animals out in the runs for their daily exercise, clean everyone out, put them all back, make sure they have fresh food and water etc., etc., my hubby reckons our visitors get better fresh veggies than he does (he's probably right too!). Occasional stroppy client (human not animal - although you get the odd one of these, usually it has to be said buns!).

Finally, not sure if this is a pro or a con, my daughter tells me I smell of hay most of the time - can think of worse things to smell of!

Good luck to anyone thinking of giving it a go.
 
yes no the council enviromental health dept, and just council for business on premisses, but they said i was just to small to bother with "nice" ;D
 
it is hard work itsn't it, you say used to did you close?

My doors are closed at the mo due to the illness in the herd
 
I had to go back to work full time - had a job offer that I couldnt refuse so went back to work, although that was a few years ago and I'm only working 12 hrs a week now so its something I could consider doing again!

Nicky xx
 
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