Chinchilla & Small-Mammal Sitter SF
Chinchillas, ferrets, rats, hamsters, gerbils, hedgehogs — the small mammals beyond guinea pigs and rabbits are some of the most rewarding pets to keep, and some of the easiest to get wrong when you hand them to the wrong sitter. A chinchilla can’t tolerate heat or humidity and needs dust baths, not water. A ferret needs a specific high-protein diet and is a champion escape artist. A rat is brilliant and social and hides illness until it’s advanced. These are not animals a general dog-and-cat sitter is equipped for — and yet in San Francisco, that’s often the only option owners can find. That’s the gap our team was built to fill: knowledgeable, in-home care for the small mammals other sitters won’t touch, delivered by specialists trained under a clinical lens.
House of Guineas is based in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset, and small mammals are the heart of what we do — the whole business grew out of small-mammal care. Our specialists come to your home so your chinchilla stays in its own cool, familiar room, your ferret keeps its own routine, and your rats stay in their own trusted space.
“We had the absolute pleasure of having Alexandria care for our chinchilla, Gus… Chinchillas require special care, and she knew exactly how to handle everything—from diet to proper handling techniques.” — Robyn J.
Small Mammals We Care For in San Francisco
- Chinchillas — temperature and humidity monitoring (they overheat easily), dust baths, hay-based diet, and dental awareness
- Ferrets — high-protein feeding, litter and cage upkeep, out-of-cage play, and escape-proofing
- Rats & mice — social handling, diet, and close health monitoring (rats are prone to respiratory issues and tumors)
- Hamsters, gerbils & other pocket pets — species-appropriate diet, enclosure upkeep, and gentle handling
- Hedgehogs — warmth, diet, and the careful handling they need
- Guinea pigs and rabbits too — see our guinea pig & small-mammal and rabbit sitter pages
Why San Francisco Small-Mammal Owners Choose Us
- Veterinary background. Our founder, Alexandria, is an exotic veterinary assistant who volunteered with the House Rabbit Society administering subcutaneous RHDV2 vaccines. Every specialist is trained under that same clinical lens.
- Clinical-grade monitoring. We weigh small mammals on a gram scale to catch weight loss before it’s visible, monitor appetite and output, and can syringe-feed critical-care formula to an animal that’s gone off its food. In a small mammal, a gut that goes quiet is an emergency — not a wait-and-see.
- Species specialization. Exotics are our whole focus. That kind of expertise is genuinely hard to find in San Francisco.
Not Just for Vacations — Recurring Care Too
Small mammals need frequent upkeep: weekly cage deep-cleans, constant fresh hay, dust baths, weigh-ins. That’s a lot to stay on top of when life is busy — which is exactly why small-mammal owners are our most common recurring clients. Keep us on a standing weekly or biweekly schedule and hand off the maintenance, so your time with your pet is the fun part. See our routine & recurring care plans.
Pricing
- 30-minute visits start at $85
- 60-minute visits start at $115
- Routine twice-daily care runs $140–$190/day
- Recurring plans available as a flat monthly rate — see routine care
No Peninsula travel surcharge within San Francisco. Boarding is hosted at our founder’s San Francisco home for $75/night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you care for chinchillas?
Yes — chinchillas are one of our specialties. We monitor room temperature and humidity closely (chinchillas overheat dangerously above about 75°F), provide dust baths rather than water, keep unlimited hay in front of them, and watch for the dental and digestive issues chinchillas are prone to.
Can you care for ferrets and rats?
Yes. Ferrets get their high-protein diet, litter and cage upkeep, out-of-cage play, and careful escape-proofing. Rats get social handling, diet management, and close health monitoring — they're prone to respiratory issues and tumors and hide illness well, so a trained eye matters.
Why not just use a regular pet sitter?
Small mammals are easy to underestimate. A gram-scale weigh-in, spotting the early signs of GI stasis, syringe-feeding critical-care formula, or knowing a chinchilla can't tolerate heat — these aren't things a general dog-and-cat sitter is trained for. Our specialists are, and our founder's exotic veterinary background sets the standard.
How much does a small-mammal sitter cost in San Francisco?
30-minute visits start at $85 and 60-minute visits at $115, with routine twice-daily care from $140–$190/day. Recurring clients can move to a flat monthly plan. No travel surcharge within San Francisco. Text us at 415-484-6493 for a quote.
Ready to book care for your small companion? Call or text 415-484-6493 or request care online. See our small pet resources, guinea pig & small-mammal sitter page, and recurring care plans.