Exotic Pet Boarding
Your pet gets their private room with soothing music — $125/night for Reptiles, Birds and Small Mammals. Reserved for pet parents outside San Francisco.
Exotic Pet Boarding in San Francisco
Please note: Boarding is hosted personally by members of our team, so we can only take a small number of pets at a time — and we reserve those spots for pet parents outside San Francisco, where in-home visits mean travel surcharges and longer drives. If you live in the city, in-home care is the better fit: your little ones stay in the home they know, there’s no travel surcharge anywhere in San Francisco, and our caretakers have far more availability.
Changes in your pet’s environment can cause discomfort and stress. With that said, we understand that there are times where their home may not be the best option while you are away. Our veterinary-informed team will work with you to make sure their home-away-from-home is the next best thing.
Boarding is designed for families traveling in from outside the city — the Peninsula (Burlingame, San Mateo, and beyond), Marin, and the greater Bay Area. Drop your pet off with us on your way out of town, and pick them up on the way home.
Whether you need rabbit boarding, guinea pig boarding, chinchilla boarding, ferret boarding, hamster boarding, reptile boarding (bearded dragons, geckos, snakes, turtles, tortoises), bird boarding (parrots, cockatiels, conures, budgies), or small mammal boarding, your pet will receive the same species-specific, professional care we provide during in-home visits. Boarding is hosted at our team’s San Francisco homes and we welcome drop-offs from families driving in from outside the city — Burlingame, San Mateo, Millbrae, Hillsborough, Foster City, Pacifica, Daly City, Mill Valley, Larkspur, and beyond.
- Nightly Rate: $125/night
What’s Included
- Their private room with soothing music played as they become acclimated during their stay
- Species-specific feeding on your pet’s regular schedule, including live insects, fresh greens, hay, pellets, and supplements as needed
- Habitat monitoring — we check temperatures, humidity, UVB lighting, and water quality throughout the day to match your pet’s home environment
- Daily updates with photos and notes on your pet’s behavior, appetite, and well-being
- Medication administration if needed — oral or topical medication as prescribed by your veterinarian
Reptile & Amphibian Boarding
Reptiles and amphibians have precise environmental needs that require specialized training to manage. We maintain proper temperature gradients, humidity levels, and UVB lighting schedules for every species we board. Whether it’s a bearded dragon that needs a 100-110°F basking spot, a crested gecko requiring 60-80% humidity, or an axolotl that must stay below 68°F, we monitor conditions with digital thermometers and hygrometers throughout the day. Read more about our species-specific approach in our Reptile & Amphibian Care Guide.
Bird Boarding
Birds are highly social and sensitive to environmental changes. During their boarding stay, we maintain their regular feeding schedule, provide fresh water and enrichment, and monitor for stress indicators like feather plucking, stress bars, or changes in vocalization. Cage hygiene is maintained daily.
Small Mammal Boarding
Guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, ferrets, and other small mammals receive unlimited fresh hay, species-appropriate pellets and vegetables, and daily enclosure cleaning. Our team watches for early signs of common issues like GI stasis, dental problems, and respiratory distress — see our veterinary experience.
What Do I Need for Boarding?
We’ll discuss a plan with you to make sure your pet(s) feel as safe and comfortable as possible.
- Please bring any enclosures, bedding, food and supplies your pet needs to feel at home when you drop them off
- A meet and greet is required before your pet’s first stay and your pet must be up-to-date with all vaccinations by the first visit
- Because boarding is hosted in-home by our team, space is limited and often fills up, especially around holidays and travel season — and we reserve spots for pet parents outside San Francisco, giving priority to families farthest from the city. Please contact us as early as you possibly can. If boarding is already full for your dates — or you live in San Francisco — our in-home care team has far more availability and can usually still cover you.
Planning a trip? Read our step-by-step guide on how to prepare your reptile for pet sitting. Guinea pig parent? Check out our Clinical Series fleece cage liners for the healthiest bedding option.