Rabbit Sitter San Mateo
San Mateo has a quietly serious rabbit community. Between the families in Hillsdale, the longtime residents around Aragon and Baywood Park, and the newer Bay Meadows crowd, rabbits show up in more San Mateo homes than people realize — often as second pets after a cat or dog, often adopted from Peninsula Humane Society right up the road in Burlingame. What’s harder to find is a rabbit sitter who knows what they’re doing. House of Guineas is here to fix that.
Our team is based in San Francisco and we travel down the Peninsula several days a week. Our founder, Alexandria, is an exotic veterinary assistant and a House Rabbit Society volunteer in Richmond, where she administers subcutaneous RHDV2 vaccines under vet direction. She lives with Chungus and Puppy Dog (a bonded pair) and Johnny Wohnny (an HRS foster turned forever rabbit). Rabbits are not a side service. They are the center of what we do.
Why a Vet-Trained Rabbit Sitter Matters in San Mateo
San Mateo is not as far from a 24/7 exotic ER as Foster City or Hillsborough, but it is still far enough that catching things early really matters. A generalist sitter who’s used to dogs and cats will miss the early signs of a rabbit emergency. We won’t.
- RHDV2 vaccine awareness. California is endemic for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease. We will not handle unvaccinated rabbits in homes where vaccinated rabbits are also present, and we can talk you through getting the vaccine if you haven’t yet.
- Bonded pair handling. A bonded pair handles your absence dramatically better than a solo rabbit, but the medication and care protocols are different. We know the difference.
- GI stasis recognition. A rabbit who’s stopped pooping is a medical emergency, not a wait-and-see situation. We watch for the early signs at every visit.
- Local hay sourcing. Most pet stores in San Mateo carry hay that’s been on the shelf for months. We can recommend better local sources for longer trips.
- Litter and hideout cleaning that respects rabbit psychology. Rabbits are territorial. We don’t deep-clean while you’re away and disrupt their scent landscape — we maintain.
What’s Included in a San Mateo Rabbit Visit
- Hay top-up (timothy for adults, alfalfa for babies under six months)
- Fresh greens prep — washed, sorted, portioned to your rabbit’s diet
- Pellet measurement (we do not free-feed)
- Water bowl or bottle change
- Litter scoop
- Floor sweep around the enclosure
- Exercise time in the rabbit’s usual run-around space
- Photo and video updates from every visit
- Written notes on appetite, fecal output, water intake, and behavior
If your rabbit is on medication — oral, topical, or sub-Q — we administer it. Walk us through the protocol at the meet-and-greet.
San Mateo Neighborhoods We Serve
- Hillsdale
- Aragon
- Baywood Park
- Bay Meadows
- Sugarloaf
- Beresford
- San Mateo Park
- Shoreview
- Hayward Park
- North Shoreview
We also cover homes near the San Mateo Public Library, the Caltrain corridor for commuters, and the stretch toward the Foster City border. If you’re closer to Coyote Point or the bayfront, we’ve got you.
Pricing for San Mateo Rabbit Visits
- 30-minute visits start at $85
- 60-minute visits start at $115
- Routine twice-daily care runs $140–$190/day depending on visit length and number of rabbits
San Mateo is in our Peninsula service tier, which means a travel surcharge applies. The exact surcharge depends on our specialists’ availability and your location within San Mateo. Text us your address and dates for a firm quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle bonded rabbit pairs in San Mateo?
Yes — bonded pairs are actually our preference. A bonded pair handles the stress of you being away dramatically better than a solo rabbit. The main thing we ask at the meet-and-greet is whether the bond is rock-solid or relatively new, and whether either rabbit needs separate medication.
Can you administer my rabbit's medication?
Yes. Oral syringe meds, topical applications, and subcutaneous injections (with vet direction) are all part of our standard scope. Our founder's experience administering subcutaneous RHDV2 vaccines through the House Rabbit Society means sub-Q is something we are genuinely comfortable with.
My rabbit isn't vaccinated against RHDV2 — can you still help?
Yes, with one caveat: we will not handle unvaccinated rabbits in homes where we also visit vaccinated rabbits, because of the cross-contamination risk. If your rabbit is the only rabbit on our schedule that day, we can still come. We strongly recommend getting the vaccine — Peninsula Pet Hospital in Burlingame and most exotic vets in San Mateo County administer it.
How do I find a San Mateo-area rabbit vet?
Our Peninsula exotic vet directory lists every exotic-savvy vet in San Mateo County. All Pets Hospital in San Mateo and Peninsula Pet Hospital in Burlingame are both convenient options for San Mateo residents.
Ready to book in-home rabbit care? Call or text us at 415-484-6493 and we’ll set up a free meet-and-greet. You can also browse our rabbit care essentials guide, our broader San Mateo exotic pet sitter page if you’ve got more than one species at home, or our in-home services and FAQ pages for more detail.