Exotic Pet Veterinarians
Finding a veterinarian who specializes in exotic animals — reptiles, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, and other small mammals — can be challenging. Below is a curated list of exotic pet veterinarians and emergency hospitals across San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.
San Francisco
Bay Area Bird & Exotics Hospital
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles & Amphibians, 🦜 Birds
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Leila Marcucci
Address: 2300 Sutter St Suite #102, San Francisco CA
Phone: (415) 566-4359
Email: reception@birdandexoticsvet.com
Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Emergency: Yes; during business hours (call for availability)
SoMa Animal Hospital
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles & Amphibians, 🦜 Birds (also accepts dogs and cats)
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Johnson and Dr. Rockwell
Address: 1110 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94158
Phone: (415) 727-9116
Email: info@somaanimalhospital.com
Hours: Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM; Saturday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Emergency: Yes; during business hours (call for availability)
Balboa Pet Hospital
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles, 🦜 Birds (also accepts dogs and cats)
Address: 3329 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121
Phone: (415) 752-3300
Hours: Monday - Friday, 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM (Wednesday closed 12:00 - 2:00 PM)
Emergency: No; call for referral
Notes: AAHA accredited. Located in the Outer Richmond neighborhood.
Peninsula & South Bay
Wildwood Veterinary Hospital
Specializes In: 🦜 Birds, 🦎 Reptiles & Amphibians, 🐹 Small Mammals
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Chris Sanders
Address: 2900 Spring St, Suite 5, Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 366-9453
Hours: Monday & Friday, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM; Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Emergency: No
Notes: Redwood City location treats avian and exotic pets exclusively.
Oakridge Veterinary Clinic
Specializes In: 🦎 Reptiles & Amphibians, 🦜 Birds, 🐹 Small Mammals (also accepts dogs and cats)
Address: 5440 Thornwood Dr, Suite E, San Jose, CA 95123
Phone: (408) 419-9238
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Emergency: No; call for referral
East Bay
(Emergencies Only) PETS Referral Center
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles & Amphibians, 🦜 Birds
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Molly Gleeson
Address: 1048 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 548-6684
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Emergency: Yes, 24/7 (call for availability)
Dr. Sip — Exotics Veterinary House Calls
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles, 🦜 Birds
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Sip
Phone: (510) 519-1040 (call or text)
Email: DrSip@DrSipVet.com
Hours: House calls Wednesday - Friday; messages checked Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Service Area: East Bay — Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Concord, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, Walnut Creek, and surrounding cities
Notes: Mobile/house call practice — the vet comes to you. No physical office.
UNI Pet Clinic
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles, 🦜 Birds (also accepts dogs and cats)
Address: 32280 Alvarado Blvd, Union City, CA 94587
Phone: (510) 477-8887
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Emergency: No
Notes: Call ahead to confirm exotic vet availability. Also has a San Jose location.
Ohana Animal Hospital
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals, 🦎 Reptiles & Amphibians (also accepts dogs and cats)
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Zachary Steffes
Address: 2844 Las Positas Rd, Livermore, CA 94551
Phone: (925) 394-4990
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Emergency: No
Notes: Dr. Steffes co-designed the first approved reptile residency program in San Diego.
Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care
Specializes In: 🐹 Small Mammals (chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats) — also accepts dogs and cats
Address: 2000 Bishop Dr, San Ramon, CA 94583
Phone: (925) 866-8387
Hours: Monday - Friday, 6:30 AM - 9:00 PM; Saturday - Sunday, 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Emergency: Yes; urgent care available during business hours
Medical Center for Birds — Bird-Only Avian Hospital
Specializes In: 🦜 Birds exclusively — parrots, cockatiels, conures, parakeets, lovebirds, finches, chickens, raptors, and other avian species. Bird-only hospital; no dogs, cats, reptiles, or small mammals.
Veterinarian(s): Dr. Brian Speer (DABVP-Avian, ECZM Avian — owner and director, internationally recognized avian specialist), Dr. Rachel Baden (DVM, DABVP-Avian — board-certified avian specialist), Dr. Timothy Beichner (DVM, completed avian residency at MCFB in 2025), Dr. Tirragen Vixie, Dr. Dylan Conradson
Address: 3807 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561 (Contra Costa County, far East Bay)
Phone: (925) 625-1878
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; closed Sunday
Emergency: Yes, during business hours (call ahead). After-hours emergencies referred out.
Services: Avian-specific surgery, advanced diagnostic imaging, in-house laboratory, bird boarding, and routine wellness exams.
Notes: One of the few bird-only veterinary hospitals in the United States and a national reference center for avian medicine. Founded by Dr. Brian Speer, who is among the most-cited avian veterinary specialists in the U.S. and a past president of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Multiple board-certified avian specialists (DABVP-Avian) on staff — a rarity even among "exotic-friendly" practices that see birds occasionally. State-of-the-art bird-only facility opened October 2022. Roughly a 90-minute drive from San Francisco; worth the trip for complex avian cases, second opinions, or birds whose owners want a true avian specialist rather than a general exotic vet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which San Francisco vets treat exotic pets like guinea pigs, reptiles, and birds?
In San Francisco, Bay Area Bird & Exotics Hospital, SoMa Animal Hospital, and Balboa Pet Hospital all treat small mammals (such as guinea pigs), reptiles, and birds. Bay Area Bird & Exotics Hospital focuses on exotics, while SoMa Animal Hospital and Balboa Pet Hospital also accept dogs and cats. Balboa Pet Hospital is in the Outer Richmond neighborhood.
Is there a 24/7 exotic emergency vet in the Bay Area?
Yes. PETS Referral Center in Berkeley is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and handles emergencies for small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. In San Francisco, Bay Area Bird & Exotics Hospital and SoMa Animal Hospital offer emergency care during business hours; call for availability.
Is there a bird-only avian specialist hospital near the Bay Area?
Yes. Medical Center for Birds in Oakley is a bird-only avian hospital with multiple board-certified avian specialists on staff, including Dr. Brian Speer. It treats birds exclusively — parrots, cockatiels, conures, finches, chickens, raptors, and more — and offers avian surgery, imaging, and bird boarding. It is roughly a 90-minute drive from San Francisco.
What exotic pet vets are in the East Bay?
East Bay options include PETS Referral Center in Berkeley (24/7 emergency exotics), Dr. Sip mobile house calls serving cities like Oakland and Berkeley, UNI Pet Clinic in Union City, Ohana Animal Hospital in Livermore, Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in San Ramon, and Medical Center for Birds, the bird-only avian hospital in Oakley.
What exotic vets are on the Peninsula or in the South Bay?
On the Peninsula, Wildwood Veterinary Hospital in Redwood City treats avian and exotic pets exclusively. In the South Bay, Oakridge Veterinary Clinic in San Jose sees reptiles, amphibians, birds, and small mammals, and also accepts dogs and cats. UNI Pet Clinic notes it has a San Jose location in addition to its Union City clinic.