Chin-Sitting

[Andrea]

I am going away with my husband from August 8-15. Last time we went away I had the neighbors come over to check on/feed/dust the chins but they will be away the same week as us this time around. My family does not really live close by, nor does my husband's. I may ask our other neighbors, though I don't know them too well. I have also considered hiring a pet sitter and just educating him/her on chinchilla care. Does anyone have any suggestions for what they've done in the past for vacations? I live in Southeast PA near Philadelphia. Thanks!

 

[partygirlha]

I hire vet techs from my vet's office. They know chins (one of them was a chin owner) so I don't need to educate them and I know that they are in great hands if anything goes wrong.

When I had to go on vacation after Bugs had his filing it was good to know that the sitter would weigh him daily and keep records, and that if needed she chould hand feed.

You may find that if you ask the vet they suggest boarding, so call and ask to talk to a teck and simply ask if they know any in-home chin sitters. if they don't chin sit they may know someone. That said techs do charge a bit more than any old pet sitter, but I like the peice of mind.

also try calling a local rescue and see if any of their volunteers or foster homes are near by and would like to stop in daily. I have also had friends who made extra $ while in vet school by pet sitting.

 

[LovinTheSmallAndFurry]

You KNOW if I was close enough I'd kidnap *cough* watch your babies!

 

[Andrea]

LOL! Thanks I am thinking I will just hire a pet sitter...I either want it to be someone I know or someone with a good reputation. I would never give someone the key to my house otherwise.

 

[caiti]

When I went to Ireland initially I was going to have my best friend watch my chin and I left her all care info etc. Then Chloe (chin) got sick and I left her at my cat's vet's office. I would have left her at my usual vet Chloe sees but on their website it said they only board cats and dogs. When I went to an appointment later and mentioned it a tech said that a lot of the techs there will pet sit and to ask next time. I would have done that if I had known at the time. If you are comfortable with the people who work at your vet's office, that would be a good choice. Then, not only have you met them, they are also carrying the reputation of the vet's office behind them even if they are not officially working for the office when they are pet sitting.

The other option I was considering was leaving her at a rescue/breeder and they would watch her.

 

[partygirlha]

most techs I know pet sit on the side and they are all very resonsible. They charge more than a neighbor or a local HS kid, but you can feel secure that little lives are in the best hands.

 

[qtpie61282]

I do boarding here, but I might be too far away for you :-(

 

[Andrea]

I think I found a college student who will be able to do it...I am just checking her references. I feel sort of strange allowing someone into my home who I don't know, but I'll "interview" her and feel out her experience/references.

 

[Brittany]

It took me a long time to get comfortable with leaving them with a sitter. I literally had to force myself to not bring my favorite chin home with me. I just got back from being gone for 3 days, and everyone's fine and content. Hope you have good luck too!

I wrote down a detailed list of instructions including vet, e-vet, mine, and my boyfriends contact info. I had the sitter over twice to meet the chins and go over everything, and I had the sitter call me each time they stopped in to give me an idea on how everyone was doing.