Would you trust a prof. pet sitter (was once a vet tech) as a petsitter for your bunny?

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Would you trust a professsional pet sitter, she was once a vet tech, as a pet sitter for your bunny? I am not sure. We are going away for 4 days and I need a pet sitter, she pet sits our dogs so, yea, I was going to get her to take care of Fern too, she was a vet tech for dogs I think. I want to use the Petsitting sheet from binky bunny so that will ease my worries giving her that. What do you think?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Take her for coffee and get a feel for her…AND ask for three references of current clients…google her full name, email address, phone number and all the info on the references too…you’d be surprised how much info is readily available on people like that. If nothing comes up and you got good references and a good vibe from her at coffee go for it!

[Beka27]

i would. not everyone who might be able to watch Fern will be experienced in rabbit care, but i’d feel more comfortable with someone who had some kind of animal health experience than just Jane Smith off the street. i agree with K&K, talk to her, share some rabbit specific info with her.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Ok, thank you, I have filled out the pet sitting sheet and I will discuss it with her!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Ooo K&K that is an awesome idea! That way you can also get a feel for her and pick her brain a little and ask a few interview questions like would she be concerned if the rabbit didn’t eat or poop, what she would do in this scenario and was she aware that any drastic changes in schedule can stress a rabbit and such.

I think I would trust a vet-tech but I would really have to know them as with anything there are good and bad ones and I would definately not consider just any “Jane Smith” off the street as Beka put it. I would rely on friends or boarding at a vets instead. The thing that really sticks out to me though is that she specilized in dogs and with dogs, a lot of things can wait and with a rabbit you can’t just leave it be overnight and see how the animal is in the morning. So I think that I would be sure she was really aware of that and many meds used for dogs and cats are not for rabbits and self-treatment is a big no-no for rabbit owners. I realize she may have stellar experience with dogs and what to give them, but perhaps give her a info packet of safe medicines and toxic ones for rabbits and the Dana Krempels info on GI Stasis.

By the way, has she ever taken care of a rabbit before? What does she think of the concept of house rabbits? Can you ask her what the name of the practice is where she works and maybe check it out for yourself? I know I hate leaving my babies at the rabbit sitter and ask a gazillion questions and seem super-paranoid, but I would rather do that than go off on vacation and wonder and worry the whole time. I imagine this gal is quite used to that too and am willing to bet she would understand.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Yea I am worried about leaving, I am going to ask her lots of questions and everything. It is either her or my friend, and I am not sure if my friend is too knowledgeable, she only has one dog that lives outside.
We are only going away for four days (not even) so I don’t THINK something big could happen in that time, but it COULD so I am just being cautious. I am going to give her two numbers to reach us by if Fern does not poop or is not eating. I also am going to give her the vets number so she can call them if she cannot reach us. I really like the Binky bunny pet sitter sheet, it really nails everything the sitter needs to know! So I am giving her one of those sheets filled out as well as talking to her. She has taken care of our dogs, and she was good with them but with bunnies I have to ask her, I think she is a better choice than my friend

[Scarlet_Rose]

It sounds like she would be the better bet than your friend too and that’s great you’ve used her before.

[dmh426]

You have to go with your gut. I have the best petsitter in the world- my grandpa. He is retired, it gets him out of the house and away from grandma and he knows that i am obsessive about my bunny and doesn’t mind if i call two or three times a day when i am out of town!!! Do you have a family member or close friend that could do it? I wouldn’t leave Sophie with a stranger. She would freak.

[MooBunnay]

I agree about googling her name just to make sure nothing pops up – its always hard for me to completely trust a stranger, but if she is a professional pet sitter, at least she should be able to provide you with references. Also, the fact that she used to be a vet tech is good, at least she has familiarity with animals, and how important it is that they get medical care if they are ill.

[JK]

Well I have gone through what you are going through.  I have a wonderful conscientious neighbor that I decided at the last minute I would not ask to take care of Edson.  I felt asking her to come in 2 times a day was not fair and there was too much work in caring for a rabbit.  So I ended up calling the local chapter of the House Rabbit Society for a rabbit sitter recommendation.  They gave the name of a woman who has turned out to be awesome beyond words.  I take Edson to her house and they treat him as well as I do.  It’s just a great piece of mind. I personally would try calling your local chapter and just see if they can recommend anyone.  I KNOW how stressfull it is!  I had a thread on here that was pages long when I first was trying to find someone.  I was completely neurotic about leaving him! Good luck!!!

[skunklionshow]

I just got back from a 5 day quickie vacation to Niagara Falls Canada.  I have a regular pet sitter that i’ve been using for about 4 years.  He did not have rabbit experience, until my beasts.  I didn’t have rabbits until after he became my pet sitter.  We did a lot of education.  I gave him the bunny health concerns, the pet sitter list thingy, and GI stasis info.  I explained my feeding schedule and how to monitor their eating.  If they don’t go bonkers for their morning treat, I need to be contacted immediately and plan an emergency trip to the vet. 

When I lived in Chgo, b/f bunnies, my dad also pet sat for me.  He’d stay at my apt and enjoy life on the northside of the city.  It was only when I moved away from famly that I had to trust my pets to a stranger.  It was hard and I still have moments when I have to call the petsitter while on vacation…but I trust him.  B/c I have medicated cats & a diabetic, I have to schedule 2 visits a day which makes me feel much better w/ the rabbits.  I like that I have someone checking on them twice a day, since bunnies can go south so quickly.

[bunnytowne]

there is a pet sitter info sheet on bb.   I didn’t know that. cool. See I am still learning. And I visit this site everyday  sometimes 4x a day.

[skunklionshow]

bt:  I can’t remember where I found the petsitter info page on binky….maybe it was a link that binky added at one point to a forum.  Anyway, I found it helpful w/ acclimating my pet sitter.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hello!  The Binky Bunny bunny sitter guide is under BUNNY INFO, Bunny Sitter Guide here: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/BunnySitterGuide/tabid/66/Default.aspx

I hope this helps and I am glad you are always discovering new things on Binky Bunny bunnytowne!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I’m back from the mini vacation, we used the petsitter that was once a vet tech and it turns out she has rabbits, which was good. She did an ok job but I could tell that Fern did not get enough attention. The sitter also was not very clean. I came back to a very messy bunny room. She was not the best but not the worst. Overall I am satisfied, thanks for your output.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Yea, also now Fern seems nervous, I think the pet sitter did something that she did not like or she is just mad at me for leaving her for four days. I don’t know, I just hope she is back to herself soon.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Oh that’s not great, you’d think a vet tech would be awesome! Some people just don’t get how much work buns are. But if your satisfied thats good though!

[Beka27]

that’s unfortunate that it wasn’t the best experience. did she do everything she was supposed to for the dogs? is it possible she was so busy with them that the bunny was just an afterthought? and as we all know, just b/c a person “has rabbits” doesn’t mean that they provide the same level of care and attention that we do… well, you’re back now and she’s okay, so that’s good.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I think the reason that she did not care for Fern at the level I do is becuase she has a lot of pets herself and therefore has no time to pamper them, therefore she did not pamper our pets either. We use her for our dogs because we think having a pet sitter is much nicer then the kennels. I will still be searching for a better option for a sitter for Fern. The breeder I got her from are always an option, but they live kind of far away. I could always try using my friend. Well we are not going away any time soon so I don’t have to worry just now.

[skunklionshow]

I know that my bunnies get bunni-tude whenever I go on vacation.  They punish me by not coming out of their condo, despite any type of enticement.

Your experience reminded me that once we had a vet “pet sit” for us.  She worked w/ my ex husband.  At the time it was just the cats.  We went on an extended weekend trip.  When we came home our house was completely torn apart by the cats.  We had a high curio cabinet w/ breakables, we kept the catnip in there b/c it was so high up and closed securely that the catnip was well protected.  Well they got into that cabinet, broke everything inside and got catnip all over the house.  There were breakables everywhere w/ the catnip.  The litterboxes also looked like they hadn’t been clean in days.  It was awful!  After that experience, I began hiring 
professional” pet-sitters.  Most prof sitters have a philosophy that they should keep the house cleaner than when they arrived.  I know that my bunnies don’t get much hip hop time when we are on vacation, but my priority is the regular/healthy care.

[MooBunnay]

Its too bad you came home to a messy bunny room The nervousness from Fern I would say is most likely a bit of rabbit-tude about you leaving without her permission though, as opposed to the pet sitter doing something wrong. One of my husband’s bunny’s will sometimes not eat if my husband goes away for a trip, but now that he has a bonded mate he does much better when my husband is not around.

Did you have an opportunity to contact a local rabbit rescue for a recommendation like knowltons mentioned?

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