Richmond District Exotic Pet Sitter
The Richmond District has a rhythm all its own. Spread out across the foggy, residential blocks north of Golden Gate Park, it is one of San Francisco’s great family neighborhoods — quiet avenues of flats and single-family homes that give way to the bustle of Clement Street and Geary Boulevard, a renowned hub of Chinese and Russian restaurants and businesses sometimes called the city’s “New Chinatown.” It is the kind of place where people put down roots, raise kids, and keep animals. When that household includes a bonded pair of rabbits, a bearded dragon on a strict UVB schedule, or a conure who needs his evening millet, the question that surfaces the night before a trip is always the same: who is going to take care of the exotics? Conventional boarding kennels are built for dogs and cats, and most pet sitters have never weighed a guinea pig on a gram scale. That is the gap our team fills.
House of Guineas Pet Care is based just across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset, which makes the Richmond a quick, same-city trip — no Peninsula drive, no leaving town. We come to your pets so they can stay in their own enclosures, on their own routines, while you are away, whether you are tucked into the Inner Richmond near the park’s northern edge or out toward the coast in the Outer Richmond.
Why Richmond District Exotic Pet Owners Choose Our Team
The Richmond is full of people who think carefully and plan ahead — families, longtime San Franciscans, and professionals who want their animals cared for with real expertise and a gentle touch. What exotic pet parents here tell us they need is a sitter who brings the same rigor to animal care that they bring to their own work. Here is what sets us apart:
- Veterinary background. Our veterinary-informed team brings backgrounds spanning wildlife rehabilitation to exotic veterinary hospital work — our founder previously worked as an exotic veterinary assistant and volunteered with the House Rabbit Society, administering subcutaneous RHDV2 vaccines. Every member of our team is trained under that same clinical lens.
- Species specialization. Exotic pets and cats are our whole focus — rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and birds. That kind of focus is genuinely hard to find anywhere in the city.
- Clinical-grade care. We can syringe-feed a GI stasis rabbit, weigh a guinea pig on a gram scale, check a reptile enclosure’s humidity, and recognize the early signs of a crop issue in a parrot. We also know the local exotic vet landscape, so if something seems off while you are in another time zone, we know where to turn — see our San Francisco Bay Area exotic veterinarians directory.
- Flexible scheduling. Early-morning visits before a commute or a flight, evening visits after a long day, and mid-day medication timing — we build the schedule around your itinerary, not the other way around.
Exotic Species We Care For in the Richmond
- Small mammals — rabbits (including bonded pairs and trios), guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters, rats
- Reptiles — bearded dragons, leopard geckos, crested geckos, turtles and tortoises
- Birds — parrots, cockatiels, conures, budgies, lovebirds, finches
If your species is not listed, call or text us — if we have not handled it, we will tell you honestly and usually point you to someone who has.
How It Works in the Richmond
We start with a free meet-and-greet at your home — a real-time walkthrough of feeding routines, enclosure setup, medication schedules, and your pet’s quirks. For Richmond pet parents, this usually lands on a weekend or an after-work window, and since we are just across the park in the Inner Sunset, getting over to your block on Clement, Geary, or one of the numbered avenues is easy to arrange.
Once you book, we schedule visits around your travel itinerary. Most exotic pets do well with twice-daily visits — morning and evening — so the rabbits get a fresh salad before the day starts and the reptile enclosure gets a proper lights-out check after dinner. We send photo and video updates from every visit, plus written notes on appetite, output, and behavior. If something seems off, we reach out before you land.
Richmond Areas We Serve
The Richmond stretches from Golden Gate Park in the south up to the Presidio and Lincoln Park in the north, and runs west all the way to the coast. We cover the whole district — the Inner Richmond around the Clement Street and Geary Boulevard corridors near the park’s edge, the long rows of avenues that make up the heart of the neighborhood, and the Outer Richmond out toward Lands End, the Legion of Honor, and Ocean Beach. Whether you are a block from the park or a few foggy avenues from the ocean, we can reach you.
Pricing for Richmond District Visits
- 30-minute visits start at $85
- 60-minute visits start at $115
- Twice-daily care runs $140–$190/day depending on visit length and number of pets
The Richmond is within San Francisco — our home city — just across Golden Gate Park from our Inner Sunset base, so there is no Peninsula travel surcharge. Pricing here is simple and in-city. Boarding — hosted personally by members of our team in their San Francisco homes — is a short trip away too. Text us your address and dates and we will confirm your rate. You can read more about what is included on our in-home exotic pet care page.
Rather spend your evenings on floor time than fleece changes? Many Richmond pet parents — just across Golden Gate Park from our base — schedule recurring routine care visits weekly or every other week. Their caretaker covers the habitat deep-clean, weight tracking, and a gentle health check, keeping your time at home centered on the animals themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cover the Richmond District for exotic pet care?
Yes. We are based just across Golden Gate Park in the Inner Sunset, so the Richmond is a quick, same-city trip for us. We cover the full district, from the Inner Richmond near the park to the Outer Richmond out toward Ocean Beach and Lands End. In-home exotic care here is a regular part of our routine.
What kinds of exotic pets do you care for in the Richmond?
The short answer: exotic pets and cats. Spelled out, that means birds (parrots, cockatiels, conures, budgies, lovebirds, finches), small mammals (rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters, rats), and reptiles (bearded dragons, leopard and crested geckos, turtles and tortoises) — in homes from the Inner Richmond avenues to the fog-washed blocks near Ocean Beach. First-time guinea pig parents can lean on our guinea pig care guide.
Is medication administration included in Richmond visits?
It is, fully. Oral syringe meds, topical treatments, and subcutaneous injections are all standard scope for every caretaker on our team, and we handle nebulizer treatments too. The training bar was set early — our founder previously administered subcutaneous RHDV2 vaccines with the House Rabbit Society — and it holds whether your pet lives near the park or out in the fog belt by Ocean Beach. Share the protocol at your meet-and-greet and every dose stays on time.
Can I board my exotic pet instead of booking in-home visits in the Richmond?
Yes — a few spots at a time. Boarding is hosted personally by members of our team in their San Francisco homes, just across Golden Gate Park from the Richmond, at $75 per night; your pet's usual enclosure and supplies come with them. Full details live on the boarding page.
How much does a Richmond District exotic pet sitter cost?
A 60-minute visit in the Richmond starts at $115, a 30-minute visit at $85, and most traveling pet parents book twice-daily care at $140–$190 per day, with the range set by visit length and number of pets. Inner Richmond off Clement Street or out by Ocean Beach, the price is the same in-city rate — no Peninsula travel surcharge, since we are based just across Golden Gate Park. Text 415-484-6493 with your dates for a firm quote.
Ready to lock in coverage for your next trip? Call or text us at 415-484-6493 and we will get a meet-and-greet on the calendar. You can also read more about our in-home exotic pet care service, our boarding option, hosted personally by members of our team in their San Francisco homes, or browse the full FAQ page. Looking across the rest of the city? Start with our San Francisco exotic pet sitter hub. Still getting set up with a vet? Our San Francisco Bay Area exotic veterinarians directory is a good place to start, and new guinea pig parents in the Richmond will want our guinea pig care guide.