San Rafael Exotic Pet Sitter
San Rafael is the heart of Marin — the county seat, the largest city north of the Golden Gate, and home to everything from the hillside streets of Peacock Gap and Dominican to the family neighborhoods of Terra Linda and Sun Valley. It’s also a city full of pet parents who work in San Francisco, keep gardens and aviaries at home, and travel enough that the question comes up regularly: who takes care of the rabbits — or the parrot, or the bearded dragon — while we’re gone? Dog-and-cat kennels aren’t built for exotics, and most sitters have never handled a small mammal. That’s the gap our team fills, and now we do it from right here in Marin.
House of Guineas has an exotic pet caretaker based in Central Marin, minutes from San Rafael. We come to your home so your little ones stay in their own enclosures, on their own routines, cared for by someone with real clinical training. And because we’re already in the county, reaching San Rafael costs a fraction of what a bridge crossing would add.
Why San Rafael Exotic Pet Parents Choose Our Team
- Local to Marin. Our caretaker lives in the county, so San Rafael visits are quick to schedule and light on travel cost — no Golden Gate commute baked into your bill.
- Veterinary background. Our veterinary-informed team has 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 pet caretaker on our team is trained under that same clinical lens.
- Species specialization. Rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, reptiles, and birds are our entire focus — not an afterthought squeezed in between dog walks.
- Clinical-grade care. We can syringe-feed a rabbit in GI stasis, weigh a guinea pig on a gram scale, check a reptile’s humidity and UVB, and recognize the early warning signs in a bird. If something seems off while you’re away, we know the nearest exotic vets.
Exotic Species We Care For in San Rafael
- Small mammals — rabbits (including bonded pairs and trios), guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters, rats
- Birds — parrots, cockatiels, conures, budgies, lovebirds, finches
- Reptiles — bearded dragons, leopard geckos, crested geckos, ball pythons and other non-venomous snakes, turtles and tortoises
If your species is not listed, call or text us — if we haven’t handled it, we’ll tell you honestly and point you to someone who has.
San Rafael Areas We Serve
San Rafael sprawls across hills, flats, and valleys, and we cover all of it: Terra Linda and Marinwood to the north, Peacock Gap and the homes near China Camp to the east, Dominican and Gerstle Park closer to downtown, Sun Valley up the hill, and the Canal and Montecito neighborhoods. Whether you’re up a wooded lane off Lucas Valley Road or a few blocks from Fourth Street, we can reach you.
How It Works in San Rafael
We start with a free meet-and-greet at your home — a walkthrough of feeding routines, enclosure setup, medication schedules, and your pet’s quirks. Once you book, we schedule visits around your itinerary, usually twice a day: a fresh salad and a habitat check in the morning, a proper lights-out check in the evening. You get photo and video updates from every visit, plus written notes on appetite, output, and behavior.
Pricing for San Rafael 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
Because our caretaker is based in Central Marin, San Rafael sits in our no-surcharge to $15/visit range — nothing like the cost a San Francisco-based sitter would have to charge to cross the bridge. Text us your address and dates and we’ll confirm your exact rate.
With our caretaker based just down the road in Central Marin, it’s simple to set up standing routine care — weekly or every-other-week visits that cover the deep enclosure clean, weigh-ins, and a gentle health once-over — so whether you’re downtown near Fourth Street or up in Terra Linda, your evenings belong to lap time with your little ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an exotic pet sitter cost in San Rafael?
Here's where hiring local pays off: our caretaker is based in Central Marin, so San Rafael falls in our no-surcharge to $15/visit range — whether you're downtown near Fourth Street or up in Terra Linda, there's no bridge crossing built into your bill. The visits themselves run $85 for 30 minutes and $115 for 60 minutes, with twice-daily care at $140–$190 per day depending on visit length and the number of pets. Text us at 415-484-6493 for a firm quote.
Do you cover all of San Rafael, including Terra Linda and Peacock Gap?
Yes. We cover the full city — Terra Linda and Marinwood to the north, Peacock Gap and the China Camp side to the east, Dominican and Gerstle Park near downtown, Sun Valley, and the Canal and Montecito neighborhoods. If you're unsure whether your street is covered, text us your address and we'll confirm.
Can you look after my bird's specific feeding and light schedule?
Absolutely. Birds are one of the species we specialize in, from budgies and cockatiels to conures and parrots. We follow exact feeding times, cover-and-uncover routines, fresh-food swaps, and out-of-cage rules, and we watch for early warning signs like fluffed feathers, changes in droppings, or a quiet crop. Walk us through your bird's routine at the meet-and-greet and we'll keep it identical.
What happens if there's an emergency while I'm traveling?
We know the Marin and San Francisco exotic-vet landscape and keep your vet's details on file. If your pet shows signs of a real problem — GI stasis in a rabbit, a respiratory issue in a bird, a reptile that has stopped eating — we contact you and, with your go-ahead, get them to an exotic vet. Our team's clinical training helps us spot trouble early, before it becomes a crisis.
Do you care for reptiles and snakes in San Rafael?
Yes. Marin is not under San Francisco's snake restrictions, so along with bearded dragons, leopard and crested geckos, and turtles and tortoises, we care for ball pythons and other non-venomous snakes. We manage basking temperatures, humidity, UVB schedules, and feeding intervals to your exact setup.
Ready to head out of town knowing your little ones are in good hands? Call or text us at 415-484-6493 and we’ll get a meet-and-greet on the calendar. You can also read more about our in-home exotic pet care service, explore the rest of our Marin County coverage, or browse the full FAQ page. New guinea pig or rabbit parents in San Rafael will want our guinea pig care guide and rabbit care guide.