Top USA Boarding for Guinea Pigs

If you have guinea pigs or other small furries, you can appreciate the amount of time and effort it takes to provide them with the best care and attention they need. But what happens if you are temporarily unable to look after them, when going for holidays for example? This leaves many piggy parents scratching their heads and can even deter prospective parents from getting guinea pigs in the first place!

For the guinea pig owners out there, you may be able to enlist the help of a cavy savvy family member or friend; but, what if you are unable to find someone? Boarding services or pet sitting may be a great option for you!

guinea pig peaking out of colourful hutch boarding services

What are boarding services for Guinea pigs?

Similar to boarding for cats and dogs, there are some facilities that offer short or long term stays for guinea pigs and other small pets. This is where you take your piggies to have an overnight stay in the care of another cavy savvy individual. Think of it as a mini hotel, but for small pets!

Top UK boarding for guinea pigs Ginger orange guinea pig with suitcase and yellow background

What do boarding services offer for guinea pigs?

At a basic level, boarding services should offer a safe and spacious setup, a balanced guinea pig diet, and daily exercise or floor time. Some places may also offer other services, such as:

what services does boarding provide guinea pigs ginger guinea pig having nails trimmed and cut

When do you need boarding for your guinea pigs?

Guinea pig owners may choose to use guinea pig boarding for a number of reasons:

  • Vacations
  • Visiting family away
  • Work trips
  • Moving house
  • Temporary changes to health (injury or hospital stay)
  • Maternity leave
  • House renovations
  • House guests with allergies
What reasons can you board your guinea pigs? woman sunbathing and reading a book on a sandy beach

How long can guinea pigs stay with boarding services?

The length of your guinea pig’s stay during boarding heavily depends on the facility you choose. Some places can offer as little as a couple of days whereas others may offer lengthier bookings such as weeks to months. Most are usually flexible and will adapt to your needs.

How long can guinea pigs stay with boarding services? check in for short term and long term stays

Where can I find boarding for guinea pigs? What if there is none in my area? 

Several professional guinea pig boarding exist in the USA - see our selection and map below. But if you can not find one in your area, you may want to check:

If you struggle to find someone to care for them, please never abandon your guinea pigs: this is cruel and unnecessary! There are a lot of animal lovers out there happy to care for pets as a way to make some money. Also never leave piggies on their own even for an overnight, as they require regular feeding and cleaning. 

What is the difference between boarding for guinea pigs and small pet sitting?

If you’ve been considering guinea pig boarding services, you may have also come across small pet sitting. What is the difference? 

As mentioned, boarding is when you bring your guinea pigs to a facility where they can stay overnight or for an extended duration. Pet sitting however is when someone comes to your home and handles your guinea pigs’ basic care. Pet sitting may be suitable for short period of time or for those that have had a recent injury and are still at home but just not able to carry out tasks such as cage cleans or feedings. This may also be suitable for piggy parents that have large herds and are unable to transport all of their guinea pigs to a boarding facility.

What is the difference between boarding for guinea pigs and small pet sitting? guinea pig looking up

How much does guinea pig boarding cost?

Guinea pig parents can expect to pay between $5 - $25 per night, for boarding. Fees will vary depending on the following:

  • location
  • herd size
  • duration of stay
  • extra perks (such as piggy spa days)

What should I consider when boarding my guinea pigs?

When choosing a facility for guinea pig boarding, it is important to do some research ahead of time to ensure that they offer appropriate living arrangements and care. Always read reviews from previous customers! Boarding services for guinea pigs do not require licenses to operate unlike cat and dog kennels: that’s why it’s important to research and, even better, to visit the facility before leaving your guinea pigs. 

Things to consider:

Experience & reviews

Does the facility have experience with caring for guinea pigs and other small pets? How long have they been offering their services? Do they have any qualifications in animal care or have life experience caring for small pets?

Feel free to check what previous customers' experience by reading online reviews. Always go for a business with great reviews!

Cage sizes & boarding conditions

Does the facility provide spacious setups for your guinea pigs? Do their cages meet the minimum living space requirements for your herd, as outlined by the RSPCA? For a guide to suitable cage sizes for guinea pigs, check our article, 'How Big Should a Guinea Pig Cage Be?'.

How many guinea pigs are being looked after at one given time? Are male and female guinea pigs kept together in the same room? As you may know, this can cause issues between bonded boars. To know more, please check out article about male vs female guinea pigs here.

Location of cages

Will your guinea pigs be boarding indoors or outdoors? This is important to consider especially if you need to use these services during colder months. You may also want to consider if the facility has adequate heating or cooling, or if cages are setup appropriately: away from vents, drafts, and windows.

Other pets at the facility

Does the facility have other animals at its location? If so, where are your guinea pigs going to be kept? Are there separate spaces for each type of pet? Do the other pets have access to the area your guinea pigs will be kept in?

Health and veterinary care

Does the facility have a plan in place for guinea pigs that become sick? Does the facility have a cavy savvy vet that they entrust? Does the facility or individual have the knowledge, skills and judgement to look after guinea pigs that are medicated? Will there be health checks conducted, especially for longer boarding periods? We recommend regular weight checks since guinea pigs are very good at hiding illnesses.

Bedding

Does the facility offer safe guinea pig bedding? If they are using wood shavings, is it kiln dried and dust extracted? What is their cleaning schedule?

Food

Does the facility or individual provide an appropriate guinea pig diet: ⅛ cup of pellets, unlimited hay and water, and 50 grams or fresh veggies per guinea pig each day? Are they able to care for guinea pigs with a special diet: low calcium, syringe feeds etc?

Now that you know what you need to consider before choosing a guinea pig boarding service, here are some of the top USA boarding for guinea pigs! 

things to consider before boarding your guinea pigs piggies in a spacious C&C cage with hay and a wooden house

TOP USA BOARDING SERVICES FOR GUINEA PIGS

You may be surprised to learn that the following top USA boarding picks are guinea pig rescues. Rescues one of the best places for boarding, although there are plenty of private boarding facilities too, as they have many experienced volunteers who are also fellow guinea pig fans and pet owners.

Wheek Care Guinea Pig Rescue

Located in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Wheek care offers boarding for guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas and other small pets. Wheek care is also available for piggies with medical complexities and those that require medications. 

wheek care guinea pig rescue for USA boarding
Credit: Wheek Care Guinea Pig Rescue

LA Guinea Pig Rescue

Have peace of mind when boarding your guinea pigs at the LA Guinea Pig Rescue. Short term or long term stays available with also the option for Medical boarding if needed! When boarding your guinea pigs at this rescue, 100% of the proceeds go back into caring for the medical needs of the rescue's guinea pigs. Each piggy boarding with the rescue will receive free nail trims and health checks.

LA Guinea Pig rescue saskia piggies boarding USA California

The Critter Sitter

Simply bring your furried friends in a small pet safe carrier, to the Critter Sitter, and they will take care of the rest: as recommended by the Second Chance Cavy Rescue. The Critter Sitter gives piggy parents the option of a flexible service of either drop-off or drop-in boarding. Meet and greets are also available before you choose to board!

the critter sitter guinea pig boarding USA services

Credit: The Critter Sitter

Texas Rustlers Small Animal Rescue

This Texas rescue offers an all inclusive boarding experience on a week by week basis with nail trims included in your guinea pig's stay: ideal for piggy parents who are unavailable for more than a couple days. This rescue also accepts boarding for other small pets such as rabbits and hamsters.

ginger guinea pig red fur piggy small pet on white background

For more boarding options, be sure to check our Guinea Pig Boarding GMAP below. This map is a free tool to access with boarding services that are recommended by other piggy parents! This is a dynamic resource that we encourage everyone to continue to contribute to. If you know of a facility that boards guinea pigs, and they aren't listed, we want to hear from YOU! Simply get in contact with our team and we’ll update our maps.

CONCLUSION

By choosing a place for boarding, you can leave with peace of mind knowing that your guinea pigs will be looked after, while you are away. As boarding facilities do not require a license, we encourage all piggy parents to follow the above advice before selecting a facility.

DISCLAIMER

These recommendations are based on submissions from the guinea pig community and not Kavee's recommendations: we are not able to guarantee a positive experience with the boarding services listed or provided on our map as this is to be used as a resource only. We also do not support the condemnation of services as everyone’s experience may be different. Each pet owner should further research their boarding facility of choice before leaving guinea pigs for short or long term stays.

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