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My plan to set up a small animal boarding facility-how does it sound? :D

Jasmine1

New Kit
So I am planning on setting up a small, small animal boarding business this summer. (Rabbits/guinea pigs outside, and other small animals such as mice/hamsters inside)
I'm planning on keeping things small-one set up is going to be a 7x3 bike shed that we have, which we are going to convert into two 7x3 hutches, which can even be converted to a multi-story one, for larger groups, and then a double 5*2 hutch. Being in london, I am planning on charging around £7.00 per rabbit per day, and £10 per day for 2...and £2 per day per extra rabbit (slightly less than others in my area!) I am planning on asking people to bring along their own pellets, because I won't be able to stock all kinds of food! I will be providing greens and hay etc. There will be a run allocated to each hutch as well. Sadly I won't be able to provide indoor accommodation due to the inside of our house basically due to not having enough space. I have chosen the insurance policy I will be getting..On drop off I would take note of the rabbits usual veg etc, and stick to this...as well as any allergies, or little things that tick them off (e.g. my two seriously love flip-flops!)

This is just a rough plan...

I would however, like some suggestions on:

Bedding for the hutches. My own rabbits absolutely HATE straw/hay as bedding, and refuse to go inside their shed unless there are only flat sheets of newspaper on the floor. But their shed is heated/insulated, so this isn't a problem. What would you suggest using for other peoples rabbits? I know some people use sawdust...but I wouldn't want to for obvious reasons.

My own rabbits-they free range in the garden all day-how do you think they'll cope with seeing other rabbits in runs in their garden? obviously their needs come first...but I won't be able to partition the garden due to me being 18 and living with my parents still!!

Feeding bowls/bottles. How would you go about disinfecting/properly cleaning the bottles/bowls/hutches between each guest?
I am planning on just providing disposable toys-wood chews, digging boxes, toilet roll tubes etc.

Advertising. I will have a website up and coming, but how else would I get people to want to use my services? I was thinking about vets offices etc, but since we only recently moved into the area, we don't really know our vet too well so I'm not sure that would work.

The runs-I would want wire on the bottom just to be extra safe-but what if little toes get stuck?! I would constantly be worrying...the runs would be on concrete too to allow for proper disinfecting.

If, god forbid, a rabbit dies in my care, or becomes ill, or escapes (from padlocked hutches! mine have never, ever escaped but I would worry!!) how would I go about telling the owner? I will have a boarding contract written up, and terms and conditions etc. Also I will get emergency contact numbers, and their vets details too. I can just imagine how I would feel...

Any other suggestions?
Thanks so much for reading by the way!!! :wave:
 
If the run is on concrete, I wouldn't worry about wire underneath...they can't dig through concrete and should be fine.

Don't let them out at the same time as your rabbits, your buns may not like the smell, but they'll get used to it. The smell's not as bad as seeing an intruder on their turf.

As for bedding, I have house bunnies who don't have bedding, just wood pellet litter for their trays. I would suggest wood shavings (for cheapness) and hay. You can inform each owner of this at time of booking, but offer them the option of supplying their own bedding if preferred. Most won't care and will opt for the shavings, but some fussy pets/owners will be more than happy to provide their own for comfport/peace of mind.

Best of luck...it's something I've always wanted to do, but I work full time and have too many to look after as it is. :lol:
 
It sounds like a great idea for rabbits, spacious hutches and a run will give them a wonderful holiday break. I would however forget about piggies, I have 4 guinea pigs who live indoors and would not suggest anyone keeps them outside unless they're in a well built shed. The reason for this is they are so delicate to both hot and cold weather, they can die just as quickly from heat stroke as they can from frost. I think you'd be better off sticking to bunnies outside and the little animals (hams, mice, rats) inside. You would also have more time for the bunnies to have run time if pigs aren't taking up a run too.

I personally only use fitch horse bedding in my piggies cage and rabbits tray but I agree with the above post, you could include shavings and give the owners the option to bring their own supplies. I'd be one of the fussy people who'd do this. :)

The pricing sounds good, I don't go on holidays as I have too many animals however if I were I'd happily pay that knowing my buns were going to have a great time. In regards to a lot of your questions, I can't really answer as I've never been in a position to tell an owner that there pet has died. I suppose it's a factor of the job though, if you do it for long enough you're bound to get one who dies so it's probably best to handle is tactfully but just come it with it. As long as it weren't through neglect on your part there wouldn't really be anything for you to worry about.

Good luck.
 
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With regards to mixing your buns in the garden with boarders... I really really wouldn't for the following reasons:
1. Passing on of disease. Even if you can gaurantee that your buns have nothing contagious you do not know what boarders may come in with. Things like EC don't always display symptoms but can still be shed and passed on. Or Pasturella or any host of weird and wonderful diseasese, it really isn't worth the risk.

2. Fighting. I have 11 buns in 5 different groups of my own at home. The majority will NOT tolerate another bun going near their run at all and will start fighting. I boarded my parents rabbits a couple of years ago, they had a lovely group of 3. On of my buns managed to escape and went up to their run.... the 3 fought and their bond broke. My parents never managed to rebond them. Rabbits are fiercly territorial and do not tolerate other rabbits coming into their territory at all, in the wild if a bun goes into another buns territory it will be killed, domestic bunnies still have the same instincts.

So I think you would have to rethink partitioning off your garden from your own bunnies, I personally would not put my buns in a boarding place where they would be in contact with another bun.

I can't help too much with the other bits and pieces I am afraid as no experience really. I can tell you personal opinion, such as I wouldn't use sawdust either, my lot love to lay on hay as a bedding and would be really grumpy if they only had news paper, maybe you should ask each owner at the time of booking what their preferance is?
 
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