HOLIDAY BOARDING FOR GUINEA PIGS

While you’re away, your piggies will still eat all day…!

I’m delighted to be able to offer 6-7 comfortable indoor cage spaces for groups of up to 4 guinea pigs in my home on the outskirts of central Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire (PE29 1). Please note I do not board any other species of animal; only guinea pigs.

WHAT SPACE DO YOU HAVE?

Availability depends on what bookings are already in the diary, so if you are in need of holiday or weekend care for your guinea pigs, get in touch ASAP so that I can secure space well in advance.

I get very busy every half-term, Bank Holiday, summer holiday and over Christmas so please do book early. I do not charge extra for boarding at these peak times.

At the moment my setup is as follows:

* Indoors
* C&C cages (cubes and correx)
* Fleece liners
* Six 2×3 cages (105cm x 70cm) for up to 2 guinea pigs each
* One 3×3 (105cm x 105cm) for trios or quads and/or a 2×6 (70cm x 210cm)
* 2-3 Ferplast 120cm x 60cm cages
* Babyproofing available for guinea pigs under 3 months of age
* Water bottles, food bowls, beds and hides are all supplied
* Variety of nugget brands provided
* Unlimited hay provided
* Air-conditioned/centrally heated room.

I live in a maisonette, so all living accommodation is on one floor, including the guinea pigs’ room.

They are in the heart of a quiet, adult-only household, where the only other animals are my own 2 guinea pigs.

****virtual tour coming soon****

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WHY CHOOSE TINY PAWS?

Despite the website and branding, I’m not just a guinea pig groomer (although it is a fairly good thing to have under my belt). With a long history in working in almost every area of the field with guinea pigs, both hands-on and hands-off, I am able to care for all:

ages, breeds, genders and temperaments;
elderly, infirm, and those with nervous or behavioural issues;
and those with temporary, chronic and terminal illnesses.

I have peer-acclaimed experience in not only managing over 30 of my own guinea pigs in all these varied states over the years, but also those belonging to other people. In 5 years of Tiny Paws existing and offering the services we do, I’ve looked after more than 350 guinea pigs belonging to other people.

I also have a webcam set up in the room in a way I can see inside all of my cages, so I can see what all boarders (and my own boys) are up to whether I’m in the next room, it’s the middle of the night, or if I’m out for the afternoon.

If you are looking for someone able to keep an expert eye on your guinea pigs no matter what their health status, someone who is able to give any medications/supplements they need (oral tablets, oral liquid and subcutaneous injections are all covered) or just someone with a patient, gentle, and understanding but firm touch – I am your woman.

My job is to love and look after them as my own and to ensure that anything that must be done for their own good (e.g. grooming needs, health care), is done in a safe, comfortable and timely manner to minimise stress.

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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

The price depends on the number of guinea pigs staying and the length of the stay, and also whether you’re a Tiny Paws Member or not. Members do not get priority over bookings, and all pets whether paid up members or not are treated equally. The only difference is that members are entitled to a discount.

Our boarding prices for non-members are:

And for members, our prices are:

If you have multiple guinea pigs not sharing a cage (or a larger group that you need to temporarily split into smaller groups due to my limited cage sizes), each separate cage/grouping required will be costed as a separate booking, as many of our costs incurred are associated directly with materials and utilities. Discounts on particularly long stays and/or lots of guinea pigs will be considered at our discretion.

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THE BREAKDOWN OF OUR BOARDING COSTS

If you’re not sure what we provide with our boarding service, here is a breakdown of exactly what you get for your money:

– indoor housing year-round (climate and temperature control – central heating in winter, air-conditioning in summer);
– C&C cage meeting the minimum size standards with anti-chew edging;
– hybrid bedding setup comprising C&E fleece liners and oodles of hay atop a newspaper (and sometimes Aubiose) base;
– cage cleaned of surface debris and droppings daily, full cage cleans as needed;
– suitable toys for comfort and enrichment, hides, and fleecy beds;
– unlimited quantities of the best quality Oxbow Orchard Grass hay, UK-grown orchard grass or meadow hay where available to our standards, plus Pure Grass, Graze On or Readigrass where available;
– fresh vegetables daily (small amounts of 3-4 different types of high quality veg/leafy greens/herbs; no brassicas; calcium conscious);
– selection of nugget feeds, we have many of the popular brands in stock (plain pellet feeds only, no muesli);
– sippy-style water bottle included and refreshed or topped up twice daily, ball-bearing bottles and bowls also available;
– free nail clipping included as standard;
– free full basic health and weight check;
– text, photo and video updates sent to you (via WhatsApp);
– access to a secure lawn in appropriate weather, if the guinea pigs are used to being put to lawn;
– professional photo shoot where weather, lighting and behaviour permits!

ANYTHING ELSE?

As stated, all food including hay, dry food and fresh veg is included in the price.

You are however welcome to provide your pigs’ own dry food and treats, if you wish to do so please label them with your pigs names to avoid confusion with fellow boarders! We reserve the right to apply a name label to any items you choose to bring. You are also welcome to bring any fresh food that will otherwise spoil if left at home whilst you’re away…the piggies will still eat it on their holidays, after all!

We recommend bringing any of your guinea pigs favourite toys with them, to help make them feel at home here, though we do have plenty of open-sided step hides, pigloos, tunnels, cosy beds, soft toys and of course hay to keep them entertained!

We hope to be able to offer access to a webcam where you can live-stream your piggies whenever you want, however this is a long-range plan as we are prioritising more immediate needs across this year. We are also in a constant process of upgrading and refining our setup, with our next focus on replacing the last remaining chrome cage grids with brand new grids, and also tearing out the old correx with new, made to fit correx. Your pigs will have a record sheet outlining their basic details (name, age, identifying features, owner name and number, grooming history, medical history, incoming and outgoing weight, and anything else of relevance) to help me provide the best personalised care possible for your piggies, both now and during any future stays. You can request a copy of this record sheet if desired.

DO YOU COLLECT AND DROP-OFF GUINEA PIGS? 

Yes. Please see our Mobile Service page for price and areas covered. Note that for holiday boarding clients we may be prepared to extend our collection/drop off range, so if your area isn’t listed, it’s still worth contacting us for a quote.

CAN YOU OFFER HOLIDAY COVER IN MY OWN HOME?

Yes – but only within 5 miles of Huntingdon. I can offer daily home visits to:

• Huntingdon
• Hartford
• Oxmoor
• Godmanchester
• the Stukeleys
• the Hemingfords
• Alconbury
• Brampton
• Hinchingbrooke
• RAF Wyton
• Houghton & Wyton
• Old Hurst
• St Ives.

If you require holiday cover and I cannot fit your piggies in here, for example if I’m fully booked or if you have more piggies than I can cater for here, then I will endeavour to offer a home visit service. Although not my preferred method of holiday cover, it is adequate for the majority of owners.

Home visits are priced at £9 per day, or £6.50 per day for members. This may be subject to increase if lots of cages/hutches need cleaning while you are away, or if you require additional non-essential time e.g. supervising time on the lawn. 

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I WORRY ABOUT LEAVING MY PETS WHEN I GO AWAY…

I know that worry, and I understand the anxiety and gutting feeling of leaving your pigs with anyone who isn’t you! And particularly how heart-wrenching it is leaving a very elderly or sick guinea pig in someone else’s care. I’ve been there, I understand it. To the degree I took my pigs with me on holiday…several times!

I will aim to send you at least 2 updates whilst you are away: at a minimum I will send you a photo or video of your piggies settled into their holiday home (or a photo/video of that days home visit) in the first 24 hours, and a further update in the form of written text, photo or video a few days later, and every few days for the length of their stay.

While I would love to be able to guarantee daily updates, I do have a lot to get through each day so I’ve not always been able to honour the promise of daily updates for every family. I am working on improving my schedule with the aim of sending a brief video a day to all owners, but please do just bear in mind that if I don’t message daily it’s not bad news! I can promise without any hesitation that should anything not be OK with any of your pets at any time, you WILL be messaged immediately. It’s written into the contract and it’s in my written oath.

You can also contact me at any time for an update, day or night, and I will respond as soon as I see your message. My hours of availability are very variable, and I do have one day off per week and even, if I’m lucky, the occasional holiday. I just can’t promise I won’t have my hands full of guinea pig!

Please don’t try to call…I don’t answer phone calls unless I’m expecting them!

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CAN I COME AND CHECK OUT THE PREMISES BEFORE BOOKING?

You are very welcome to come and meet me and my boys Woody & Rupert and see the kind of life they live; a lifestyle I replicate with all of my holiday boarders. Every guinea pig that crosses my threshold becomes part of the Tiny Paws family. You’ll be able to see the setup, the documentation certifying our insurance and DBS check, and if you’re really interested I can show you all my credentials when it comes to guinea pig care – published books and magazine articles, information sheets, certificates, peer reviews…

Basically, you’ll be able to see that I take the care of your guinea pigs every bit as seriously as I take care of my own boys.

The only caveat: as the business operates in my private home, I reserve the right to refuse access to the premises on weekends, and at any other time without explanation, to protect mine and my husband’s privacy. I will always book you in for a tour at a time I can ensure access will be fair and expected!

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DO YOU HAVE AVAILABILITY?

Please note that while the Availability Calendar is updated as often as possible, last minute cancellations can occur and the calendar does not take into account home visits or short-term crossovers whereby I may have the capacity to create extra space for a limited time. Use the calendar as a guide, and if you’re unsure feel free to get in touch.

The calendar was last updated on: 4 June 2024

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HOW TO BOOK OR REQUEST A VIEWING:

• go to the Boarding Booking page,
• select “Book Appointment” on the sidebar,
• text or WhatsApp Laura on 07791 347843

Page last updated: 4 June 2024