12 replies to this topic

[caspertheghost]

I'll be out of town with family in Southern Cali in late June... and was wondering if anyone with guinea pig, rabbit, cat, and dog experience wants to pet sit?

I have about 30 pigs ( by that time will be under 30) that need to be visited in the morning (doesn't have to be early, though, like 9:00am, so their A/C unit can be turned on, the lights turned on, and everyone fed their morning veggies, water checked, feed checked, and hay given. Then at around 9:00pm to turn the lights off, refill hay if anyone runs out, and turn the A/C off. I have a automatic watering system, and by that time, will have it for everyone, so only about 4 2 gallon buckets need to be filled, so WAY less work than over 15 water bottles being filled! I also have J feeders, so the pigs can be fed their pellets from the outside. I'll have name tags up, and do NOT need the cages cleaned, since I won't be gone long enough for cages to be cleaned. None of them have any special needs, none of the pets do, so yea.

I'll have the rabbit downstairs in the house probably so it's easier to get to him, but he just needs to be watered (he drinks out of a crock, since he doesn't like water bottles) and fed his hay, pellets, and veggies, and possibly have his litterbox cleaned if it's dirty.

The dog, mini schnauzer, needs to be walked daily, fed, and played with. He hates when we leave. If possible, it'd be awesome if he could stay at someone's house, but that isn't needed. I will give more detailed instructions to anyone that is willing to pet sit the pets.

The cats need to be fed and watered, they are the easiest of our pets to care for. Lol.

We also have goldfish, but they are out in a big pond and will be fine.

I'm looking for someone reliable, trustworthy, etc since I want the pets to be remain healthy and sound while we are away!

PM if you are interested in pet sitting them. As for money amount, that'll be talked about if you are willing to pet sit them.

[mylo]

If it weren't for a colicky baby, I'd love to help. I'd love to meet your little piggies some day!

I do have a question, though. How did you setup the water feeding system? Are they all bottles piped into refill buckets? I want to setup something like that for 3 cages but they use bowls, not bottles.

[caspertheghost]

Opps, I forgot to add that possibly 3 of my show longhairs might need to be wrapped every other day. It's pretty easy, and I will of course show how it is done.

Mylo- For the automatic watering system, we bought founts from KW cages (www.kwcages.com located in Southern Cali, but shipping isn't expensive), and you can get the black tubing there, but you can get the transparent tubing at Home Depot. If you want to know what size tubing to get, just ask on here. Later I'll post more about the watering system,

[caspertheghost]

Actually have someone to watch them now!

[mylo]

Mylo- For the automatic watering system, we bought founts from KW cages (www.kwcages.com located in Southern Cali, but shipping isn't expensive), and you can get the black tubing there, but you can get the transparent tubing at Home Depot. If you want to know what size tubing to get, just ask on here. Later I'll post more about the watering system,

Glad you found someone to watch them

Yeah, as expected, it's all bottle (or tube) drip. I want to hard-plumb their water, but they refuse to drink out of bottles

[supermom]

If it weren't for a colicky baby, I'd love to help. I'd love to meet your little piggies some day!

I do have a question, though. How did you setup the water feeding system? Are they all bottles piped into refill buckets? I want to setup something like that for 3 cages but they use bowls, not bottles.

are you talking about dogs? I have seen some really great designs for automatic waterers and bowls in many different sizes and ways to attach to walls, cages, fences, etc. There is a great animal feed store just off the corner of fair oaks , right after manzanita. it's hooked back behind the kovars karate. You should try there for ideas on waterer's.

[mylo]

are you talking about dogs? I have seen some really great designs for automatic waterers and bowls in many different sizes and ways to attach to walls, cages, fences, etc. There is a great animal feed store just off the corner of fair oaks , right after manzanita. it's hooked back behind the kovars karate. You should try there for ideas on waterer's.

Thanks! I'll swing by ASAP and check it out. I've seen those little cat bowls that hookup to bigger bottles, but I'm hoping to plumb mine in and never fill again

[caspertheghost]

Do you have guineas too?

I dug up an article I had posted on this one forum, and I'll post it on here, about the size I used and where I ordered it from.

The watering system with a drip buster installed works great. www.kwcages.com and www.agselect.com carry the watering system. Estrom is just a watering system one, and KW Cages carries other things (don't look at the cages, or other stuff, just look at the front pg. of the catalog, and go to the "Watering" page, and you should see "Nivek Watering System"

It's easy to install. As for the drip buster, we just installed it yesterday, since the waterinng system lets out a lot of water when the drink (that's why you SURELY HAVE TO use the shut-off valve when your changing a fount! Trust me, the water really comes out!), you can use those parts in the plumping section that have a big end, and a little end. Or you can just have a water dish under the watering system fount.

BTW- the founts of the watering system are short, which takes up less room, but when installing it, cavies are curious and will figure out it's for drinking (put it where their normal water bottle(s) would be. To get water out use your finger to push the thing, and you'll see they get their ample supply of water(and extra!).

Not to mention it's very, very quiet! Water bottles are always so noisy, but these are very quiet, you only hear the cavy biting on them, if they are biting to get the water out.

You can buy the tubing from places like Lowe's or Home Depot. The tubing to get for the Estrom and Nivek watering system is... OUTSIDE: 7/16". INSIDE: 5/16" . For 20 ft of clear vinyl tubing at our local Home Depot it was only about $5. You can also get by the foot (since you probably won't use that much tubing.). The founts of the Nivek Watering System are 5/16", get the 5/16" Tees, Bars. For $16 (cheaper if you get 2 or more) you can ger a 1 gallon watering bucket that already has the thing that shuts off and turns on the water to go to the watering system (not drilling, having to buy the $7 thing for the bucket).

Also as for ordering, you'll want to get a Tee per cage, 1 fount per cage, and possibly the bracket thing that holds the tubing away so the little mouths don't find something to check with the teeth. We did drill holes and had our own buckets, but it's easier to get the buckets from the company already predrilled w/ the connector thing.





Oh yea, and you'll need the metal thing that connects to the wire so that the fount holds into place (shown in the 1st and 3rd pic-). The pics show what you need. Basically that's all you need, plus the tubing, and the bucket.

Edit- just checked, and I think you're talking about dogs. If so, I don't really think this system would work for them. It works for cavies, rabbits, rats, mice, etc.

[caspertheghost]

Here are the most recent little ones. The pic with three in it, they already turned 3 weeks old, the other ones turned 2 weeks old today. Lol, sorry for the quality of the pics... the littles are as fast as roadrunners and when away from mom, they scream at the top of their lungs!

[supermom]

Thanks! I'll swing by ASAP and check it out. I've seen those little cat bowls that hookup to bigger bottles, but I'm hoping to plumb mine in and never fill again

Ah I understand what you want. There is a way to do that. Get a Brita Water Purifier set up to a faucet in your home. Attach a water tube to a waterer- with a pump. Select a place to have the waterer in an unobstuctied and water resistant area. (rubber pad on floor with a deep lip works).

Ofcoarse there is one down fall to having any automatic waterer-especially indoors.

Periodically you have to sanitize or replace all the lines. And ofcoarse you have to regualarly replace the water in the basin.

[mini*me]

Hello, I am new to Folsom and I have a small yorkie that I will need a pet-sitter about once a month. I have not actually moved into Folsom yet, however I will be there in July, so I am just gathering information. Thanks.

[D's TK]

Here are the most recent little ones. The pic with three in it, they already turned 3 weeks old, the other ones turned 2 weeks old today. Lol, sorry for the quality of the pics... the littles are as fast as roadrunners and when away from mom, they scream at the top of their lungs!

Hi casper....

These guys are as cute as can be!!! Takes me back to when I had some as a kid I remember going to bed one night and waking up the next morning to a cage-full of new babies (VERY much the surprise, since we thought the two piggies we had were both girls! ) Now I want to go out and get one!! But I have three cats, two birds, and two teenage boys...I think I have enough animals in the house for now!

[cw68]

Hi Mini-Me. I'll PM you too, but I do pet sitting. In fact, I'm currently watching one MyFolsom member's cats while he is away and have watched other member's pets, too.