Rabbits and guinea pigs are often described as easy starter pets. In care terms they are not, and the gap between how they are perceived and what they need is exactly where sits go wrong.
The single most important thing
These are grazing animals whose digestive systems need to keep moving more or less constantly. An animal that stops eating is not being fussy. It is a genuine emergency and it can deteriorate within hours.
Not eating is urgent
If a rabbit or guinea pig has not eaten, or has not produced droppings, contact the owner immediately and follow their veterinary plan. This is not a wait-and-see situation, and it is the thing most sitters do not know.
Daily care
- Unlimited fresh hay, always available. This is the bulk of the diet, not a bedding material.
- Fresh water checked daily, including that bottles are actually working rather than blocked.
- The specific fresh vegetables the animal is used to, in the amounts it is used to. Sudden dietary change causes problems.
- For guinea pigs, vitamin C, which they cannot produce themselves. Write down how it is provided.
- Spot cleaning daily and a full clean at the interval the owner specifies.
- Checking the rear end daily, particularly in warm weather.
Heat is a serious Australian risk
Both species tolerate heat poorly. In an Australian summer, an enclosure that gets afternoon sun can become dangerous quickly. Owners should tell the sitter where the enclosure must be, what temperature is a concern, and what to do on a hot day, including frozen water bottles wrapped in a towel, shade, ventilation and moving the animals indoors.
Owners should also explain flystrike risk in warm weather and what to check for, because it develops rapidly and a sitter who does not know to look will not look.
Company
Many of these animals are kept in bonded pairs or groups, and separating them causes real distress. If two animals live together, tell the sitter they must stay together, including in a vet emergency where possible, because re-bonding after a separation is not always straightforward.
Find the right vet in advance
As with birds, not every clinic treats small herbivores confidently. Leave the name of a vet who does, along with hours and a backup. Our emergency vet consent guide covers the written authority.
This is general information, not veterinary advice.
