How do YOU recruit reptile-sitters?

What it says on the tin. ;)

I'm interesting in hearing how people find, recruit, or otherwise secure their reptile-sitters when they're away for extended periods of time. Do you rely on the "family pet-sitting service," call in a fellow herp-keeping friend, or take a third option? I'm particularly interested in hearing from people with larger snakes (ex. boas) or more high-maintenance herps (ex. chameleons).

Sound off y'all!

Not much helpful advice to offer but interested in this as well. I have family and friends who can care for my snake if I'm away right now, but I may eventually move somewhere new where I don't know people who would be okay with looking after a slithery friend for a few weeks and this is something I worry about a bit.

My current plan is to board with a reptile savvy vet if that problem ever becomes a reality.

I just so happen to be one of those lucky people who has a friend near by that can care for mine if I'm out of town. He breeds carpets and has been -along with this site- a mentor to me when I first got into reptiles. I cared for his entire collection for a week over the summer while he was on vacation so him caring for mine would be no big deal.

How long are you planning to be gone? I couldn't imagine being gone longer than a week or two, so no feeding would be an absolute necessity. I would be monitoring temp / humidity remotely, and if that needed adjustment, I would call a friend (who I gave a key) and walk them through what needs to be done.

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Originally Posted by wnateg

How long are you planning to be gone? I couldn't imagine being gone longer than a week or two, so no feeding would be an absolute necessity. I would be monitoring temp / humidity remotely, and if that needed adjustment, I would call a friend (who I gave a key) and walk them through what needs to be done.

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How do you monitor temperatures and humidity remotely? This sounds super helpful.

While not feeding for 2 weeks wouldn't be a problem, one of my big concerns would be if my BP accidentally knocked over his water bowl or something and no one knew about it.

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Originally Posted by Luvyna

How do you monitor temperatures and humidity remotely? This sounds super helpful.

While not feeding for 2 weeks wouldn't be a problem, one of my big concerns would be if my BP accidentally knocked over his water bowl or something and no one knew about it.

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My option) setup the thermometer and hygrometer so you can watch them from this camera (night vision) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07MG...b_b_asin_title (added benefit of watching the snake too)
Fancy option) https://www.amazon.com/SensorPush-Wi...dp/B01AEQ9X9I/

Great resources, thank you! Going to look into getting something like that installed.

I have dogs and cats so my friend who watches them will also keep an eye out on the reptiles. For the snajes, she will not be spot cleaning or doing anything other than to look into the cage to see if they are still alive; and to do a weekly water bowl refill/clean. For the lizards, same thing except the beardie gets a salad every other day or so.

My local reptile stores can board your reptiles while you are gone. However, I don't like the way they keep the animals (ie calcium sand for beardies), and while I'm not the most fond of vet boarding, I would probably have no choice to board my reptiles with my vet. Outside boarding is the last option if for some reason I must leave them unattended for more than 3 weeks. If I ever have to be gone that long and that frequently, I think rehoming rather than boarding would be for the animals' best interest so they won't be stressed out and consistently moved around.

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Originally Posted by wnateg

How long are you planning to be gone? I couldn't imagine being gone longer than a week or two, so no feeding would be an absolute necessity. I would be monitoring temp / humidity remotely, and if that needed adjustment, I would call a friend (who I gave a key) and walk them through what needs to be done.

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Thankfully I don't have anything longer than weekend trips coming up in the foreseeable future, if that's what you're asking! This is more of an exercise in prudence so I can (a) plan for future trips that crop up and (b) determine if some of the species on my want list are right for my lifestyle. My trip to the Hamburg Expo yesterday confirmed which snake is next up (following a year or so of earning my spurs with Adelita) and nailed down which two lizard species I'd like to keep (knowing me, the first lizard may come home sooner rather than later), so it's time for me to plan ahead.

It's funny that you mentioned remote monitoring, wnateg. My family and I were joking about me setting up a Nest camera facing Adelita's enclosure so I could watch her when I'm away from home, but it seems as though that may not be such a far-fetched idea after all!

I don't have a lot to add, unfortunately I never go far for long, hahahha. My broke butt can't afford vacations and my job doesn't require any travel...

But I wanted to just pop in and say great thread topic! :gj:

Between running a home-based small business and having 80 snakes, with over a dozen of them being either a retic, burm, or anaconda adult, my husband and I don't take trips together. Either he will go or I will go, and usually it's work-related.

We do have local friends who keep snakes who are willing to help, because dealing with some of them is a two-person job.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Between running a home-based small business and having 80 snakes, with over a dozen of them being either a retic, burm, or anaconda adult, my husband and I don't take trips together. Either he will go or I will go, and usually it's work-related.

We do have local friends who keep snakes who are willing to help, because dealing with some of them is a two-person job.

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Why didn't I know you guys had a Conda????

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

Why didn't I know you guys had a Conda????

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She's a rescue, flighty, and quick to give you a no-warning love tap, so we're very careful about handling her and don't worry about getting pics of her.

Actually that's a reason we don't get a pet sitter - some of our snakes don't have the best dispositions.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

She's a rescue, flighty, and quick to give you a no-warning love tap, so we're very careful about handling her and don't worry about getting pics of her.

Actually that's a reason we don't get a pet sitter - some of our snakes don't have the best dispositions.

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Gotcha. Can't say that I blame you.
Is she a green or yellow?

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

Gotcha. Can't say that I blame you.
Is she a green or yellow?

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Yellow.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Yellow.

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Very cool. Huge props to you for taking her on.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

She's a rescue, flighty, and quick to give you a no-warning love tap, so we're very careful about handling her and don't worry about getting pics of her.

Actually that's a reason we don't get a pet sitter - some of our snakes don't have the best dispositions.

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This is admittedly something that gives me pause with what may be my next snake. I'm interested in pure locality super dwarf retics, and I'm a bit worried that their feeding response and activity level could drive away potential snake-sitters. My ability to find a willing sitter factors in to my "should I or should I not" calculus, so while I'm fine with a snake like that, it may be a bit hard to find somebody else who is as well.

Edit: Props for giving that 'conda a loving home, by the way! It's nice to see somebody give a reptile a second chance.