The Agony of Vacations....

[Akane]

If it's for a weekend then most animals I just fill up feeders and waterers and have someone drop by once to make sure nothing went wrong. Try finding someone to take care of sugar gliders and very spoiled dogs. Cats and chickens are easy. The others have to go to someone's house or have someone actually stay 24/7 at our house. Sugar gliders require fresh foods put out daily and extra food thrown away daily. Most people also don't know how to handle them and last time one escaped. My mom found him and had a heck of a time recapturing him since despite being very friendly they have never seen her before and I didn't know who had escaped. One does have a bit of attitude and takes offense to be improper handled. My akita behaves wonderfully for me and drags anyone else off the edge of the stairs if they try to take her out on leash..... She also can open any door or gate, jump 6' high fences, and insists on going looking for me since it is her breeding to stay by and guard her family. I have to make sure who ever watches her has a good solid yard and she must know them. She cannot be put in boarding if something comes up. The shiba is not so difficult. She loves everyone but is still a puppy so requires supervision or confinement with frequent time to run around.

Many times vet offices or feedstores will know reliable people who watch animals for money. I've seen many flyers in the vet office for those services. You can ask for a reference.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Anyone reliable you can barter with or trade pet sitting? We have bartered with a great, mature couple for many years who stay at our home when we go away. They get to stay at our beach condo for free for their vacation (weekly rental is normally $1,400) so its a win-win situation.

We take a lot of vacations (4-5 weeks a year) as we love to travel. We have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 ponds of fish and a small parrot (I was a veterinary technician and then a behavior specialist for many years so we tended to collect a few pets...). Our terrier is ancient and although she is still very active and healthy she is on medication. The veterinarian knows they can bring any of our pets in for an emergency and we will pay for treatment. Our big dog is super active and demands attention so they take her on walks and play ball with her in the yard. The cats and parrot do fine when we are gone. All the pets love them! Our sitters are almost as excited about us getting chickens as we are! The wife said she can't wait to taste a freshly laid egg.

 

[speckledhen]

Never been on a vacation. No desire. I'd be frantic if I had to try to find someone to take care of my birds since I don't trust anyone to do it the way I want.

 

[Uzuri]

At the moment I deal with it by having parents

They watch the animals. I also never vacation more than 3 nights.

If we all go somewhere together, I deal with it by having a panic attack.

 

[CKMom]

I hope you have a good vacation, and I understand how it worries you to leave.
We were away at Christmas and this is what we did.
Lab goes to Grandma, where she is fussed over and spends lots of time sleeping.
Son's friend who is in FFA at school came over twice a day. Open coop, come back take eggs, and close up the run.
She got $20 and 24 eggs out of the deal.
One problem was coop door got stuck from the freezing weather, and she was briefly locked in coop without a cell phone. We fixed the problem asap.
She did not have to feed or water them which helped.

 

[EweSheep]

I got my sis and dad to do the chores lOL, they have lots of experience in animals and I do not have as many. However I used to be a pet sitter and I had three clients that I would take of their animals when they went on vacation. When I moved here, the people I left behind was going crazy not finding a person that could babysit LOL! I loved the job but one client I suck it up because I was going to college and needed the money bad...even her farm was such a mess, two foot manure, water and mud all around for her chickens, her goats and one horse. UGH! Good thing for mucking boots! Mom made me strip down near the door and take a shower after I got with her place and bleach down the muckers. Now it was a good thing today, she didnt have as many animals she used to have but the barnyard is still a mess.

 

[Keara]

Vacations are so expensive 'cuz of the pets that we usually don't go together. Once every few years we hire a house sitter. but with 2 horses, 2 cats, one dog and god knows how many chickens (about 20 I think). It cost us $ 50 a day for a house sitter, $30 a day to board the dog last year. All this so I can fret the whole vacation about how the animals are doing. Not usually worth it.

 

[chookchick]

Quote:
Geez, that's what I'm thinking right now---is it really worth it?

Good petsitters (professional), are worth their weight in gold! I had one before I moved, I taught him how to do SubQ fluids on my cats, he was great! Maybe I should think about doing Chickensitting on the side...it seems like there could be a demand for that in some areas.

 

[daisy_dukers]

When my wife's water broke 1 week early, I simply filled the 7gallon waterer, and filled thier feeder and dumped an extra bag in the 1/4barrel of grit they have.

3 days later I came back to 60 eggs in the nest box and healthy happy chickens.... Quite a bit of food was left over and only had 3-4 cracked eggs.

I have 25 ISA browns.

I knew the 7gal waterer would last 6 days.

I also ran the ventalation fan 24/7 and had the light on a timer....

 

[rosaline]

If you dont go with your Husband and nothing happens while he is away you will wish you had gone with him. Go and enjoy yourself. They will be fine with your neighbour. You love them sooooo much which is why you are feeling bad.