Exotic Pet Boarding for Birds, Reptiles, and Small Mammals in Charleston
Your pet is in the best hands at our exotic pet boarding facility, where our experienced staff caters to their individual needs and offers them all the comforts of home. Birds, reptiles, pocket pets, and other exotics require a lot of time and attention that most pet sitters and other facilities cannot provide. Here in Charleston, we offer exotic boarding in a facility that is specially designed for them.
All boarding guests receive regular feedings with their normal diet, along with healthy treats and daily bathing or soaking as appropriate. We are also able to accommodate our boarders’ specialized habitat needs with climate-controlled enclosures and UV lighting. Furthermore, our team members are trained to recognize subtle changes in appetite, activity level, or elimination, and our veterinary facility is fully equipped to handle any health concern that may arise while your pet is in our care.
See below for species-specific boarding information and requirements.
Bird Boarding
In order for your bird to board with us, they need to be up to date with their wellness visits.
Wellness & Testing Requirements
Within the last year:
- Comprehensive Blood Panel
Within the last 6 months:
- Wellness exam
- Fecal analysis
- Comprehensive Blood Panel (senior pets and those on long-term medications)
Additionally, your bird needs to have a negative Infectious Disease Panel screen (Chlamydiosis, Psittacine Beak and Feather disease, Herpes virus, and Polyomavirus screens). If your bird’s testing was done at another clinic, you will need to send their health records to our facility at least 1 month before their boarding date. This gives us time to evaluate their records and ensure the other clinic’s protocol complies with our standards.
Click here to learn more about the AAVs stance on Avian Chlamydiosis.
Other Requirements
All avian boarders (except finches and canaries) must have their wings trimmed for their safety, and the safety of others. Birds that are normally flighted will have the minimum necessary wing trim. We cannot keep personal items or carriers. Birds also must have a toy while they board with us, so be sure to bring a clean one from home or select one or more to purchase from our selection of high-quality American-made toys.
Services Included
Services we provide for our avian boarders include:
- Twice daily feedings including their normal diet* and fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy treats as appropriate
- Daily cleanings and bathing
- Daily playtime outside of enclosure at the bird’s discretion
*If your bird is on a diet that our facility does not have, you can bring their food from home
Boarding Costs
- $40/night for birds
- $50/night for domestic poultry and waterfowl
A 2nd large bird or up to 5 small birds may share a cage for an additional $20/night per bird. If the birds are not getting along, they will be separated and boarding will be charged at the normal, non-discounted rate.
Pocket Pet Boarding
In order for your pocket pet to board with us, they need to be up to date with their wellness visits.
Wellness & Testing Requirements
Within the last year:
- Comprehensive Blood Panel
Within the last 6 months:
- Wellness exam
- Fecal analysis
- Comprehensive Blood Panel (senior pets and those on long-term medication)
Rabbits must be fully vaccinated against RHDV-2 with annual boosters, and microchipped. Ferrets must be up-to-date on their rabies and distemper vaccines.
If your pet received their vaccines and tests at a different clinic, please send your pet’s medical records to our facility at least a month before their boarding date. This gives us time to evaluate their records and ensure the other clinic’s protocol complies with our standards. We cannot keep personal items or carriers.
Services Included
Services we provide for our exotic small mammal boarders include:
- Unlimited fresh Oxbow timothy hay and orchard grass, along with a daily allotment of healthy Oxbow pelleted diet and fresh vegetables as appropriate (for our herbivorous guests)
- Daily Vitamin C supplementation for guinea pigs
- Some carnivore and omnivore diets, including Marshall’s Ferret diet, Oxbow Essentials Hamster and Gerbil diets, and Oxbow Essentials Rat diet*
- Specialized daily care and pleasant interaction with our staff according to species
*If your pet prefers a different diet, you are welcome to bring it from home and we will feed your pet as directed.
Boarding Costs
- $40/night – up to 3 small mammals* may share accommodations for an additional $20/night per pet
- $50/night for kinkajous, large tortoises, and certain other exotics that require more involved care
*If you decide to board up to 3 pets together and they do not get along, they will be separated and boarding will be charged at the normal, non-discounted rate.
Boarding for Reptiles, Amphibians, and Other Exotics
In order for your reptile, amphibian, or other exotic pet to board with us, they need to be up to date with their wellness visits.
Wellness & Testing Requirements
Within the last year:
- Comprehensive Blood Panel
Within the last 6 months:
- Wellness exam
- Fecal analysis
- Comprehensive Blood Panel (senior pets and those on long-term medications)
Other Requirements
Bearded Dragons must be screened for Adenovirus prior to boarding.
Services Included
All boarders receive:
- An appropriate diet
- Specialized daily care
- Pleasant interaction with our staff according to species
- Daily cleaning, UV time and bathing or soaking for those who benefit
- Fresh vegetables as appropriate
You may also bring insect prey for us to feed your pet, if necessary. We do not feed live mice or rats as prey, but we are happy to feed thawed frozen prey if you are able to provide it. We can also provide calcium and vitamin supplements as needed.
Boarding Costs
- $40/night – up to 3 animals* may share accommodations for an additional $20/night per pet
- $50/night for kinkajous, large tortoises, and certain other exotics that require more involved care
*If you decide to board up to 3 pets together and they do not get along, they will be separated and boarding will be charged at the normal, non-discounted rate.
Optional Services Provided While Boarding
Optional services are not included in your pet’s boarding fee. They include:
- Grooming
- Dietary conversion
- Exam/blood work
- Microchipping
- Medication administration
- Wound care
Additional Exotic Pet Boarding Information
- Boarding and anticipated service fees must be paid in full at intake.
- Additional services or treatments must be paid for at pick-up.
- Drop-off and pick-up must take place during our normal business hours.
- We cannot keep personal items or carriers.
- Any toys or snugglies must be brought freshly washed or new in packaging.
- A signed medical boarding release form allowing emergency care for your pet must be on file.
- In the event of severe weather evacuation, the owner or emergency contact must pick up the boarder.
Boarding Built Around Exotic Pets
Exotic animals have species-specific needs for diet, handling, housing, temperature, lighting, and daily care. Our boarding program is designed around those differences, with veterinary oversight available if a health concern develops while your pet is staying with us.