PRN Exotic Pet Caretaker

Role: PRN Exotic Pet Caretaker

Company: House of Guineas LLC

Location: San Francisco & The Peninsula (In-Home Care)

Position Type: Permanent (Variable Part-Time)

Core Schedule: Availability during Weekdays and Weekends, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Occasional afternoons or evenings as needed)

Pay: $20/hour to start, with a review at 90 days and room to grow to $23/hour — every 30-minute drop-in visit is paid as a full 1-hour block

ABOUT US

House of Guineas LLC provides high-standard in-home care for a wide variety of small mammals, reptiles, and birds across San Francisco and the Peninsula. Founded by Alexandria, a former Engineer and Exotic Veterinary Assistant, our company was born from a profound love for unique pets. We believe that to give the best care to the animals, you need to feel your best.

While this role requires independence in the field, we are a deeply connected team that values genuine camaraderie—whether we are coordinating our next team escape room, talking about our latest video game and D&D campaigns, or sharing updates about our own pets. We want your work here to be fun, rewarding, and full of exciting challenges!

THE POSITION

This is a PRN (as-needed) role. You'll step in alongside our field team to cover in-home care visits when extra coverage is needed—during busy stretches, teammate time off, or scheduling gaps. The work is the same specialist husbandry our full team performs; the difference is the schedule.

There are no guaranteed hours: you'll be offered visits as they come up and take the ones that fit your availability.

The heart of this role is hands-on animal husbandry—the daily upkeep and wellbeing of the animals we look after. You'll thrive here if you take pride in this work, can operate independently with minimal supervision, and find genuine satisfaction in the routine care that keeps our animals healthy.

If husbandry isn't where you want to spend most of your time, this likely isn't the right fit.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Specialized Animal Husbandry: Provide meticulous daily care and habitat upkeep for small mammals (guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters), reptiles, and birds—including enclosure cleaning, environmental monitoring, and enrichment.
• Dietary Management: Prepare and manage species-specific nutrition. For reptile clients, this includes the safe handling and storage of live or frozen feeder insects and small feeder mammals.
• Medical Administration: Occasionally administer medications per client and veterinary instruction.
• Client Communication: Deliver detailed photo and video updates that give clients genuine peace of mind while their animals are in our care.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

• Response & Liaison: Quickly identify "red flag" symptoms and safely transport pets to veterinary hospitals if needed. You will act as the vital communication link between hospital staff and the client.
• Advocacy & Ethics: Navigate critical situations strictly through veterinary suggestion and explicit client consent. In rare circumstances, you will navigate end-of-life protocols with extreme compassion and professional grace.

WHO YOU ARE

• Availability: You're available at least 3 days per week—including weekends—during our core hours. Candidates who can offer more days will be given priority.
• Veterinary & Handling Experience: Previous experience in a veterinary setting, or advanced hands-on handling of exotic pets, is highly preferred. You're comfortable administering medications, spotting early signs of illness, and handling feeder insects and animals.
• Reliability & High EQ: You bring strong emotional intelligence and stay decisive and composed under pressure.
• Reliable Commute: You can reliably commute throughout San Francisco and the Peninsula, with an operable vehicle and a valid driver's license.

WHY WORK WITH US?

• Room to Grow: Start at $20/hour with a review at 90 days and a raise to up to $23/hour on a satisfactory review.
• Proper Reimbursement: Mileage and vehicle upkeep are accurately reimbursed at the current IRS rate of $0.725 per mile to protect your take-home pay.
• 1-Hour Guaranteed Blocks: Every 30-minute drop-in visit is paid as a full 1-hour block to cover travel and charting.
• Health, Wellness & Recovery: We are committed to providing dedicated recovery options to maintain your well-being. This includes Workers' Compensation coverage and discretionary wellness bonuses up to $100 during peak quarters.
• Team Pet Perks: Team members receive a 20% discount on all House of Guineas drop-in visits for their personal pets, plus a 50% discount on our proprietary, medical-grade cage liners.

TO APPLY

Submit your resume and a summary of your species experience and background to: alexandria@houseofguineas.com.

Please include answers to the following:

• This role is primarily hands-on husbandry—daily cleaning, feeding, and habitat upkeep, often working independently. What draws you to that kind of work?
• What days of the week (including weekdays and weekends) are you available, and are you able to commit to at least 3 days? (Please note that higher availability takes priority.)
• Do you have an up-to-date driver's license and an operable vehicle?
• Are you comfortable commuting to/within SF and along the Peninsula?
• If accepted, when could you start (including university return dates if applicable)?

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: From $20.00 per hour

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Application Question(s):

• Do you have an up to date driver's license and an operable vehicle?
• Where are you currently located, and are you comfortable commuting to/within SF and along peninsula?
• Why are you interested in this role?
• If accepted, when would you be available to start? When would you need to return to university at the end of summer and around January(if applicable)?
• Do you have at least 1 year of formal, professional, or high-level volunteer experience (e.g., veterinary clinic, zoo, specialized rescue) providing direct husbandry and care for exotic pets, birds, or small prey mammals? (Note: Personal pet ownership does NOT qualify).
• Are you seeking a permanent, year-round position with availability to start within the next 14 days, and do you have prior professional experience administering animal medications (oral, topical, or subcutaneous)?

Work Location: Hybrid remote in San Francisco, CA 94112

Salary : $20 - $23