MONROE - Neither gold nor silver lies in the vault at the palace, but something far more lovely to hold awaits.
Horner's Pet Palace on 11th Street uses an old bank vault to keep its young exotic birds and reptiles, and one of two son's pet guinea pig, Wendy.
The vault controls the temperature better for the geckos, love birds and budgies, said shop owner David Horner.
"And if one escapes, he can't get out of here," Horner said.
The vault doesn't lock, so there's no chance of someone, or anything, getting trapped inside. But customers are welcome to venture inside and investigate the chirping and whistling.
David and Gina Horner, and their sons Austin, 8, and Blake, 6, have two dogs and two cats. They grew tired of traveling to Madison and Janesville and paying too high of prices for pet supplies. Believing Monroe needed a pet store, they opened their shop Feb. 8.
"I've always been around animals," said Horner, who moved his family back to Monroe after a three-year absence.
He milked 250 goats with his family for about 10 years before that.
"I loved every one of them," he said.
Horner's store has a variety of fish, birds, reptiles and rodents for sale, as well as all the supplies owners needed to maintain their cherished pets. Horner doesn't carry large animals, like cats and dogs.
One other pet the store doesn't carry is snakes.
"I just don't like snakes," Horner said. "When I was farming, one almost got me in the face." But he will order any one a customer is interested in buying.
Firebelly newts, with their red undersides, have been a favorite seller.
"All you need is a tank with water, and something for them to climb out onto once in a while, and a little tablet of food once a day," Horner said. "You can pick them up if you want, but I think they feel slimy."
Iguanas were another hot seller for the pet shop last weekend; five were sold in three days. The remaining little green guy, Horner called, "a little squirrely."
"It's from lack of attention," Horner said. "The more you play with them, the greener and nicer they get. They become attached to their owner."
And a little misting of water will also make them happier and greener.
"They think it's 'the bomb,'" Horner said.
Horner raises assorted colored platys and a supply of hybrid fancy guppies soon to be for sale.
"When they breed, their babies could come out yellow, blue, red or purple," he said.
Horner's Pet Palace is located two blocks from the middle school.
Customers are allowed to handle the animals.
The Horners are believers in adapting pets to human touch and encourage handling animals. One 16-year-old girl comes in just to pet the mice. But Horner makes sure he's the one to take the first nip from any animal that needs intensive taming.
"We've been holding the mice. They're friendly," Horner said.
Owning a store was something the Horners had always talked about doing. They seriously started "digging into it" in October, and began looking and making contacts.
They are starting their business from scratch.
"No loans, no grants, nothing. It's all just us. We're starting out small, with our own money," Horner said.
Being his own boss is a lot more work, "but I've never been more stress-free," Horner said.
Back in the vault, a noisy flock of baby budgies are playing.
"Gina takes care of the 'obnoxious' creatures," Horner said, teasing his wife about the birds. "If I go in there ... sheesh. They know when she goes home, too; they all start squawking."
Horner's Pet Palace on 11th Street uses an old bank vault to keep its young exotic birds and reptiles, and one of two son's pet guinea pig, Wendy.
The vault controls the temperature better for the geckos, love birds and budgies, said shop owner David Horner.
"And if one escapes, he can't get out of here," Horner said.
The vault doesn't lock, so there's no chance of someone, or anything, getting trapped inside. But customers are welcome to venture inside and investigate the chirping and whistling.
David and Gina Horner, and their sons Austin, 8, and Blake, 6, have two dogs and two cats. They grew tired of traveling to Madison and Janesville and paying too high of prices for pet supplies. Believing Monroe needed a pet store, they opened their shop Feb. 8.
"I've always been around animals," said Horner, who moved his family back to Monroe after a three-year absence.
He milked 250 goats with his family for about 10 years before that.
"I loved every one of them," he said.
Horner's store has a variety of fish, birds, reptiles and rodents for sale, as well as all the supplies owners needed to maintain their cherished pets. Horner doesn't carry large animals, like cats and dogs.
One other pet the store doesn't carry is snakes.
"I just don't like snakes," Horner said. "When I was farming, one almost got me in the face." But he will order any one a customer is interested in buying.
Firebelly newts, with their red undersides, have been a favorite seller.
"All you need is a tank with water, and something for them to climb out onto once in a while, and a little tablet of food once a day," Horner said. "You can pick them up if you want, but I think they feel slimy."
Iguanas were another hot seller for the pet shop last weekend; five were sold in three days. The remaining little green guy, Horner called, "a little squirrely."
"It's from lack of attention," Horner said. "The more you play with them, the greener and nicer they get. They become attached to their owner."
And a little misting of water will also make them happier and greener.
"They think it's 'the bomb,'" Horner said.
Horner raises assorted colored platys and a supply of hybrid fancy guppies soon to be for sale.
"When they breed, their babies could come out yellow, blue, red or purple," he said.
Horner's Pet Palace is located two blocks from the middle school.
Customers are allowed to handle the animals.
The Horners are believers in adapting pets to human touch and encourage handling animals. One 16-year-old girl comes in just to pet the mice. But Horner makes sure he's the one to take the first nip from any animal that needs intensive taming.
"We've been holding the mice. They're friendly," Horner said.
Owning a store was something the Horners had always talked about doing. They seriously started "digging into it" in October, and began looking and making contacts.
They are starting their business from scratch.
"No loans, no grants, nothing. It's all just us. We're starting out small, with our own money," Horner said.
Being his own boss is a lot more work, "but I've never been more stress-free," Horner said.
Back in the vault, a noisy flock of baby budgies are playing.
"Gina takes care of the 'obnoxious' creatures," Horner said, teasing his wife about the birds. "If I go in there ... sheesh. They know when she goes home, too; they all start squawking."