ACE Weston Pets

01/13/2026

Be careful on the roads today! My car just slid right up to the aquarium store.
🐠🐟🐡

01/12/2026

A visitor had a great question this weekend: "How can I introduce a new rabbit to my rabbit at home?" The methods to introduce rabbits safely are very similar to methods used to introduce guinea pigs, gerbils, and rats. I've highlighted some of the key takeaways for this process. Note: Many animals, like syrian hamsters, hedgehogs, and reptiles, live solitary lifestyles and "giving them a friend" is more akin to giving them an enemy. Ace Pets will never recommend cohabiting those solitary species because they will fight!

🐰 Introducing Rabbits Safely: Bonding Basics 🐰
When introducing rabbits, always use proper, gradual methods—start with neutral territory, short supervised sessions, and watch body language closely. Never force interactions, and separate at the first sign of aggression.

✨ Spay & Neuter First! Altered rabbits have calmer hormones, which reduces fighting, spraying, and stress, making bonding safer and more successful.
Health bonus: Spaying and neutering also greatly lowers cancer risks, prevents reproductive infections, and often leads to longer, healthier lives for your bunnies. 🩺

Patience + proper prep = happier, healthier bunny friendships! 🥕

Bringing rabbits together should always be done slowly and safely to set them up for success. Here are the key steps:

🔹 Start With Scent Swapping
Before face-to-face meetings, swap litter boxes, blankets, toys, and switch living spaces every 2 or 3 days over the course of 1 or 2 weeks. This allows rabbits to get used to each other scent in a non-threatening way and reduces territorial reactions later. This means that when you purchase your new animal, you also purchase an additional cage, a hidey space, water bottle and food bowls. Even if your goal is for them to live together in the same enclosure, it's important that you have a backup cage that can provide them everything they need to live comfortably in the case that fighting begins.

🔹 Use Neutral Territory
Begin introductions in a space that neither rabbit considers their own (like a bathroom or pen). This helps prevent defensive behavior.

🔹 Short, Supervised Sessions
Keep early sessions brief and positive. Watch for body language, separate if tension escalates, and gradually increase time together as they relax.

🔹 Be Patient
Bonding can take days or weeks—go at your rabbits’ pace and never force interactions.

💗 Proper bonding, patience, and preparation lead to calmer rabbits and safer interactions!

One final takeaway: rabbits bonding is not guaranteed. Each rabbit has a unique personality and over time, their bonds can change with each other. You must be prepared for the reality that when you purchase an additional animal, you also purchase an additional cage and everything they need to live a comfortable life separate from your other rabbit.

Unneutered and unspayed rabbits are very hormonal and may never accept a newcomer into their life. Understandably, you may want them to have a friend because these are gregarious animals that live in large colonies together in the wild. Cohabiting these animals successfully may be very easy, but it also might be fraught with challenges. We hope that you reach out to us if you have questions or challenges cohabiting your pets. We also have compiled a large list of local veterinarians (located near the bathrooms) that see exotics, so that they can help you give your animal the most healthy life possible.

How to reach us: Call 715-355-1500
Visit us at Ace Hardware, 2606 Schofield Ave, Weston WI 54476

This page is for fun and education, but unfortunately it is not the best way to reach us. Please call us or stop in for more information.

01/12/2026

Lets learn about Michael, our Jackson's Chameleon!
🦎 Jackson’s Chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii) – Quick Rundown 🌿

✨ Interesting Traits

They possess the iconic horns —just like a real-life mini triceratops

They can change color to communicate mood, stress, and temperature

They have independent eyes that move separately = 360° awareness

And of course they possess that long chameleon tongue to snag insects off of nearby branches.

🛠️ Basic Care Tips

Tall, well-ventilated (screen) enclosure with live plants

Jackson's chameleons need a temperature gradient with daytime ambient temps of 70-80°F, a basking spot around 82-87°F, and a nighttime drop to 60-70°F, avoiding temperatures above 84°F for extended periods.

High humidity with regular misting and drippers. Ace Pets requires a reptile humidifier on the enclosure to achieve these contradictory things. (They require ventilation AND humidity.) Glass aquariums are Never used for chameleons.

Feed a variety of gut-loaded insects + proper supplements

Minimal handling — they’re a “look, don’t touch” pet

⚠️ This is Why They’re an Advanced Pet

Very sensitive to stress

Strict temperature & humidity needs

Dehydration happens easily

Poor tolerance for mistakes in care

📌 Best for experienced reptile keepers, but incredibly rewarding when cared for correctly!

01/11/2026

We close early today! Thank you for such a great day! We love meeting new people and seeing new faces! We appreciate our customers especially our return customers who shop with us for many years. Thank you for making the fish community exciting and fun.

01/10/2026

Who doesn't love a gorgeous bird! The truth is, the need to find these beautiful birds a suitable home far outweighs the need to sell them.
We carry parrot foods and toys, supplements, vitamins, perches, and accessories, but if you are looking for large parrot species to take home we ask that you consider adopting. Look no further than RoseBerry Bird Rescue. A member of their team was gracious enough to share this beautiful blue macaw with us. If you want the opportunity to work with these magnificent birds, perhaps fostering or volunteering would be a good match for you. Reach out to Roseberry for all the details.

01/10/2026

What a fantastic week for fish! We have a huge selection of saltwater fish, not all of them are slow enough to pose for us but we got some great snapshots today! We have dozens of different Tetras species, Barb species, rasboras, killifish, rainbow fish, and a huge selection of beautiful and larger goldfish already proven breeders. You can find the colorful Neocaradina shrimp here, axolotls, clawed frogs, snails shrimp and dwarf frogs. Our live aquatic in stock is something to behold!

Festivum cichlids were heavily requested, and I have pics of those attached.

We have just about every gourami species you could get your hands on, different types of ctenopoma, and bettas galore.

We sell the live plants, Aquatic and terrestrial, and Marine macro algaes and all the rocks, wood, resin decorations and supplies you need to maintain your tank.

We love meeting new people who get to experience their first time in the store. It's always great to see the shock and wonder on their face. No need to travel to Milwaukee or Madison to visit a fish store. If you don't know, now you know: Ace Hardware Weston is your local LFS!

01/09/2026

Early Closing Notice

This Sunday, January 11th, we will be closing at 4:00 PM.

Our typical hours are 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. every Sunday, however this Sunday we are adjourning early for our Ace Employee Christmas Party!

01/08/2026

Why so much air in the bag?

A question we'll often get asked is about why there is so much air in a fish bag, if the fish needs water and not air....

Let us explain!

Working in the trade, or just being in and out of aquarium shops often, you'll soon see that the "done thing" is to offer twice as much air as there is water.

This is the perfect ratio! 1/3 water, 2/3 air!

Whilst fish obviously breathe oxygen via the water, oxygen is absorbed from the atmosphere into water, and during transport oxygen is pulled into the water and CO2 leaves it. If the bag is full of water it'll rapidly become anoxic (completely lacking in oxygen) which in turn will be fatal to animals in transport.

01/06/2026

Pet Orders Slated for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

Wednesday: rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, parakeets, freshwater fish, freshwater plants, saltwater macro algae, and MORE
Thursday: freshwater fish, freshwater shrimps, and rare freshwater plants
Friday: ALL Saltwater, Marine fish, snails, hermit crabs, coral, and Marine special orders such as a goby pistol shrimp combo and panther grouper

Many of your special requests are being fulfilled this week!
The best time to shop for fish is after the shipments are put away. Between 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. is the best time slot, although sometimes our fish get delivered late. Our fish are delivered straight from the wholesaler and the driver is contending with other pet store deliveries and icy weather. We cannot list prices on Facebook for those who want to shop online we are sorry but Facebook does not allow the live sale of animals using their platform. We just like to make a little bit of a shout out about what's happening- typically when we are quiet on here it's because we are so busy at work! Thank you so much to our dedicated customer base you guys keep the passion going and Inspire us to bring in these big orders!

If you ever wanna know what's going on, call us! 715-355-1500

01/01/2026

Tomorrow, January 1st New Years Day Ace Hardware Weston is open 8am until 5pm due to holiday hours.