After completing the design of the service area, Fang Ye continued to design each display enclosure for the reptiles and amphibians exhibit!
Though the space in each enclosure was quite small, the complexity of designing them was not at all reduced, presenting another challenging subject. Find more chapters on empire
So he went out of his way to seek advice from so big shots in reptile care, consulting with them on the finer details of daily care and enclosure design and setup.
During the consultations, he also extended invitations to recruit them!
A netizen nad "Midorino" with extensive field experience, having observed lizards and snakes all around the world, had recently faced a financial loss on Robinhood by buying a stock that plumted, leaving him with empty pockets and no money.
Fang Ye held out an olive branch just in ti, and taking care of reptiles from various parts of the world in a zoo seed like a good opportunity for Midorino, so he accepted the offer quite naturally and would be coming over in a few days.
Another netizen nad "Tousei," with rich experience in animal care, was intrigued but ntioned he was currently studying abroad and would not graduate for another two years, so he had to regretfully decline, although he expressed willingness to exchange ideas and discuss any questions.
Speaking of the enclosure design, it had to simulate the animals' natural habitats and, due to limited space, there were many restrictions on plant selection, which necessitated the use of specific landscaping plants such as tillandsia and broliad.
Tillandsia grow without the need for soil and can thrive directly in the air, being epiphytic plants that absorb moisture through their leaves and supply nutrients to their roots, which have only a few aerial roots that serve to anchor the plant.
Broliads are also epiphytic, typically clinging to large rocks and trees in their native habitat. To adapt to the challenging water absorption of their roots when growing on hosts, their smooth, spirally arranged leaves form grooves that channel water droplets falling on the leaves to the center of the plant for storage.
The water storage makes broliads particularly suitable for frog habitats and egg laying, so arranging broliads in the poison dart frog's enclosure is a great choice.
Moreover, as plants in the enclosures will continue to grow, those with rapid growth rates are not suitable, as they may beco overly lush after a while.
Initially, the arrangent of the environnt would be aesthetically pleasing, with various plants imparting a sense of depth and layering, but after growing lush, they can beco tangled, reducing their visual appeal; in addition, the dense plant coverage could obstruct visitors from properly seeing the animals inside.
Besides, so animals are quite active! They often crawl and burrow in the enclosures, and therefore, plants might get crushed by their movent. For these animals, it's important to choose landscaping plants like climbing fig that have better resistance to lodging.
Normally, a well-arranged enclosure allows plants to grow within reasonable bounds, so that as they grow progressively, the environnt in the enclosure becos more natural and aesthetically pleasing, and the animals don't cause damage to the plants; regular feeding and cleaning are all that is needed.
At the mont, Fang Ye was designing the enclosure for the green tree python!
First, the size had to be considered.
The enclosures in the exhibit are all set one ter off the ground, because having them so close to the ground would make it awkward for visitors to view the animals, and if the animals are crawling, visitors would have to squat to see them properly.
This height was set at about 20 cm away, so a normal straight view or a slight bend at the waist allowed for clear observation.
The space under the enclosures wasn't just about raising them; explanatory panels would be placed on the outside, and inside, ventilation and drainage equipnt would be installed to ensure air circulation at set intervals and prevent the growth of mold in the corners.
The display case will also be equipped with a sprinkler and a light temperature control system. The ideal living environnt for the green tree python is 75%-85% humidity and can tolerate temperatures between 26-33 degrees Celsius, with the comfortable temperature being 27-31 degrees.
Therefore, in accordance with natural conditions, the temperature during the day will be adjusted to 31-32 degrees, and during the night, to 27-28 degrees. By controlling the temperature, a stepped temperature difference is created at different tis of the day, which is beneficial for the snake's health.
As for the lighting, it will be consistent with the operating hours of the park. While light exposure does not affect the green tree python much, it does influence the growth of plants inside the exhibit, and visitors also need lighting for better viewing.
The dinsions of the display case vary according to the size and habits of the animals. For the green tree python, 70 cm in width, 1.5 ters in length, and 1 ter in height will suffice.
Although green tree pythons like to coil up on tree trunks motionless after eating and drinking their fill, the space could in theory be smaller and a length of 50 cm would be enough. However, that would limit the arrangent of perches.
A larger space allows for the perches to be placed diagonally, creating arches and more sculptural elents in the environnt, and the rocks on the side can be diversified to add a sense of layering.
Driftwood is the skeleton of the display case, so the next step is to select the driftwood, which will inform the subsequent arrangent.
Although it is not possible to directly design the reptiles and amphibians exhibit through the system, it is still feasible to provide so materials for plants and landscaping!
Fang Ye continually tossed out pieces of driftwood on the construction interface, with each piece's appearance being randomly generated. He searched for shapes that fit his vision, and when he found the desired one, he would buy it with green leaf coins.
Finally, he saw a piece that looked good, with the main trunk about as thick as an adult's arm and naturally shaped cracks throughout, with a slight curve in the middle and, most importantly, several twisted auxiliary branches.
This piece of driftwood could be cut and placed diagonally, with the left end on the bottom and the right end leaning against the uneven wall at the back of the display case. One side low, the other high, removing any unnecessary auxiliary branches; the few that were about three-finger-thick would serve as resting spots for the green tree python.
After positioning the driftwood diagonally, the auxiliary branches beca horizontal and extended slightly downward, positioning the green tree python's resting spot at the golden ratio point of the display case, enhancing the viewing effect. After the sprinkling, one might even see crystal-clear water droplets on the bright green skin of the green tree python.
Green tree pythons usually dwell high up and do not co down to drink water, most often licking the droplets off their bodies to hydrate themselves. In the wild, they depend on natural dew, while in the exhibit they rely on the sprinklers.
The cut and curved auxiliary branches can also be fixed at the edges, crisscrossed high and low, left and right, to evoke the feeling of a dense jungle.
Since green tree pythons mostly live in tropical rainforests and shrubbery, plants at the bottom of the tank include nerve plants with oval leaves, Tousei moss, and so ferns; mosses can be placed on the rocks and driftwood. A pro tip Fang Ye got was that green tree pythons prefer the touch of pure wood, so the auxiliary branches for them to rest on won't have moss.
Because green tree pythons are not an active type, tillandsia can be used in areas they less frequently visit on the edges, and climbing fig, a vine-like plant, will be used for the background. Climbing figs are common in landscaping, with small leaves that do not block the view and a strong climbing ability.
The rich green vegetation at first glance suggests a rainforest environnt, creating a joint impression of the dampness of a tropical rainforest. More woodades can be set at the top, reminiscent of hanging vines or the abundant roots of big trees, further reflecting the rainforest atmosphere.
"Eh well, reptiles are quite a hassle~"
Fang Ye stretched and yawned. There were still many exhibit cases that needed designing. He would discuss them with the administrative staff at tomorrow's morning eting.
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