Hello there fellow zoo lovers!!. So I think I speak for all of us that this game is a dream come true!! Frontier you have really outdone yourself with what you have done so far and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. but there was one little area i think did not get as move "love" per say as the rest of the game, and that's the Terrariums. so i had a little free time and made up my own ideas for a more creative and more in depth system for them. Thank you for reading and I would love to hear your feedback.
Planet Zoo Terrarium Redesign
Tanks
At the moment the sizes of the terrarium are all the same, and may not fit the species that you want to keep, so for creativity, have premade tanks with different shapes and dimensions like hexagonal, cylinder and sphere shapes, allowing the player to tailor each terrarium to the species they want to keep, I would start from a basic 1x1x1 foot tanks, which is a good size for insect’s and smaller herps, to 10mx10mx10m tanks which would be a good size for larger lizards, tortoises and smaller birds and mammals.
Each species will have a recommended range of sizes and players will need to say within this range to keep your inhabitants happy. For example, a bearded dragon has recommended tank dimensions of 4x2x2 feet while a large monitor lizard needs something at least 8x3x6 feet to be satisfied. Species that climb dig of fly will like taller tanks, while ones that like to walk on the ground will require wider or longer tanks.
When editing these tanks you are locked into a fixed camera view that lets you move 360 degrees around your tank, similar to the animal viewing camera allowing you to edit objects in your tank easily, making them just as customable as the larger outdoor enclosures.
Each Terrarium animal will have these 5 environment needs. Heating, Lighting, Humidity. Substrate, Ventilation and decoration/enrichment needs, along with the food and social needs
Heating
Since most terrarium animals are both from warm regions or are endothermic they need to have external heating inside the tank to be able to regulate their body temperature. Each tank needs a basking spot for the animal to under to heat up and digest food. There are a few ways to produce heat, with each species having preferred source of heat.
Lighting
Lighting will be very important for both the animals and the guests, since diurnal plants and animals need UVB lighting and guests need to see the animals, often made by lightbulbs, with different types having different benefits and disadvantages for different take sizes and animal needs. Some of the bulbs can also produce heat
Humidity
Pretty much every animal needs drinking water, and some need it to soak and swim in. species that are used to dryer will not need a high humidity in their enclosure but still need drinking water to survive. Rainforest species will need high humidity and some, like frogs, turtles and larger snakes like anacondas will need a large container/ tub to swim in. Some animals like Chameleons will not drink standing water so a misting system or a waterfall can be used to add humidity and provide animals with water.
Substrate is very important for animals as it can contain excess water, allow animals to dig and provide places to hide. There can add up to 3 layers to make the most stable terrarium, depending on what the animals need. Each layers depth can be fully customisable for the animal’s needs, so t animals can have deep soil to dig into. The base layer to support everything on top and collect excess water, the second is for growing plants in and the third layer is for making the tank look pleasing and increase animal enrichment. Some substrates have a risk of impaction, where the animal ingests it and can block the internal organs of the animal that needs to be treated or cause death. Dividers can be placed so you can create a hybrid water land enclosure for semi aquatic animals like monitors and turtles
Base/foundation Layer
Air flow is important for enclosed terrariums, a the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance can cause a lot of issues, from plants wilting to reptiles and amphibians can have bad sheds and become dehydrated and even make your terrarium smell, decreasing guests happiness, this is mainly an issue with enclosures with growing plants and high humidity, these can be managed by decreasing humidity or temperature. If this can’t be done due to your animals needs you can add screens or fans. Some animals like chameleons need a high air exchange rate so screens and fans will be needed. But if there is too much air exchanges it can reduce your humidity and loose heat, decreasing your terrariums temperature.
Having a bland habitat is boring for both the animal and the guest, so adding decorations will be important to guest and animal happiness. This is the most creative part of making the terrarium, really tailoring it too each animal species and making each tank different from the next. Each animal will have its needs; some may need some hides while others need climbing structures and backgrounds. Plants can also be added into this terrarium as they provide cover, climbing surfaces and sometimes a snack for you animal.
Unlike the larger animals, these animals are often a little more specialised, requiring certain feeder insects or other feeders than larger animals wont, and different food can be stacked inside food dishes to provide a varied diet for your animals. Whole animals can be live for very picky feeders but will either entertain or disgust your guests
Planet Zoo Terrarium Redesign
Tanks
At the moment the sizes of the terrarium are all the same, and may not fit the species that you want to keep, so for creativity, have premade tanks with different shapes and dimensions like hexagonal, cylinder and sphere shapes, allowing the player to tailor each terrarium to the species they want to keep, I would start from a basic 1x1x1 foot tanks, which is a good size for insect’s and smaller herps, to 10mx10mx10m tanks which would be a good size for larger lizards, tortoises and smaller birds and mammals.
Each species will have a recommended range of sizes and players will need to say within this range to keep your inhabitants happy. For example, a bearded dragon has recommended tank dimensions of 4x2x2 feet while a large monitor lizard needs something at least 8x3x6 feet to be satisfied. Species that climb dig of fly will like taller tanks, while ones that like to walk on the ground will require wider or longer tanks.
When editing these tanks you are locked into a fixed camera view that lets you move 360 degrees around your tank, similar to the animal viewing camera allowing you to edit objects in your tank easily, making them just as customable as the larger outdoor enclosures.
Each Terrarium animal will have these 5 environment needs. Heating, Lighting, Humidity. Substrate, Ventilation and decoration/enrichment needs, along with the food and social needs
Heating
Since most terrarium animals are both from warm regions or are endothermic they need to have external heating inside the tank to be able to regulate their body temperature. Each tank needs a basking spot for the animal to under to heat up and digest food. There are a few ways to produce heat, with each species having preferred source of heat.
- Ceramic heat emitter bulbs: don’t produce light, can be used at night to heat enclosures
- Radiant heat panels: similar to Ceramic heat emitter bulbs
- Heat pads/tape/cables: good for heating water or the tank from the outside, can burn animals if they sit on them
- Heat rocks: some animals like to sit on them, others might get burned.
Lighting
Lighting will be very important for both the animals and the guests, since diurnal plants and animals need UVB lighting and guests need to see the animals, often made by lightbulbs, with different types having different benefits and disadvantages for different take sizes and animal needs. Some of the bulbs can also produce heat
- Incandescent Lightbulbs: Don’t produce UVB; make a good amount of heat, frequently replaced.
- Compact Fluorescent: Produce UVB, good for nocturnal species, good for maintaining plants
- Conventional Fluorescent Lightbulbs: Produce UVB, make very little heat, replaced every 6 to 12 in game months, good for maintaining plants
- LED Lightbulbs: Does not produce UVB, makes very little heat, the brightest bulbs that allow guests to get the best view of the animals
- Mercury Vapor lightbulbs: Produce UVB, makes a lot of heat, best for larger terrariums and quite expensive
Humidity
Pretty much every animal needs drinking water, and some need it to soak and swim in. species that are used to dryer will not need a high humidity in their enclosure but still need drinking water to survive. Rainforest species will need high humidity and some, like frogs, turtles and larger snakes like anacondas will need a large container/ tub to swim in. Some animals like Chameleons will not drink standing water so a misting system or a waterfall can be used to add humidity and provide animals with water.
- Ceramic/glass bowls (XS to XL): animals can drink and smaller animals like frogs and small reptiles can soak in them, adds to tank humidity, different themes (desert, rainforest etc.)
- Waterfall: Creates running water for more stubborn animals to drink, adds to tank humidity, look natural, different themes (desert, rainforest etc.)
- Misting system: simulates rain, can be timed, best on often for tropical terrariums and rarely for dryer terrariums
- Water drippers: releases drops of water, adds less humidity than misting
- Water tub: for larger animals to soak and swim in, can be clear for underwater viewing, requires filter.
Substrate is very important for animals as it can contain excess water, allow animals to dig and provide places to hide. There can add up to 3 layers to make the most stable terrarium, depending on what the animals need. Each layers depth can be fully customisable for the animal’s needs, so t animals can have deep soil to dig into. The base layer to support everything on top and collect excess water, the second is for growing plants in and the third layer is for making the tank look pleasing and increase animal enrichment. Some substrates have a risk of impaction, where the animal ingests it and can block the internal organs of the animal that needs to be treated or cause death. Dividers can be placed so you can create a hybrid water land enclosure for semi aquatic animals like monitors and turtles
Base/foundation Layer
- Gravel: solid
- Clay pellets: lighter
- Play sand: for desert animals, medium risk of impaction, good for digging
- Reptile sand: more expressive but low risk of impaction, good for digging
- Rocks/pebbles: good for tub bottoms, can come in many colours shapes and sizes
- Plastic Grate: easy to drain, doesn’t look as pretty
- False bottom: hide filters, pumps etc.., harder to drain
- Mulch/bark: holds moisture, looks good, might have sharp bits that can hurt animal or keeper
- Potting soil: good for growing plants and good for digging
- Coconut fibres: cheap, high impaction risk, bad for plants
- Left litter: looks natural, most expensive
- Moss: increases humidity, looks natural
- Misc.
- Dividers: can be added to make a hybrid terrarium for animals like turtles, large monitors and constrictors.
Air flow is important for enclosed terrariums, a the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance can cause a lot of issues, from plants wilting to reptiles and amphibians can have bad sheds and become dehydrated and even make your terrarium smell, decreasing guests happiness, this is mainly an issue with enclosures with growing plants and high humidity, these can be managed by decreasing humidity or temperature. If this can’t be done due to your animals needs you can add screens or fans. Some animals like chameleons need a high air exchange rate so screens and fans will be needed. But if there is too much air exchanges it can reduce your humidity and loose heat, decreasing your terrariums temperature.
- Aluminium/Nylon screens: allows air exchange, can be placed on the side of a terrarium, size adjustable.
- Fans: takes up less wall space but more expensive
Having a bland habitat is boring for both the animal and the guest, so adding decorations will be important to guest and animal happiness. This is the most creative part of making the terrarium, really tailoring it too each animal species and making each tank different from the next. Each animal will have its needs; some may need some hides while others need climbing structures and backgrounds. Plants can also be added into this terrarium as they provide cover, climbing surfaces and sometimes a snack for you animal.
- Background: helps animal privacy, adds to animal and guest satisfaction, comes in themes (desert, rainforest etc.)
- Hides: gives the animals a place to sleep and hide from visitors, different themes (rock caves, logs, moss, etc.…)
- Ledge: can be placed on tank walls for animals to sit on, different themes (rock, mushroom, etc.)
- Wood/ vines/: gives animals things to climb/perch on similar to the chimps, different themes( Driftwood, jungle vine, cork, bamboo, cactus, spider wood)
- Rocks: good to climb on and decorate your terrarium (desert, rainforest etc.)
- Sculptures: good for climbing, hiding and can increase guest happiness (skulls, fossils, eggs etc.)
- Colony box: for ants, termites, bees and even mole rats, can be stuck in or on the side of an terrarium for colonies to live in
Unlike the larger animals, these animals are often a little more specialised, requiring certain feeder insects or other feeders than larger animals wont, and different food can be stacked inside food dishes to provide a varied diet for your animals. Whole animals can be live for very picky feeders but will either entertain or disgust your guests
- Food bowl: can be filled with food for you animals, each has its own diet that the player will need to satisfy
- Hanging/ pole feeders: same as food bowl but higher up, for arboreal or flying
- Ledge feeders: food and water bowl that can be put on the walls of the terrarium for arboreal animals to feed on
- Food Types
- Plants:Fruits, Vegetables, Grass/Hay, Seeds/Nuts,Wood,Nectar
- Arthropods: Worms,Roaches,Beetles,Flies,Isopods,Ants/termites,Crickets
- Live/whole Animals:Live lizards (anoles/geckos),Fish,Mice (adult/pinkies),Frogs,Rabbit,Chicken (chick/adult),Eggs
- Misc: Pellets( bird/turtle/croc), Fungus