#also. soft warm colors experiment. yes it makes my eyeballs happy

[corrodedbisexual]

"Where'd you learn how to do this?" "Well, when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire. Now, I swore to myself I wouldn't wind up like he did, but now I'm wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, uh, I'm really living up to that Munson name." "Eddie, I'm not sure I love the idea of you driving." "Oh, I'm starting this sucker. Harrington's got her. Don't ya, big boy?"

[fisherfurbearer]

With vivariums, how often do you add new enrichment, if at all? When my corn snake was in her old 40g, I'd add/circulate stuff every week or two, but I'm not sure if I should in her viv. Would just adjusting the climbing branches or leaf litter be enough, or should I go for a more ambitious moving of her hides and stuff?

This...is actually a really good question!!!

(Bear with me here as I’ve been very sick the past few days and Very Jumbled, so my words are even  worse than they usually are, but here we go...!)

To be honest, I haven’t really thought about this before, as weird as that sounds...I’ve been thinking about your question for a few days and it gives me a lot of ideas. My only two “proper” vivariums are for the Eurydactylodes, and the way their hardscape is set up, it’s pretty set in stone, not much can be adjusted. Right now they’re honestly kinda ugly too, not nearly as handsome/filled out as they were before since a lot of the plants tanked and I’m still growing out a couple new plants and getting back into a good routine, so I’m not sure how helpful my answer can be right now.

But thinking back to when the vivs were At Their Peak and when my routine was really good...hmm! I never really circulated their environmental enrichment, but it was always a process of slowly adding new plants and filling in gaps, and “training” vines to grow where I wanted. Over time I added some pieces of cork to the ground, more leaf litter, seed pods, stuff like that, but I never REALLY shook things up. I WILL note though that as their plants grew, especially the quick growing Peperomia scandens vine, the geckos both change their behaviors accordingly! As the vines fill in, get trimmed, and grow back again, Gogo in particular really changes up the paths he takes to get to his favorite basking or resting spots, and as the light penetration changes they both choose new places to sit. It’s kinda neat, and I’m going to try to add some new plants soon and try to get the vivs back to where they were before. I got really...overly ambitious...when I was younger, and that coupled with Life just really tanked over time, but I’ve learned so much and I think this time around the vivs can still be just as nice, if not better.

But I digress! Even though I haven’t/don’t change up much Intentionally (plants growing out don’t really count) I actually think I might try to come up with new ideas for how I CAN do that for the geckos. Their enclosures are pretty small (12″x12″x18″, but remember that Didi is just 3.75″ from tip to tail and Gogo is only 4.25″!!) and the hardscape is permanent so I’m not sure exactly how much I could do, but maybe there ARE options...?

It’s a tricky balance between “familiarity” (‘ah yes this is MY home, where I feel safe and know where my favorite places are and how to get there!’) and “novelty” (switching up environments, trying out new decor, hides, tactile surfaces, etc.), if that makes sense.

It REALLY depends on the individual...like the mice/rats? Oh yeah, switch that shit UP!! Turn the whole enclosure upside down every week, switch up EVERYTHING and cycle through hides and bring back old favorites and try out new ones!! These guys LOVE it!! Quail...? Oh goodness, even though they’re getting braver, if I switch Too many things at once they get VERY STRESSED and pace for at least a few days before going back to normal...it’s a real balancing act with them and they really do well with a lot of familiarity, but Also novel changes and gradual improvements over time.

And with a living vivarium of course, you’re looking at a more “permanent” set up. The substrate is Alive, the environment more natural, and in most cases it’s probably harder to move everything around due to practicality (Dirt is Messy! Leaves are Messy! Reworking the vivs is always a disaster!! And I can definitely imagine a larger vivarium being heavy and difficult to shift around frequently, too) and it may not be preferred to do so, either! I would still have to test my theories in practice when I eventually get into larger reptiles, but I believe there can definitely be a happy medium between building a “familiar”, safe, enriching environment that will always be enjoyable for the inhabitant, AND providing novel enrichment.

The tricky part is knowing HOW MUCH to change, and HOW FREQUENT...

For example, once again, consider practicality. How big is the enclosure, how difficult is it to remove decor and move objects around? Are there living plants? If so, will moving decor around disturb them? And consider the individual. What is their temperament like? How do they respond to changes? Are they very active, curious, always on the move and rushing snoot-first to check out anything new? Or are they the type to hide or display signs of stress when anything familiar is changed? What’s the balance there, between desensitizing to Changes and building up Confidence and Encouraging natural behaviors and mental stimulation, vs. Distressing and Disturbing their sense of Safety/Familiarity?

Once again I notice this a lot with the difference between the mice and the quail. The quail are verrrrry timid about changes and even though I will add foliage in the same places as before, and clean everything up and add features I know they enjoy, it takes them time to readjust if I change too much at once (which I HAVE to do sometimes, during deep cleans, but I’m hoping over time they will grow more accustomed to it and won’t be as stressed in the future. Yet another reason in defense of why changing up environments CAN be a good thing...! It’s just a balancing act, is all) but compared to the mice or rats, they’re ALL OVER anything new!! Doesn’t matter if they’ve never seen it in their life, they want to sniff, jump on, run through, run on, explore, explore, EXPLORE!!!!! They THRIVE on new things and changes, but they also like a sense of familiarity (ex. they love tunnels, and use them to run from place to place...so each time I redo their enclosure, I might switch out what KINDS of tunnels we have [shape, material, size] to keep it Interesting. I also try to keep at least a few of the same hides as the last time, so it smells/feels familiar) and seem to enjoy that too. 

BUT BACK TO VIVARIUMS and how this all fits together!!!!

As I’ve said, I haven’t actually considered changing up my boys vivs, but I think this is something REALLY COOL to think about, not just for future vivs, but now as well!! I might actually try adding even more hardscape for them, like switch up the wood features on the ground, add some thin branches that can be moved around later. And this time I’ll plan for the plants as they grow and are trimmed back, as that’s a pretty cool “natural” environmental shift over time...even just letting some plants overgrow really changes up their environment, and encouraging that might be a good thing. I’ll have to experiment and I would definitely make future vivariums a bit more Flexible with their design so I could experiment more with this, as my options are somewhat limited with the geckos vivs, but still!!

And regarding your viv...!!! I have some ideas for that too!! These are some General Ideas, but here’s what I think:

- I know corn snakes in general are pretty active noodles, and although it depends on your individual corn, you may be in a good place to test out this Theory that switching up pieces of a vivarium could be beneficial enrichment. Corns in general seem like the kind of snake to adapt well and benefit from occasional changes, so here are some ideas to consider...

- Vivs naturally change over time. Plants grow, plants get trimmed, leaf litter decays, stuff like that. Adjusting plants (for example, adding new plants over time. Doesn’t really follow any rhyme or reason for me, it’s more of a natural “ooh but what if I put THIS here, or filled this space with THAT, and what if I grew something in this shady spot here, or this colorful one in the bright place here...” and that on it’s own can Improve a viv over time, and be a form of enrichment) and adding fresh leaf litter (try different types!! A couple different kinds of leaves looks better, decays at a varied rate, and is better for microfauna. They’ll eat the faster decaying ones first while the slower ones stick around longer.) can help keep things Fresh and Good

- I REALLY like to design things with Zones. I tend to think of enclosures/vivariums in terms of Choices and Factors. Factors like light/dark, warm/cool, humid/dry, open/hidden, high/low/below, hard/soft, etc., which all give the animal a Choice if they want to be one thing or the other... “Right now it’s daytime and I’m nocturnal and want to be in the shade, where it’s cooler and more secure.” “Right now it’s daytime and it’s time to Bask and Bake My Focking Eyeballs even though I have the CHOICE to be in the shade and NOT Bake My Forkking Eyespheres.” or, “I am a mouse and my instincts say I must DIG.” Stuff like that!! 1000% of the time, no matter what, the animal should ALWAYS be able to make these kinds of decisions, and enclosure/vivarium design DIRECTLY IMPACTS THIS!! No matter what changes, these basic factors should always be considered. (Of course, it changes based on the species, like for tarantulas I always think in terms of humid/dry, arboreal/terrestrial/fossorial, open/hidden, but the Ratios of these Zones changes greatly based on the species...like Kitty [bold semi-arboreal desert webbing tarantula] vs. Flaveri [terrestrial/heavy burrowing not-very-webby tarantula] are VERY different even though they’re both tarantulas. Does that make sense?

- Within these “zones” and with the idea of Choices in mind...it’s still possible and can be a good thing to mix up their options!! Some ideas for a corn snake might be...have a hide or two at different levels. One or two underground/half buried, at least one at ground level, maybe one thats elevated slightly, or visual barriers (think loose foliage that can be moved through but blocks them from view) above ground level. That gives them so many options right there, and you could always think about maybe switching one or two of those hides out (while keeping the rest same, for Familiarity) and testing different kinds of hides, maybe!! Wood vs. rocks vs. faux material vs. whatever!!! Test things out, see what they like, and remember it for later so you can incorporate that more often. It doesn’t even have to follow a rhyme or reason, maybe just mix up a piece of decor or a hide or two once every week or two, or:

- Mess with tactile enrichment!!!! This is a big one, I bet!! Try out different types of substrate, like a Big pile of leaves maybe with a Good Smell inside to encourage Sniffin’ and Searchin’, try out sand or small pebbles or different textures of wood/branches!! Cork bark is way different from ghost wood or driftwood, you feel? And maybe come up with “Permanent” parts of the hardscape that you never/rarely change, and a few easy to move parts that you could shift around or switch out sometimes...

- Also just Personal Opinion Time, which is probably going to change more over time as I gain more Knowledge and Experience, I feel like...no matter what, an animals enclosure should be Extra Enriching All The Time, and Always offer them choices WITHOUT the need to have it all turned upside down on a regular basis just to be interesting. It’s like...making your bedroom/house Yours. I wouldn’t want to totally redo my entire house every month let alone every week or two...it’s nice to live somewhere that feels like Home, but it’s also nice to change things to fit Me as time goes on. That’s something that some animals are very good at doing, themselves. Tarantulas and rodents especially, they take what you give them and run away with it...they make their own tunnels, their own hides, their own comfort and enjoyment. They take the Template we give them and say “okay now what about THIS?” One of the MOST IMPORTANT components of Great Environmental Enrichment/Design is that, I feel. Giving them an area where they can express natural behaviors of all kinds, and make Choices for themselves, and utilize/alter their environment in a safe, positive manner that allows them to Thrive in their own enclosure.

That isn’t to say that changing things up is bad either...in a lot of animals cases I think this is a good thing, and a Great Vivarium Designer/Animal Caretaker is always striving to improve, so it’s a natural trend over time to see improvements and changes made to enclosures and husbandry no matter what. Even if it doesn’t follow a regimen, as my vivs don’t seem to, they still evolve and get better over time, and that in a way is also enrichment. Just comparing pictures of my first attempts at the gecko vivs to where they were at their peak, or how my tarantula enclosures have evolved, that’s a great way to visualize what I mean by that. It doesn’t follow a pattern, but that’s not to say that I DON’T switch things up or try to provide Different things. It’s less of novelty and more of “general improvement” for the geckos and inverts though, I think.

Uhhh I’m kinda spent now with my words...I feel like I went in circles and didn’t actually say anything?? I’m still very jumbled and sniffly and sick and I’m not sure if this helped or answered your question at all but uhhhh yes! Thank you very much for the very good question, it gave me a lot to think about. c:

[solei28]

Painting in the Park- Bucky/Reader One-Shot

You absolutely adore the Springtime in NYC. Trees are full green again, teeming with wildlife. Flowers of all kinds and colors littered the strangest of places, like between cracks in walls and n the sidewalk. People have an extra pep in their step and add to the array of colors from Mother Nature.

It is the perfect time to grab your canvas, easel, paints, brushes, and head out to the park. You love to set up in the middle of the lush greenery and just let your mind and hand wonder. More than a few of your successful paintings were created with this method.

Today was pleasantly warm with a soft breeze passing through every so often. Perfect. You gathered your art supplies and headed out the door. You had decided sometime last week that you would go to Sakura Park to create your first painting for Spring.

The park wasn’t far from your little apartment on 129th street, so you walked there. It was too beautiful of a day to deal with the stuffy MTA busses. Besides, you knew the scenery would help inspire your creative whimsy.

You made a quick stop at a corner store to grab some snacks and a drink before you got to Sakura Park. You were delighted to see that the park was mostly empty. There shouldn’t be too many distractions while you worked. You set up by a bench so you could sit when you needed a break. Once you were all set up, you looked around at the lush beauty surrounding you.

The trees are a must for this painting. Maybe, I’ll add some fantastical elements as well. You picked up a brush and let your hand move across the canvas. You were so consumed, that you didn’t even notice the stranger watching you in complete awe.

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After yet another sleepless night, Bucky had made his way to the kitchen, hoping to find something to ease his stomach. He found Steve in the kitchen making sandwiches.

“I woke you up again,” Bucky said gruffly. “Sorry.”

Steve looked at him with a soft smile. “You don’t have to apologize. This is exactly why I’m here, Buck.”

Bucky felt terrible that he would wake Steve up with his nightmares. Sometimes, Steve would have to come in and hold him down because his thrashing around would destroy his bed. Those nights were the worst. He would always attack Steve thinking he was from Hydra. If it wasn’t for the super soldier serum, he was sure he would’ve killed Steve by now.

Steve could see the pain in his friend's eyes. “Come on. Eat, it will help you feel better.”

Bucky wasn’t exactly hungry, but he wouldn’t refuse Steve’s offer. The man was up at 3 in the morning because of him. It was the least he could do. He nodded and sat down at the kitchen table after taking the plate Steve held out for him.

After a few moments of silence, Steve spoke. “We should head out in the morning. Some fresh air will do us both some good.”

Bucky thought about it as he chewed. He had been cooped up in their apartment for a few weeks now. He only went out when it was absolutely necessary to replenish food and toiletries. He didn’t feel comfortable out in the public.

“I don't know, Steve,” he began just to be cut off.

Steve knew he was going to try and find an excuse to stay home. “Bucky, you need to get out and get some sun. Staying locked away day in and day out is not helping you. In fact, I think it’s doing more damage than good. Besides, you won’t be alone. I’ll be with you.”

Bucky pouted knowing the blond was right and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Reluctantly, he nodded. “Fine.”

Steve beamed at him. “That’s the spirit, Buck. We’re going to Sakura Park.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow at him. “Where’s that and why do I feel like you’ve been planning this for a while now?”

“It’s on Riverside and I have been planning to get you outside. I was looking for a park we could go to and Sakura stood out. With Spring in full effect, I’m sure the cherry blossoms are a must see,” Steve said simply and took the last bite of his sandwich.

“You’re taking your sketchbook, right?” Bucky asked with a grin. He knew Steve really did want to get him out of the apartment, but he also knew that the artist needed a change of scenery.

“You know me so well.” Steve got up and took his plate over to the sink. “Try and get some rest, Buck. We are in for a long day.”

Bucky shook his head and groaned. What did this man have in store for him?

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When Bucky and Steve got to Sakura Park, they were surprised to see how empty it was on such a beautiful day. Bucky was glad it was empty. The fewer people he had to be around the better. Steve was in awe at the beautiful trees that were surrounding them.

They walked around, trying to find the perfect spot that inspired Steve. They finally did at a bench under a tree that faced Riverside Church. Steve didn’t waste any time breaking out his sketchbook.

Bucky sat back on the bench and scanned the area. He took in the trees, full of cherry blossoms, the flowers sprouting from the lush green grass around them. He watched squirrels dart out from behind trees and garbage cans looking for their next meal. There was a couple a few feet from them, walking their beagle.

“So, whatcha think, Buck?” Steve asked.

Bucky shrugged. “It’s quite.”

Steve shook his head and sighed. “Yeah, it is. The cherry blossoms are beautiful.”

Bucky looked around again and was stunned by the beauty that had just walked into the park. She had a large black tote bag on her shoulder, an easel under the same arm and a plastic bag in her other hand. “Beautiful,” he murmured.

Steve looked at Bucky curiously. Upon following his friend's gaze, he noticed what-no, who had grabbed his attention suddenly. He smiled fondly at Bucky but said nothing. He was happy to see him take an interest in another human that wasn’t him.

Bucky watched as she set up her easel and secured the canvas onto it. She pulled out some tubes of paint, brushes and a wooden palette from her tote bag. He admired the care she took setting her palette and the way she looked around at the trees. It reminded him of Steve and a smile tugged at his lips.

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You took a step back to get a better look at what you had on the canvas. You studied it intently, tilting your head from side to side. There was something missing, but you couldn’t figure out what. You frowned with a groan and took another step back.

“You’re really talented,” a soft voice said from behind you.

You yelped in surprise and spun around to see who was there. You could’ve sworn you were there alone. Now, there were 2 men sitting on the other end of the bench. And, not just any 2 men. Your eyes went wide as you stared at Captian America and the Winter Soldier.

“Holy, shit! You’re Captain Rogers and Sergent Barnes!” you squeaked.

Steve laughed at how flushed you were. Bucky felt the heat rise up his neck and face. You knew who they were. Who he was.  

“Yes, we are,” Steve said an got up. He went over to you with his hand out. “And, you are?” he asked when you shook his hand.

Your mouth opened and closed like a fish, trying to figure out how words worked. Finally, you managed to tell them your name.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N.” Steve looked at the painting again.

Bucky came up behind and smiled shyly at you. You stuck your hand out and after a moment of hesitation, he shook it. Your hands were so soft and slender in his. Your eyes were still wide and he felt like he could lose himself in them forever. He felt the blush creeping back and let go of your hand with a grunt and turned his attention to your painting.

“Seriously, speaking. This is amazing. How long have you been painting, Y/N?” Steve asked you.

You blushed at the compliment and looked down. “Thank you. I’ve been painting since I was 4.”

Bucky was fascinated by the painting. The harmonious colors blended so beautifully together. He knew this should be in a museum so everyone could experience it. Because that’s what it was. An experience. He noticed you were staring at him and when he looked at you, you averted your gaze quickly. Maybe you wanted to know his thoughts on it.

“This should be up in a museum. It’s exquisite,” he said in a quiet voice. Why was he so flustered around you?

You looked back at him, eyes shining. “You really think so?”

He felt his pulse quicken at the look you were giving him. Your eyes are bright and you’re smiling shyly. God, she’s beautiful.

You were trying to figure out how the hell you ended up standing here with heroes who actually enjoyed your work. Then, you noticed you were starring again and looked back to the painting. Get it together, Y/N. You felt those steel blue eyes on you. Damn it, he noticed I was staring again. You couldn’t help it, though. He was so handsome and those eyes just pulled you in.

Steve, who was enjoying the tension between you 2, spoke trying to ease the air. “So, is this how you make a living?”

You looked up at the blond and nodded. “Yeah, I have an online Etsy shop that I sell my paintings on. I also do commission pieces once in a while.”

“That’s awesome.” Steve gestured to Bucky. “Buck’s right. This should be in a museum.”

You would love to have your art displayed in a museum, but didn’t feel confident enough in pursuing it. “I don’t how I would even begin trying to get into one.” You chuckled, trying to hide your self-doubt.

Bucky sensed there was more to it than what you were saying. He felt an eagerness to find out what was bothering you. Just this morning he was dreading being around people. Now, he wanted to know everything about you.

“I’m pretty sure if you put a portfolio together any curator would be interested in displaying your work,” Bucky heard himself say. “Anyone with eyeballs can see how talented you are.”

His words struck a cord and you felt your chest swell with pride. You smiled at him. “I guess I should put one together, then.”

Steve reached into his pocket and took out his phone. “Oh, I better take this. Excuse me.” He walked away, but not before smirking at Bucky.

What is this punk up to? Bucky’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and raised an eyebrow.

Steve: Ask her out to lunch

Bucky: What??

Steve: Do it

Bucky felt your eyes on him. He looked at you and swallowed. You blinked at him owlishly. He felt himself slipping deep into your e/c eyes. Just ask her, you dumbass.

“So, uh, do you have any plans for lunch? I thought, maybe, we could grab a bite to eat.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously but kept his eyes on yours.

You felt the crimson creep up your face and bit your bottom lip. “Um, yeah, sure. I’d like that.”

Bucky let out a sigh of relief. Then, he realized that this area was foreign to him and he had no idea where to go. “Is there a place around here you like?”

You thought about it for a moment. There were a few restaurants in the area. You had tried them out and didn’t have any complaints. “Well, there are a few places around that are good. Are you in the mood for anything in particular?”

“Not really. You pick a place, doll. Steve is paying for it, so don’t worry about prices,” Bucky said with a wicked smirk as Steve made his way back over to you both.

Steve let out a huff. “Oh, am I?

“Yeah, you are punk,” Bucky confirmed.

You found their friendship adorable. “Hmm, do you guys like seafood?” They both nodded at you. “Great! There’s a fish market that makes the best stuffed clams not far from here. Let me just pack up.”

“Sounds good, Doll,” Bucky said. He looked at your painting again. “Is it safe to move this?”

“Yeah, it’s already dry. Acrylic paint dries fast in warm weather like this,” You assured him. You took the canvas off of the easel and handed it to him. “Can you hold this for a moment?”

“Of course.” He took the painting and watched you as he did before. In awe, while you put everything away. He was relishing the fact he could spend some more time with you. He was looking forward to getting to know you better.

Steve was surprised at how today was turning out, but he was happy about it. A simple day out was turning into something special. His best friend seemed to be coming out of his shell, finally. He was talking to a beautiful, talented woman and they were all going to have lunch together. He knew this was the start of something great.

He wasn’t wrong, either. Neither you or Bucky knew that this marked the first day of a long life together. How a simple day painting in the park led you to find the love of your lives.