Chapter 586: The Adorable Leopard Gecko

Yan Ganghui squatted down too!

He discovered that the bottom of the elephant's foot wasn't flat as he had imagined. Instead, it was uneven, resembling a thick, rough tire.

The surface was bumpy, with irregular gaps of varying widths. The gaps were dark and not very clear.

Fang Ye explained, "The excess material you see is called growth, or simply put, callus! A healthy elephant's foot should be amber-colored, without cracks, and elastic."

At this moment, Xiao Qing returned!

He brought a long, curved, rough brown object, larger than a palm, with some grass and dung mixture still clinging to it.

He displayed it to the tourists and said, "This is the growth we removed from Bobo's foot the first time we trimmed it."

The tourists gathered around, wrinkling their noses in disgust.

"Wow, that's dirty!"

"Ew, it's kind of gross!"

"What's on it, poop?"

Xiao Qing confirmed, "Yes, elephants inevitably step in dung as they walk around. It can get stuck in the gaps of their toenails or the growth on their feet. That's why we regularly brush their feet to prevent bacterial growth.

We also check for embedded stones or thorns to ensure the elephants' feet stay healthy."

Someone curiously asked, "Don't you feel grossed out when trimming the elephants' feet?"

Xiao Qing grinned and said, "We're keepers; there's nothing to be grossed out about."

Xiao Kong added coolly, "If my hands don't smell a bit like an elephant, I feel like something's missing when I go to sleep."

Yan Ganghui gave a thumbs up in admiration, "Impressive!"

To him, the smell of elephants was like aged cow dung!

Though less pungent than cow dung, it was still quite strong.

Getting used to sleeping with the smell of elephants was quite an achievement.

Fang Ye laughed, "Actually, elephant dung is quite clean! It contains very few bacteria. Bear Grylls even drank water squeezed from fresh elephant dung. If you're walking in a hot wilderness and can't find a water source, elephant dung might save your life."

Su Hui wrinkled her face in disgust, "Ugh! That makes me feel like throwing up."

Yan Ganghui shivered, "I hope I never encounter such a situation!"

While explaining to the tourists, Fang Ye used a small knife to scrape Pingping's sole, removing the growth.

Pingping seemed to feel something and sensitively retracted its foot.

Fang Ye used a calming technique, gently stroking Pingping's leg and smiling softly, "Good girl, it's okay~"

After a long effort, Fang Ye finally finished trimming all of Pingping's feet. He then used a hose to wash away the debris and dust.

Sure enough, after careful trimming, the feet looked much better!

In the light, the soles had a charming amber color, and the toes appeared healthy and full.

The tourists couldn't help but applaud enthusiastically!

Fang Ye smiled and praised, "Good job, Pingping! You did great."

Pingping seemed very pleased, taking a few steps forward to test its newly trimmed feet.

Comfortable!

"Here's a reward for you!"

Xiao Kong took some apple and carrot pieces from a bucket and tossed them on the ground. Fang Ye clicked his tongue, "Be generous! Give her the rest!"

It was like a windfall; after receiving small pieces one by one, Pingping suddenly got a big pile.

Pingping happily used her trunk to pick up and eat the treats.

The tourists, satisfied with their photos, began to leave. Some with questions stayed behind to ask the keepers.

Yan Ganghui and Su Hui left the care center, excitedly chatting along the way.

...

Yan Ganghui checked the map at the intersection. Below the elephant exhibit was the reptile house and an animal restaurant. Ahead was the highland exhibit, connected to the predator corridor and waterfowl lake.

He asked, "Are you afraid of snakes?"

Su Hui thought for a moment, "Not really."

She used to be a bit scared!

But after watching an episode of a variety show featuring snakes, she found them quite cute.

The most timid member, Shi Xi, initially shivered at the mention of snakes but soon was able to handle even pythons. This changed Su Hui's impression of snakes significantly.

Yan Ganghui said, "Let's check out the reptile house then! We haven't been there yet.

We can have lunch at the animal restaurant and then rest at the hot spring inn. In the afternoon, we can see the lions, tigers, and maybe some rabbits and swans."

"Sounds great!"

They walked around a grove and came upon a gently flowing stream, exuding a cool and serene atmosphere.

Willow leaves brushed the water's surface, and colorful koi swam leisurely, inviting a second look.

This area seemed to be a rest zone, with many tourists lounging on deck chairs, chatting and sipping drinks, looking very relaxed.

Su Hui spotted a night heron standing on a rock in the stream, hunched over and peering into the water, seemingly eyeing the koi.

As the koi swam closer, the heron suddenly lunged, pecking at the water!

Splash! It caught nothing but air.

The koi here were only slightly smaller than the night heron, so catching one was a daydream.

The night heron stood on the rock, tilting its head as if pondering its life choices.

It was reluctant to leave after discovering such a bounty of fish!

Su Hui couldn't help but laugh at the silly bird.

...

They entered the reptile house.

Lush green leaves and a dense rainforest atmosphere greeted them, prompting another round of amazement.

Yan Ganghui looked at an exhibit in front of him. The bottom was covered with dry sand, with dried tree branches and rocks arranged inside.

In the middle was a green plant, and a twisted, thick branch extended from the bottom to the rocky wall, with a stone water dish placed inside.

Yan Ganghui curiously peered inside, wondering where the animal was hiding.

He walked around and spotted an orange little creature resting against a rock on the sand!

It noticed him watching and lifted its head curiously.

Its back was covered in small bumps, and its tail slowly swayed behind it, while its chin puffed up and down.

The most captivating feature was its large, black eyes!

This was a leopard gecko.

Leopard geckos in small containers often lack exercise and become overweight, but those in the reptile house had plenty of space. They were lean and energetic.

Yan Ganghui quickly called Su Hui over, "Hey, look at this cute one!"

The leopard gecko's mouth curved slightly, as if it were smiling.

Its red tongue flicked out to lick its lips, and it blinked its bright black eyes, exuding a charming allure.

Su Hui was thrilled, "Wow! It's so cute, it winked at me!"