He looks thoughtful at the idea- he probably could design some enclosures that could be kept inside the greenhouse. Whether Mark and Alec would necessarily want to share greenhouse space with a growing menagerie of animals will have to be seen. Hopefully Alex's uncomplaining willingness to do the literal dirty work of his portion of their miniature agricultural revolution will keep some good will harbored towards any ideas he might have.

"I think I've just been throwing myself in to the things I know how to do to avoid facing everything I don't know," he admits. "I've been treating this as a kind of- extended field research trip, I guess? But with fewer undergrads daring each other to lick the toads."