I will begin with a disclaimer: I now have a unicorn. However, I played this game for months before getting it. I started the game when it was so brand new there were only 4 elements, and spent weeks at the old level 30 cap, then weeks at the new level 40 cap, before my luck rolled in. I have no emeralds. I have no additional unicorns. I may have one now but I remember VERY clearly what it was like going for months without. And all the coping mechanisms I came up with to be able to inch forward as fast as I could regardless.
For those of you who think game life must be easier with a ultras, you are correct. It takes SO little effort to get an ultra to level 10, and at that level it makes the income of a typical common-rare-super spread of 10 animals. The income of 10. In one small habitat. It IS worth the long wait.
I can't even imagine how easy expanding and feeding animals is for those with a bunch of ultras. I know there are those with multiples out there who don't get as much income as we might think, not as much as they can, but that is only because, while they lucked or bought their way to a fleet of yachts as compared to the ultra-less in rowboats, they don't put the effort in to make the fuel to make their yachts go. But even so, they can just coast and still get ahead. They still have yachts.
This thread is for those who don't have yachts yet, but who DO want to put the effort in to row to the finish line. Who want to get a decent income even with the handicap of no unicorn. I managed to get over a million coins per day income and nearly all my expansions pre-unicorn. By intelligently leveling what I did have, and choosing the best habitats to house them, and arranging them optimally in those habitats. And I wanted to create a thread to share advice and help others in the same boat (lol) at least be able to expand and create enough income to afford to plant grand farm crops. After all you need 10 animals to earn what 1 ultra does. You NEED that room.
Anyone entering this thread who is unicorn-less and wants to ask questions / seek advice, please do! And players old and new with advice please post that too!!!
After all that preamble, I will have to start my actual advice in the next post.