Starting area
The starting area of the map in Animal Well is where a new game begins.
First encounters
The bulb, from which the player emerges is the first object that becomes visible after the intro. The first encounter with a squirrel and with blue ghosts are in the starting area. Firecrackers are the first tools available to the player. The first telephone save point is under a moving platform just after a couple of rooms that teach the players basic platforming. The tutorial bunny can be seen in the starting area, but can only be accessed from the great egret room in the seahorse area.
Connections
A ladder at the end of the starting area leads to the central area. After unlocking the animal flute, the mouse head shortcut can be used to reach the shortcut room.
If the time capsule is unearthed with a top, a passage through unbreakable tiles opens to the manticore area. This is considered to be an unintentional glitch due to the time capsule island's coordinates corresponding to the screen, where entrance to the manticore area is located.
Exits
The starting area can be existed through a fish head pipe to the eel area. The fish head pipe is hidden behind a gate which requires lighting all candles to open.
Entrances
There are two one-way entrances to the area. One through the cave in which the tutorial bunny resides and the warp song of the bulb bunny.
Snake area
A second half of the starting area is blocked by a gate of the snake statue, which requires the S medal to access. It contains the remote, which can be used to beat the snake mini-game. The B. ball is required to access another mini-game behind a B. ball brick wall, which hides the Neon Egg.