FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

[ghetto gardener]

I read through the re-potting section, and I saw no mention of terrariums. One of my most admired college professors had a carnivorous plant terrarium, and I thought it was just the coolest.

I followed the directions found on the site called "The Terrarium Guy" or something similar. The idea of wrapping the peat moss around the root is a good one that I wish I'd known. The plant tends to spread a bit more than I'd like, and wrapping the root or rhizome in peat likely would have lessened this.

I put a layer of marbles on the bottom, then a layer of fine rock, then my media of peat moss and vermiculite. I know perlite is better, it doesn't break down, but vermiculite is what I had to work with.

I don't keep it super wet in there-not misting up the sides, but there is definitely some humidity as the soil is not drying out quickly.

Here's the $10 million dollar question: I live in a residential hotel. Being pretty clean and staying on top of it we have few roaches, but there is the occasional. Is there any reason not to feed this fat juicy bug to my traps? The only other thing on hand is little bitty flies. I really don't want to keep crickets if I can avoid it. Cheep cheep....I'd be a crazy lady pretty soon.

About the small flies, is it even worth the activation energy cost to feed a tiny fruit fly to my plant?

Is the terrarium a bad idea? It's an open top,shaped like a fishbowl, a bit narrower at the top, but open. It is exactly like the one I saw on the video. But my traps tend to hit the sides because of the spreading. If my camera worked I'd show you.

Of course all the moving the plant about and some missteps in relearning how to feed, it's no surprize I lost a few traps-but new ones are coming in and an immature one is opening.

Is there anything that someone could suggest to make this better? My biggest issue is light. It won't be sunny today until about noon, and then I only get it until about 3p. A full spec bulb or fluorescent?

My biggest questions are about the terrarium and the bugs.

Thanks,
Shawna

[Goodkoalie]

Terriams are generally not good fro VFT. They do not like being that wet, and they need a ton of light. I grow mine in full sun all day long and they still show signs of not enough light. You do not need to feed them, they will catch their own bugs. If the plants do not have enough light and ventilation, then the plants will have a ton of mold in the terriam.