VFT's really belong outside. They will slowly weaken in a terrarium. Some sundews do well in a terrarium, but terraria, by nature, are relatively high maintenance, with the lighting, pc fan, fungicides,.... Many sundews do very well at a south facing window sill, with the pot sitting in a plastic container of distilled or rainwater. This is very simple and very effective.

I agree with the Vfts going outside statement. I tried growing vfts' inside a 8 gallon terrarium and it grew all.. distorted; long thin leaves, malformed traps. I used a 14 watt light bulb. *the terrarium wasn't a big one anyway* i'm also growing a drosera adelae(which is flowering now) drosera capensis, pinguicula moranensis, pinguicula sethos and... drosera spatulata. they ALL did fine except for the vft. I am assuming that vfts' benefit from stronger lighting & higher humidity, they can achieve these two factors better outdoors while other carnivorous plants like sundews can benefit from only bright light. If i were you, i would grow the venus' flytrap outside in a sunny location. they benefit a lot of full sunlight, they also grow more vigorous during the summers outdoors. not just that, they also make that beautiful red Hue inside their traps. Terrariums is a bit complicated for me.. too much maintance with fanning the plants.. humidity.. etc. so they do MUCH better outdoors in full sun.

Depends on what type of sundew. Some are temperate and should be outside year-round along with the VFT. The VFT is a big no for a terrarium. It will not thrive, and needs a cold dormancy period. Your sundews still might not do well if you don't have LOTS of light on them.

i say yes you can....i have lance leaf sundew...and venus flytraps...and butterworts and a small nep. ventricosa all in the same terrerium...i know im not supposed to do that but....everything is growing great....although i did have about 2 traps grow a bit out of whack but as soon as they got bigger they straightened out and look good....my nep is doing ok now...but was having trouble making pitchers....but i think it was from the shock of delivery....i got it from cooks...and its now growing pretty quickly ...for a nep

junior trap, how long have you had this set up? A fly trap should live for years and years, but without getting that winter rest it will be weak and eventually die out. It is not healthy for it at all, and the same goes for sarracenia. It may make it 2-3 years like that, but it will eventually die. It would be the same for you if you were forced to stay awake all night long. One night you might be able to do it. Two nights in a row is pushing it. By three nights you are going to be so sick and ill. If you picture the summer time being "day" for the plant and the winter dormancy being its "night", then you certainly can understand how unhealthy it will be for that plant to have to miss too many "nights" of sleep. It will be a much better plant if you take it out of that terrarium and put it outside. People who have been growing these plants for years and years know best, and I will certainly do as they say to have the healthiest plants possible.

I sudgest that you grow them out doors, and if you do grow VFT's dont put them in a terrium, simply get the light, and put youre plants under it. But as said they do grow best out doors!

Cheers

I have my venus and sundew in the same terrarium. I knew it wasn't the best for them, so I'm in the process of building a better structure. I have a west facing window that I block the sun in the late afternoon when it's strongest, but I put the tank outside in the morning for a few hours so that it gets indirect, but strong sunlight.
I have a "ghetto" aeration system where I punctured holes in a straw like tubing and ran it along the base of the tank. I keep the soil moist, but living in KY, the moss is likely to dry out very fast. It's a tricky business.
I keep the sundew end very moist and the vft end with the straw construction and they are doing well.

sdrosera, what kind of a "better structure" are you talking about? Its not the fact of them being in a terrarium that is a problem. It is because they aren't getting a cold dormancy. That is the whole root problem of them being kept inside. The sun is also another reason, but people can grow them inside in a pot so they can move them around for dormancy requirements. I would rather have mine inside so I can observe them more often too, but I also want what is best for the plant. I am not going to enjoy an unhealthy plant as much as a healthy one.

well ive had thi set up for about 2 and 1/2 months...the vft is doing fine and my lance leaf is about to flower

junior trap, like I said before, that is not enough time to see the negative effects of the plant being inside. I thought I explained it plainly enough, but apparently not, so I'm not even going to try any more. This time next year your plant will be looking sick and maybe you will remember what you were told about it needing to be outside. People who have been growing plants for years and years know this to be true and I don't know why you refuse to listen to this good advise you are being given. So I'm not arguing anymore.

Speaking of "ghetto look":

{{gwi:546989}}

In here are yogur containers, my wife's Gladware (shhh..), makeshift shelving, disposable plastic pipette containers, possibly an old lasagna thingy, and my wife's Tupperware (shh...)