Question
Haven't found a lot of info on proper terrariums...I have my new vft (about an inch and a half tall?) in a two gallon fish tank that has a light on top. I left it in the pot and put a tray under it with bottled water. The aquarium has a plastic top with a hole in it and a light...I've been leaving the light on for about 12 hours or so...seems like the growth of the plant has slowed wayyy down. Am I using the wrong kind of light, or suffocating it by not taking off the plastic cover? I fed it a very small peice of worm, then the trap died and I trimmed away. It grew another trap and I waited about a month before I tried to feed it again but the trap wouldn't close around it so I removed worm peice and the trap died a few days later. Am wondering what I'm doing wrong? It has some leaves growing but so far no more traps? Am I killing my plant or does it need to go into dormancy? Everyone has different opinions on how to dormantize the plant but what's the best? Thank you for your help!

Answer
Hi Crystal,

I have some bad news about your flytrap.  The reason why it's not looking so good is because it's been growing inside a terrarium when it really wants to be growing outdoors.  Venus flytraps are native to North Carolina.  In the wild they experience full sun.  In winter they also experience very cold temperatures as low as 10癋 on rare occasions.  At our nursery in Oregon, we grow flytraps and other US native carnivorous plants strictly outdoors.  You can see photos of  our nursery in our photo gallery:
http://www.cobraplant.com/gallery

My guess is that your lights are inadequate for this sun-loving plant.  Completely any growing instructions that came with your plant.  Too many commercial nurseries simply have no idea how to grow them properly, and they rely heavily on myths and misconceptions about these plants.

If you're using artificial lights, you need to use fluorescent lights that is a minimum of 40 watts and kept fairly close, about 6 inches above the plant.  This is to simulate the type of light (full sun) that this plant prefers.  

One key evidence that your plant isn't getting sufficient light intensity is the fact that each trap dies immediately after you feed it.  It takes a tremendous amount of energy for the plant to digest the insect, and they get their energy from sunlight.  

Frankly, we actually regard the feeding of carnivorous plants very low on the priority list.  The most important part of the care is sunlight and water.  

Depending on where you live, it may already be too late to acclimate your plant to outdoor growing.  Instead, remove the plant from your terrarium setting and place it in a sunny south window.  Keep it there through the winter.  In spring, after the last frost of the winter season has passed, write back to us for instructions on how to acclimate your plant to outdoor growing.

For more myth-free information about growing flytraps and other carnivorous plants, download our care sheets at:
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets.html

Good growing!
Jacob Farin