would it be bad if....

Crysta

Arachnoprince
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I make a tank for salamanders...and add venus fly trap to it?? ... I don't think the trap would effect the salamanders much... and I could build it in such a way they would not dig under it, ect...

Just though about it, because of all the lovely humidty... and the traps can eat the stay crickets... hmm..
 

BQC123

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I don't know how they would mix. Have you ever grown the flytraps before?
Most people have trouble keeping them. They do require a winter dormancy period.
The high light required may bother the salamanders, or at least keep them hidden during the day. I would also wonder if the highly acidic conditions would harm the salamanders. I have found four-toes salamanders by a sphagnum area, but I don't usually find amphibians in those conditions. The animal waste may provide too much fertilizer as well. Most carnivorous plants prefer a nutrient poor substrate.

Do some research on the flytraps before you make a decision. I may have some flytrap info pdf files If you are interested PM me.
 

Crysta

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oh awesome! I just thought about it because the food store here was selling fly traps.... and they looked cool for 9$... :D lol! I think I might pick them up anyways and put them by my window. Me and misquitos don't get along since I am allergic... lol


and ill PM you for those documents sounds interesting!
 

Jaymz Bedell

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Definitely not, unfortunately. Venus fly traps require all day full sun outside, in addition to a period of dormancy. it'd be awesome if they actually did well inside, but most people have major trouble keeping them alive inside. outside they actually make great subjects. high light, nutrient poor substrate like peat moss or sphagnum moss with some perlite for airation, and rainwater...tap water tends to burn the roots of carnivorous plants. if you're interested in bug eating plants, though now that I think of it some have even taken rats in the wild, do a search for carnivorous plant forums. there are a few out there that are really good, but they escape my over tired mind at the moment.
 

GPulchra

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Perhaps a cut catus or cactus? Or even a Pinguicula Agnata. I could sell you one for real cheap if you live in the US.
 

Crysta

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i dont think the cacti would do well in salamander enclosures hehe
thanks though

Jaymyz! i love reading your post they give me so many ideas! hehe. Too bad about the fly trap.
Some of them in the store pots have blakened as well...probably not enough sun...makes me want to save them all! lol
 

BQC123

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i dont think the cacti would do well in salamander enclosures hehe
thanks though

Jaymyz! i love reading your post they give me so many ideas! hehe. Too bad about the fly trap.
Some of them in the store pots have blakened as well...probably not enough sun...makes me want to save them all! lol
Seriously, don't bother trying to save them if they are looking bad, unless you get a super good deal. They have been watered with tap water for a while (high in minerals) and hard to save.
 

the toe cutter

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I have had flytraps and pitcher plants inside my house by the window we bought from Lowes as bulbs for a year now and they are doing great? We do not give them tap water(we collect rain water or use bottled water) and they don't really need alot of water anyway, I read most people drown them and thats why they dont do too well. I used to find them in patches in the wild in Georgia and North Carolina where the soil was able to support other non-carnivorous plants. Perhaps you could leave them in the pot/container they are in and just put moss over the top so the container doesn't show inside the aquarium? I know I have done this with tropical plants in my vivarium, so the animals don't uproot them, and it works great! Its worth a shot anyway.
 

Jaymz Bedell

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I'm glad i can help inspire! Venus fly traps and native pitcher plants require full all day sun, if you have a window that gets full all day sun lucky you! i wish i had a window like that, as it is my brightest and most illuminated window get just enough light to grow and flower Cattleya orchids, which are high light, but not all day full sun. the issue with water is not so simple as too much or too little. tightly compacting substrates with no additions for airation can suffocate plants roots, even bog plants like Venus fly traps and our native pitchers. as much as I love venus fly traps, especially the giant clones with 1.5 to 2 inch traps, I just don't have a good place to get them the sun they need. in a terrarium you will have a hard time getting enough light for Venus fly traps without over heating the terrarium. venus fly traps also require a dormant period with lower temps and a lot less water. no fertilizer, just an occasional bug in the trap will do it. each trap can only close and open so many times before it dies, but they're usually replaced with new traps regularly through out the growing season.

toe cutter if you've found venus fly traps growing wild in Georgia you might have a new locality for the species, which is found in a relatively small area in southern north carolina and northern south carolina. this is VERY interesting! it would also mean that the plight of the venus fly trap in the wild isn't as perilous as it would seem with a species confined to one relatively tiny area.
 

BQC123

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Jaymz mentioned the heat. Great point. Heat and most salamanders do not mix.
 

Crysta

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I have had flytraps and pitcher plants inside my house by the window we bought from Lowes as bulbs for a year now and they are doing great? We do not give them tap water(we collect rain water or use bottled water) and they don't really need alot of water anyway, I read most people drown them and thats why they dont do too well. I used to find them in patches in the wild in Georgia and North Carolina where the soil was able to support other non-carnivorous plants. Perhaps you could leave them in the pot/container they are in and just put moss over the top so the container doesn't show inside the aquarium? I know I have done this with tropical plants in my vivarium, so the animals don't uproot them, and it works great! Its worth a shot anyway.
Ill just leave them by my window...although I must consider the rainy season here in vancouver!! lol

I'm glad i can help inspire! Venus fly traps and native pitcher plants require full all day sun, if you have a window that gets full all day sun lucky you! i wish i had a window like that, as it is my brightest and most illuminated window get just enough light to grow and flower Cattleya orchids, which are high light, but not all day full sun. the issue with water is not so simple as too much or too little. tightly compacting substrates with no additions for airation can suffocate plants roots, even bog plants like Venus fly traps and our native pitchers. as much as I love venus fly traps, especially the giant clones with 1.5 to 2 inch traps, I just don't have a good place to get them the sun they need. in a terrarium you will have a hard time getting enough light for Venus fly traps without over heating the terrarium. venus fly traps also require a dormant period with lower temps and a lot less water. no fertilizer, just an occasional bug in the trap will do it. each trap can only close and open so many times before it dies, but they're usually replaced with new traps regularly through out the growing season.
So could that dorment period be when the it rains down in vancouver ?? ...or do they need sun for that too? (clouds should be blocking it between september and...march..? lol)

Jaymz mentioned the heat. Great point. Heat and most salamanders do not mix.
Nope they don't! My A. lateral loved it cool, if it got too hot they wouldn't eat.
Well at least I asked hehe

thanks for the info everyone! :D

Crysta
 

Jaymz Bedell

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Even though the fly traps are out you've still got a lot of options, from something as simple as Pothos, to something more exotic like Jewel orchids. and a whole world of plants in between.

Hi I'm Jaymz and I'm a big orchidoholic. so long as substrate is taken into consideration jewel orchids (Genere - Macodes, Ludisia, Goodyera, and several others) do extremely well in terrariums and vivariums. they tolerate low light very well. they do well with the humidity. and a light, open mix that allows for air circulation while maintaining moisture, and being well drained, suits them. I've grown Ludisia discolor in pure coco fiber with absolutely no additions, with 30 watts of light over a 24 inch tall 30 gallon terrarium, a VERY low light situation. it grew like a weed. i ended up dividing it in half, replanting one half in the terrarium and cutting the stems of the other half into pieces with 2 or 3 joints and started about 40 new plants from them. Ludisia comes in several cultivars, the normal being dark reddish green leaves with metallic pink/red veining, alba which has mottle light green leaves, and a super dark "black" variety with nearly black leaves which makes the metallic veining pop. I know you're in Canada so the selection will vary, but I know most of the jewel orchids are fairly easy to track down.

there are other orchids that might work as well, but the jewel orchids, named for their leaves (which is what they're grown for, most have small non-descript flowers), do extremely well in terrarium/vivarium culture.

what species were you interested in keeping? knowing that I might be able to provide a list of plants that might suit your needs.
 

Crysta

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I wanted to get some tiger salamanders...But! I just revived my love for red eyed crocodile skinks, and they need a cool/moist envirenment with high humidity as well, so it's almost the same :)
I just googled up some photos of them and theya re beautiful!! I love the way they 'spread' out on the ground too. Well, from this photo anyways; http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/183345/

I want to get a live vivarium going on for them... all live plants, ect. Do you think there would be enough room for a small species(or two) of potho and the orchid?

Oh. I was wondering would the smell of the flowers affect the reptile in any way? (Like perfumes do?) I also looking for that chocolate smelling orchid you mentioned before. Oh and the same for t's :D

Thanks
sorry for all the questions!
(ill be back later, need to go to store)

Crysta
 

Jaymz Bedell

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Dormancy for venus fly traps starts when the day light hours get shorter, eventually their foliage is killed off by frosts, in the wild and in peoples bog gardens. a lot of people bring their fly traps in and store them in the fridge for the winter, and those that grow inside usually do the same. and dormancy is broken with the spring warm up. most plants will start going dormant around the end of september, and come out of dormancy starting in late march or april. theres more to it, but i kept it fairly simple to keep readers interested. maybe next year ill do a bog dish garden to accent the native/hardy orchid area that is being put in. but before that happens I have to figure out how to keep the wild mammals out of my yard. this is the first year since I moved into this house that I've had anything eat my plants, aside from birds eating ripening sunflower seeds from spent flower heads. this year the local deer, squirrels, woodchucks, AND, chipmunks figured out between my flowers and my veggies they can get a tasty free meal whenever they want. we encourage birds of all sorts, we have cornered the market on the neighborhood hummingbirds, we have 6 to 8 that visit the gardens and feeder daily. we also get all manner of sparrows, finches (including purple finches and goldfinches), jays, robins, and we live 1/4 of a mile from a large turkey vulture nesting area. who says N.Y. has no wildlife?!
 

Jaymz Bedell

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I think they would do well with either the crocodile skinks or tiger salamanders. there is actually a species of jewel orchid (Goodyera pubescens if I remember correctly) native to the range of several subspecies of tiger salamander.

Ludisia is not fragrant, most orchids that would do well in terrariums aren't. there are a few that would be, but it shouldn't cause any issues. less so with spiders and other inverts I'd be inclined to think. I've never had issues with it, I had some in with Avicularia sp. Guyana for quite a long time and never had an issue...aside from the plant growing like a monster.

what size will the enclosure be? Pothos responds well to trimming, and Ludisia does as well. other jewel orchids will have different growth habits, a lot of them form small tufts of rosettes that stay close to the ground.

some others to consider...spider plant (Genus Chlorophytum) do well in terrariums, and are considered clean air plants. grows like a weed and has a cool mode of reproduction. I get several dozen baby spider plants on any given spider plant at a time. they can be detatched and rooted easily. but the size of the enclosure you use will decide the plants it can handle, without driving you insane with constant trimming.
 

Crysta

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I think they would do well with either the crocodile skinks or tiger salamanders. there is actually a species of jewel orchid (Goodyera pubescens if I remember correctly) native to the range of several subspecies of tiger salamander.

Ludisia is not fragrant, most orchids that would do well in terrariums aren't. there are a few that would be, but it shouldn't cause any issues. less so with spiders and other inverts I'd be inclined to think. I've never had issues with it, I had some in with Avicularia sp. Guyana for quite a long time and never had an issue...aside from the plant growing like a monster.

what size will the enclosure be? Pothos responds well to trimming, and Ludisia does as well. other jewel orchids will have different growth habits, a lot of them form small tufts of rosettes that stay close to the ground.

some others to consider...spider plant (Genus Chlorophytum) do well in terrariums, and are considered clean air plants. grows like a weed and has a cool mode of reproduction. I get several dozen baby spider plants on any given spider plant at a time. they can be detatched and rooted easily. but the size of the enclosure you use will decide the plants it can handle, without driving you insane with constant trimming.
Ohh I kept spider plants before..very hardy!!! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/SalamanderFreak/IM000698.jpg Kept potho in there too.

Umm I dont remember the size of the tank, but I dont think it was a 40 breeder. 30 or 20g? I forgot the mesurements...the lizard is 8 inches long if that helps... lol!
Oh i had that lizard when I was 12 and the setup wasnt the best for it.... no one was there to tell me i was doing it wrong. lol

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Hm, for this tank I don't want one too big. Maybe a 30 G or 40g.. Well I guess I have a bunch of empty space and could go bigger. I dont think ill be able to fill that many walls with t's! :D lol
I would need a bunch more female lizards though :0! lol
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Theres a lot of flower shops here in vancouver its amazing :0 my second day here and I walked by dozens! Mostly the same species of orchid...all adult and they are like 20$ each.
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Whats the scientific name of the one that smelled like chocolate? I found a nice clerk who said he could order the species I want from the orchid dealer. Is it better to start with the seed/bulb?
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What would interest me in pothos is there is a smaller leafed species unlike the one I have in the tank up there. Like a little ivy/ground cover but I am unsure of the toxicity of the ones in the stores here. Ill take some pictures when I go tomorrow :)

hm I should google some of the questions I asked... :p Ill do that! :D

thanks jaymez :)
 

Jaymz Bedell

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first the chocolate orchids are Oncidium Sherry baby, and Oncidium Pacific sunrise. they're both fairly available so you shouldn't have many issues finding one.

the orchids you saw were likely Phalaenopsis hybrids. super easy to take care of, requiring african violet care, there are 1000s of Phal. hybrids out there now, to suit almost any color taste...shades of blue to reds, purples, yellows, spots, stripes, harlequin patterns...endless varieties at this point. most don't do well in terrarium type culture.

there are different varieties of Pothos, but most have the same leaf size. some Philodendrons are similar, and smaller leaved. and there's always the small leaved Ficus pumilia - creeping fig. shes a fast growing, vining type of fig. does very well in terrarium culture.

I have no idea if they ship to canada, but look at glasshouseworks.com to give you an idea of plants you like and might want to look for. be warned theres A LOT to be seen and if you're like me...kid in a candy store would be putting it lightly.

I'm fortunate enough to live close to a home depot and a lowes that both carry the more common orchids on a constant basis...and once they go out of bloom they usually get marked down to $1 to $5. but as an orchid addict I'm really lucky to live 20 minutes or so from a nice, well stocked, orchid greenhouse.

good luck in your endeavor. glad i could be of help. feel free to ask any questions that pop to mind. I'll do my best to answer them, and if I can't it gives me one more reason to do some research.
 

Crysta

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thanks jaymez I appreciate it! :D
Phalaenopsis where the ones there! I remember the name on all the tags.
sad they dont do well, they where pretty.

looks like a lot of venders of orchids in bc :0
http://retirees.uwaterloo.ca/~jerry/orchids/odeal.html#BC

ill probably be able to find something there. kind of expensive though.. lol

When do they go out of bloom? around october?

Anyways! I am off to do some research and some stuff. I need to buy a tank, or find one for free. Ill be purchasing my lil ones in october so it should be ready by then, yay.
 

Jaymz Bedell

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seems like a lot of orchids are late fall and winter bloomers, atleast the ones I like. most oncidium hybrids will put out multiple new growths through out the year, and flower from the new growth once its mature. it's not a hard and fast rule, but a general idea. and they can be forced to bloom to some extent, a lot of phals are winter bloomers, but exposing them to large temp swings from day to night will get them to bloom, its a trick commercial growers take advantage of on a regular basis. I can easily see you turning into an orchid nut once you get going...it was one of the easiest addictions to slip into that I've ever met...kinda like tarantulas.

the more you let the tank grow in the better off you are. you can add a clean up crew of isopods and springtails to the tank to help with clean up. letting the tank grow in for a decent time span allows it to establish before it's got animals walking on and over everything.

for tanks...i got REALLY lucky with my newest tank, a close friend of mine had been holding onto an empty 26 gallon bow front (24 x 16 x 21 inches) for the last year, and offering it to me, I had no idea what to do with it till recently, so i had him drop it off. it will be set up in the near future for some Heterothele villosella. fully planted, clean up crew, and I'll be doing a tiered scape, using branches placed to act as a retaining wall for substrate. it will be mostly spider plants and pothos, but I've got my eye out for a nice rabbits foot fern to make the plant center piece.

keep an eye on your local classifieds, I see a lot of 10 to 55 gallon tanks for free or close to it. check with local pet shops to see if any tanks are cracked, as long as its not the bottom pane there is a very good chance it will work for your purpose. they usually give the tanks away or charge a very small fee. in the same arena is making friends with plant collectors...they're usually willing to give or trade small cuttings and off sets. some things, like pothos, african violets, spider plants, and a lot of Philodendrons are extremely easy to take cuttings from and produce a new plant. happy researching!
 
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