Just got my flytraps!!

Just got 1 Southwest giant (a little shop of horrors clone) and an Akai Ryu.
The southwest giant lives up to its name - IT IS HUGE !!!

I've decided that my house was too cold for previous attempts (about 17C - big house + UK weather!) - so I've got a light and tank setup. The terrarium is a 5 Gallon tank, and at present I'm using a 15watt bulb errr...it's not a house bulb cos its a weird shape. I'm thinking of adding a cool blue flourescent later. Temp wise - 22C(72F) and humidity at 60 - 70 %. Should I use a heat mat when I want to mimic full summer (the house wont alter that much!!)??
I'd post a picture, but I haven't got a website  

The plants are starting to open out already (they've only been in it for 1 day). I've covered the tank with tin foil around both sides and back. Any thoughts people? A window ledge is impracticle since I've tried growing two before and they both seemed to go into dormancy permamently!! (Something to do with the UK rain and poor window/sun exposure!)

hey james...

sounds like so far youve got it covered...

terrarium, lighting, even the tin foil wrapping...

i use a heat mat under my terrarium and its producing great results. but if you are gopiong to grow other plants in there, you may need to provide a glass cover to the terrarium to keep humidity in.

im sure youll get plenty of good advice from this forum, theyve taught me alot.

you said you just got a southwest giant...ive never heard of that..what is it? where did you get it?

Sure you can post a picture! Just put it in an e-mail as an attachement and send to Phlitrapguy and he'll put it up for you. Just tell him which topic to put it in. Send it to pcrane@petflytrap.com

hey, you can upload your own pictures here: <a href="http://www.vi2.com/maxForumFiles/

and" target="_blank">http://www.vi2.com/maxForumFiles/

and</a> click on brose and itll show your comp C: and all your other stuff. simply pick out the picture and press OK and give it a name at the botom and upload file. then wait like 10 seconds and it gives you a web page. www.vi2.com/YOURPICTURE.jpg and you copy/paste and come to here and post it by using (img)http://****(/img)

but switch the ( ) with [ ] and the **** with the web page.

hope it works and would love to see your plant. Bye

-stefano

Chris - the South West Giant was bought from littleshopofhorrors.co.uk...
Yeah I already have a hood on the terrarium.

JamesEMT,
If you growing the vft in a terrarium you should buy a timer to switch on/off the light automatically. Vft's should receive around 8-10hours of artificial light in the winter, 12hours of light in the spring and 14-16hours of light in the summer.

I didn't know Little Shop of Horrors sold SW Giants. I sent them a couple of e-mails a while back asking what they had but I never got a reply.
I'm going to buy one (amongst other things) from Triffid in a couple of months.

I don't think the plants are labelled as South West Giants - I think they are labelled XL Clone??
I was real surprised by their response - had the plants four days after placing the order!!