Am i treating my vtf well?

[Kain]

My first VTF arrived about a week ago and I'm keeping it in my dorm room. Here's a list of things I'm doing. I've never had a carnivorous plant before, or any plant really so I may be making some mistakes:

1) I've caught and fed my fly trap 1 fly and 1 very small jumping spider. The traps did not die and reopened within 2 days.
2) I drizzle a bit of water on it a few times a day. Most of the water runs out the bottom so I'm guessing the soil has plenty of moisture.
3) I give it as much light as possible, but my window is next to my heater and I don't want it to dry out.
4) It can get kind of cold in the room during the day so I leave a lamp on with the bulb about a half a foot away. I know that the plant can't use this kind of light to photosynthesize but when I place my hand where the plant is, the temp feels like it is around 70-80ºF

So far my plant seems to be doing well. 2 traps have died but it is making 2 new ones (one of which just opened today). Its coloration looks good and nothing else seems wrong.

Is there anything I'm doing that I shouldn't or not doing that I should?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Ozzy]

Sounds like you're doing a good job. It's probably a good thing that that you've never grown any plants before, because if you treat it like a house plant it will die.
It really needs the light. I don't know how hot your heater gets but here's a way that you may be able to keep it near the window. Your plant can handle higher temps as long as it's humid. It will be happier with the higher temps and humidity. Take a clear plastic 2 litter drink bottle cut the bottom and top off. Place it over the plant. Use the tray method to water that will also add more humidity. The tray method is to place the pot in a tray or saucer of water. Pour the water in the tray and let it soak up through  the pot. As soon as the water dries up in the tray add more.
Make sure you use only distilled, rain or reverse-osmosis water. Nothing else, anything else will kill it.
With the traps opening so soon, sounds like you're either giving it very small insects or dead insects. If you give it dead insects it will not eat them. It'll close but it won't digest it, because it needs the trigger hairs to be stimulated after the trap has closed to start the digestion.
I put a care sheet on one of my reply'ss, Go there and read that it may answer some of your question.
http://www.petflytrap.com/cgi-bin....;t=1897

 

[Darcie]

Sounds pritty good. Like Ozzy said, make sure you use distilled water. Your regular light will help with the plants color too, it's just not as affective as some lights

Welcome to the addiction

 

[Ozzy]

Kain,
Keep us posted with any changes you make and how your plants doing.

 

[Kain]

Well, I've been trying to give it some more light now that the weather is warmer, and it actually caught 2 insects on its own! Although I don't know what they are yet. I'm a little concerned because the new leave that opened is green and not red. I'm not sure if that is a sign of poor health for the Green Dragon breed of VFT.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Darcie]

Not really poor health, just less light then is needed to get the coloration. I wouldn't worry to much about it, if it is getting more light it should start to produce more red leaves again