From our perspective, the terrarium is our entire world. You must replicate our preferred highland or lowland tropical habitat. For most of us, high humidity (70-90%) is non-negotiable; our leaves are designed to absorb atmospheric moisture. Stable, warm temperatures are also crucial. Lowland species like it consistently warm (75-85°F or 24-29°C), while highlanders need a significant nighttime temperature drop. Please research our specific species! A stagnant, stuffy terrarium will lead to our demise. Gentle air circulation from a small computer fan is like a refreshing mountain breeze to us, preventing fungal rot and strengthening our cells.
Our roots are extremely sensitive and cannot tolerate the minerals and nutrients found in standard potting soil or tap water. Plant us in a loose, airy, and acidic medium such as long-fiber sphagnum moss or a mix of sphagnum, perlite, and orchid bark. This allows our roots to breathe and avoids waterlogging, which would cause them to rot. You must water us only with pure water: rainwater, distilled water, or reverse osmosis water are perfect. Think of it as giving us a clean drink from a highland cloud, not a mineral-heavy tap.
We are sun-loving plants, but we prefer our sunlight to be bright yet diffused, much like the dappled light found under the jungle canopy. Direct, scorching sun through glass will burn our leaves, causing unsightly brown spots and stressing us. Provide us with strong artificial lighting, such as LED or fluorescent grow lights positioned 6-12 inches above our highest leaf. We will show you we are happy by developing vibrant, colorful pitchers. If our leaves are large but green with few pitchers, we are begging for more light.
Our iconic pitchers are not just for show; they are our stomachs. We produce them to supplement the nutrient-poor soil we naturally grow in. If the conditions are right—proper humidity, light, and water—we will naturally produce our own traps. You can help by offering a small, soft-bodied insect (like a bloodworm or a freshly deceased fly) to a few pitchers every month. Never fertilize our soil or force-feed us chunks of meat; this will poison us and burn our roots. Our pitchers secrete digestive enzymes to slowly break down prey and absorb the nutrients we need to thrive.
