Salutations from maryland!

[mywholeeternity]

Hello! My name is Victor. I live here on the western handle of MD with my dogs, boyfriend, and dad. I've always had a peaked interest in the exotic and unusual, which has led me to caring for at least 10 types of lizards in life, probably the same amount of frogs, sugar gliders, orchids, and carnivorous plants (among a few other things). Currently I'm into dart frogs, carnivorous plants, and orchids. I spend all day researching and learning and watching videos; I just cant satisfy my hunger for learning more and more about all of these. As far as actually putting my interest into practice is another story. As far as amphibians go, I have a group of four slightly younger dendrobates luecomelas (bumblebee dart frogs), a lucistic axolotl, a wild coloration axolotl, and a fat (what I assume to be female), red eyed tree frog. I'd like to expand my knowledge and experience further and connect with all of you one at a time! Thanks guys!

[Heatheranne]

Hi Victor! Nice to meet you. Welcome to the forum .

[mywholeeternity]

Thanks Heather! I appreciate it. This is the first forum relative to my frog interest that has actually allowd me to post on it haha!

[Ted]

Hello victor,,that's a nice painting in your avatar pic...I'm really into sundews and moss's also on the side...

[cjbage]

welcome, I see by your location you are in Hagerstown, I was born n raised there
I currently only have the one frog a pac man, a couple of cats and a dog as well.

this forum is full of great people hope you enjoy your time here.

[mywholeeternity]

I have a topical pitcher plant (Nepenthes Alata), a North American pitcher (Sarracenia Purpurea), and one standard fly trap. I hope to expand my collection.
You were raised here CJ haha?! Small world. I've lived here my whole life as well (sometimes regrettably so). I've never cared for the place.

[deranged chipmunk]

Welcome Victor! Been to Hagerstown a couple times, nice little town.

A few of on here keep carnivorous plants. I've kept drosera species previously, and just picked up a N. ventricosa this past weekend. Thought I would give pitchers a shot. How do you grow yours?

[deranged chipmunk]

I'm no expert in any of this and I grow my nepenthes pretty simply. I decided to go with Alata because its said to be on of the easier tropical pitchers to start with (along with ventricosa). I think the highland-intermediate elevation plants such as these are said to be easier due to needing less heat and humidity.
I honestly grow mine as a windowsill plant. I have it hanging in a west facing window. It gets dim morning light but by mid day once the sun passes to the west side of my home it gets a good bit of ambient light and then by late afternoon it gets a blast of setting sun. It grows slowly but stays pretty healthy and pitchers regularly. The medium its in is the original medium. It seems similar to ABG mix we use for darts, but maybe a bit coarser with bark. I keep the soil moist with distilled water (dissolved minerals/ salts will slowly damage any carnivore) and keep a layer of long fiber sphagnum wet on the surface to retain a bit of humidity around the base of the plant. I mist the plant with distilled as well. They say producing good pitchers depends a bit on humidity so I suppose my humidity is alright. As soon as it gets a bit warmer outside at night I plan to move my orchids to my covered porch and place their HoneyWell cool humidifier in my bedroom where my pitcher is.
I really want to get Nepenthes Bicalcarata but its a bit more delicate and requires a good, constant humidity and heat according to what I've read. Its so neat; the pitchers open and contain two fang-like appendages held symmetrically on the under side of the lid.

CJ, I live on the East side of town on Pangborn near Pangborn Park, which isnt a bad part of town either. You lived here back in 94 so I was only two years old then (I'm 21), but these days I bet town is even worse then when you lived here haha. I plan to escape as well in the next coming years.

I don't want to clog this thread. I am going to start a thread in the plant section about nepenthes, I have been getting a lot of conflicting info on them and I know a few others here keep them.

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF Victor !