Plant Suggestions for a Gecko Terrarium

[Wireman]

I'm re-scaping my giant day gecko's terrarium soon, and need some help on plants appropriate for the setup I have in mind. The terrarium was infested with mealybugs last year. I thought I had eradicated all of them, but they came back with a vengeance. I'm going to somehow catch the gecko and temporarily keep in in a small holding container while his terrarium is stripped down, sterilized, and redone.

I'm catering the terrarium for his needs, but also rebuilding it to grow small lowland Nepenthes pitcher plants. Ideally, this will have a false bottom with egg crate so the substrate remains constantly wet, which is required for Nepenthes. I'll also be growing some terrestrial/amphibious Utricularia (either sandersonii, graminifolia, or such), and possibly some Drosera. The Drosera depend on if I can build a waterfall feature so they can be placed as close to the lights as possible. There will be a few epiphytical orchids, too, grow on the driftwood scattered throughout the terrarium.

So, here's where I need help. Are there any plants that can grow in consistently moist substrate and in high to medium light? The terrarium is a 55 gallon tank, so nothing gigantic. Here's my list so far;

Shopping List, Companion Plants
-Cissus discolor
-Syngonium erythrophyllum
-Ficus Sp. 'Lance Leaf' (not to sure on this one.)
-Triolena pustulata

Shopping List, Carnivores
-Nepenthes alata "hairy red"
-Nepenthes gracilis
-Utricularia sandersonii

Orchids
-Bulbophyllum putidum
-Anoectochilus albolineatus (terrestrial jewel orchid)

Plants I Already Own
-Tillandsia bulbuosa "Guatemala"
-Psygmorchis pusilla
-Sophrinitis cernua
-Drosera burmannii, spatulata, venusta, or adelae
-Cattleya NOID
-Tolumnia NOID
-Oncidium jonesianum

[WhiteRabbit]

good luck!

[gnathaniel]

What range of temperatures do you keep the terrarium? Maybe try some smaller bulbophyllums like pecten-veneris (tingabarinum) or ambrosia. Dendrobium aberrans and Den. lawesii should like humid, moist conditions too, and can both stay in bloom a lot when they're happy. Good luck getting rid of your mealie bugs, they really are frustrating pests!

--Nat

[Wireman]

It stays somewhere between 70 and 80 degrees. It's hotter closer to the heat lamp.

I'm also looking for some vining or bush forming plants.

[gnathaniel]

That's pretty warm, does it cool off much at night?

--Nat

[Wireman]

By 10 degrees or so. The gecko is from a low, humid environment. The far right side of the terrarium is above 80 F during the day, but the left is around 65-75.