FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello,

I just purchased a new Venus Fly trap and the store owner told me that it was still a baby plant and that I needed to create a dome over it, until it grows bigger. I just wanted to know if this is correct.

Also I am using Brita filtered water to water my plant, is this okay?

Today I feed one of the traps a dead gnat that I found, it closed it trap but then a few hours later, it reopened its trap and the bug is still there. Does this mean it is still too young to eat bugs?

Forgot to add, that i'm currently growing it in the little plastic green pot they gave me. Should i repot or leave it until it gets bigger?

Thanks

Hi and welcome to the site!

Ditch the dome as you really don't need it to have a healthy VFT.
I am not sure about the water filter but the best bet is to use distilled or rain water to be sure.
Your plant is probably OK in the small pot until the spring...start reading some of the articles on the home page regarding dormancy as well as the golden rules for growing carniverous plants:

Sunlight
Distilled or rain water
No miracle grow or other fertilizer products and only nutrient free soil (peat)

Oh and the VFT will usually open up if fed a dead insect as that is how they work in the wild to get rid of sticks or other materials that may have triggered the trap. Live prey will continue to stimulate the trigger hairs telling the plant to start the digestive process...they really don't need to eat insects to survive, but if you put your plant outside it will take care of itself!

Good luck and feel free to ask any and all questions. You will find everyone to be helpful, friendly and a bit crazy as well!!
Peace!
E.S.

Yea, the dome notion is a common misconception; the guy you bought the plant from meant well, but fly traps don't need high humidity in order to thrive.

Brita water won't do, except in "emergencies" where it's either brita water or no water at all.

The following water is OK: Distilled, rain water, Reverse-osmosis (this is key) purified water. Not just any "purified" water will do. RO must be specified.

And yea, the reason your trap re-opened was because once it closed around the bug, since it was dead it didn't move around. Inside a VFT's trap there are 3 tiny "hairs" on each side. Those are what tell the trap there's live food in it. If nothing's continuously hitting the hairs after the trap is closed, it will re-open.

I wouldn't repot until spring. For winter it will need to go dormant.

Here are a few links Matt (the site admin) posted recently that will help you:
http://www.flytrapcare.com/the-importan ... traps.html
http://www.flytrapcare.com/the-importan ... traps.html
http://www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-dormancy.html
http://www.flytrapcare.com/media-soil-f ... traps.html (for when you repot in the spring)

Hello and welcome to the forum! E.S. and Valydius already gave you excellent advice, so I just wanted to drop in and welcome you to flytrapcare. Hope to see you around and hear about the progress of your plant!

Welcome to flytrapcare.
try to get some distilled water, you plant depends on it!!
the reason why it opened was because the bug was dead and didnt trigger the hairs while inside.(cuz it is dead)

Same as Matt, you have the advice you were looking for, just wanted to welcome you!

sorry i am a bit late i just wanted 2 say welcome 2 the flytrapcare family !!

Yes Welcome !!!

i thought Brita added more "minerals" into the water

allen,