FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Sponsored by FlytrapStore.com

Ask questions about how to grow and care for Venus Flytraps

Moderator: Matt

By idwaneo
Posts:  270
Joined:  Tue Jan 28, 2020 9:47 pm
#365539
Hello, is there a way to feed these 2 cultivars or they can’t be fed? Will they seal and digest the food? Or traps will rot?

Thanks
User avatar
By P A U L
Location: 
Posts:  180
Joined:  Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:04 am
#365582
I've been feeding my plants fish food. Aqueon Betta Food pellets to be exact. I soak them in distilled water, grab a little bit with tweezers then put it in the trap. Then I very gently "squeeze" the outside of the trap to make it think something is alive in its mouth. I squeeze about 30 times in a slow rhythm. About 10 days later that trap will turn black and die. I'm not sure if the trap dying with its first feeding is a good thing, but the plant itself has been doing very well for 2 years and recently I noticed a new plant growing next to it.

For my sundews, I crush the pellets into a fine dust and sprinkle it over the plants.
By idwaneo
Posts:  270
Joined:  Tue Jan 28, 2020 9:47 pm
#365591
Im asking because i see gaps after the plant closed and traps mostly dying from that from the first time. Like bacteria coming inside and rotting the beta fish food
User avatar
By P A U L
Location: 
Posts:  180
Joined:  Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:04 am
#365671
The traps close in 2 stages. First, if something enters the trap, it'll partially close just in case wind or rain drops triggered it--it will re-open several minutes later. Second, if something alive is inside it'll thrash around and signal to the trap that it has caught prey and will close completely and begin digestion. That's why I massage it when I feed it fish food to make it think that it caught something living.

The traps can shut/open around 3 times before they die. I've fed my traps mealworms, mealworms cut in half, ladybugs, bees, and moths. They never re-opened, turned black and died. I usually feed them fish food once or twice a month. They die with a single feeding of fish food as well.

The only times I have ever seen the traps eat and re-open was with a mosquito and the common poop fly.

Piese originale Ford S-Max 2015-2020 alegerea pi[…]

https://www.pieseford.ro/piese-auto-ford-s-max-20[…]

If you are going to use peat/perlite just slip pot[…]

Hello!

Welcome

Chilly in LA…

I've got a friend in Harvey, but that looks like […]

1 year old cape!

My cape is being evil. It died back when I did I[…]

The Sphagnum Yacht

We all love cotton...blue jeans, t-shirts, underwe[…]

I counted 21 in this one. Both are flavas that I g[…]

Support the community - Shop at FlytrapStore.com!