[Wolfie305]

So I "rescued" a Venus Fly Trap from Lowes a few days ago (according to the VFT forum I visit, plants form big chain hardware stores and never properly cared for and often need some TLC). I love him.

To continue the Skyrim theme I have going for all my critters, I decided to name him "Krosis" after one of the Dragon Priest masks. I think he suits his name. I was going to name him after a dragon, but I figured I would save those names for bettas only

Here are some pictures and a video of me feeding him

http://youtu.be/p5LtGtuFV2I

 

[SeaHorse]

Fascinating! I think I giggled at the same moment you did!! hehehe
How often does it get a bug? and I'm assuming it gets watered like a reg plant? Do you have to mist it to keep it humid?

 

[SpookyTooth]

Oh he looks good! Is he planted in pure sphagnum moss do you know? Pure sphag can be bad for them due to it being able to retain 20x its weight in water so the 50:50 peat/perlite (or silica sand) is usually recommended; overwatering can cause root rot.

The long, spindly growth should shorten and become more robust as he gets used to your care and the change in his environment. Congrats!

 

[Olympia]

Aw lucky. I've been meaning to get some more of these, they're epic. Don't have any atm.
I'd get some tweezers, it'd help much faster. I'm sure you know already but the bug has to touch 3 of the hairs inside to trigger the trap.

 

[Romad]

I never knew about the squeezing part :shock:

I had one when I was much younger. Not sure if I remember what happened to it tho.

 

[Wolfie305]

Jackie - They can catch 3-5 bugs a month. Their soil needs to stay moist, but I haven't looked to see if they need daily watering yet. Still learning about their care.

Spooky - I just bought a bag of Peat Moss and Perlite to mix, which is the recommended soil for them. They're currently in the container they came in because I was trying to get the soil on my way up to school (and the pictures were taken this morning).

Olympia - I know xD. And they were, which was weird. Guess it just took him a minute hahaha.

 

[Olympia]

I guess he's on the slow side?

 

[Bombalurina]

Now I really want a VFT, despite managing to kill even the most basic fern. I'd probably remember to take better care of it if it was animate like that...

 

[Wolfie305]

I have an aloe vera plant that I adore, and I've ALWAYS wanted a VFT so when I found him, I had to get him.

 

[SpookyTooth]

That's great I'm sure he'll thrive in your care!

 

[Wolfie305]

Oh okay good to know. I've been looking at him all day and getting worried I killed him or something D:

 

[Amphibianite]

Just making sure because I skimmed thing here haha.
You do know that they require Distilled water or natural rain water. Other types of water have minerals and such in it that is bad for them. They only nutrient they should get are from the insects they eat.

Carnivorous plants are a passion of mine Not that I have many right now <_< >_> Just one huge pitcher plant with no pitchers on it

 

[SpookyTooth]

I absolutely love carnivorous plants as well! I mostly have pinguicula (butterworts) though, though I do have a couple of venus fly traps (typical and wacky traps) and sundews (most capensis). I'm glad to see more enthusiasts on here!

 

[Wolfie305]

Amphibianite - Yes, I started collecting rain water for him yesterday (it finally poured) and I'll probably purchased some distilled water as back-up, just in case we don't get enough rain this season.

I just mixed in his new soil (peat moss and perlite - the non Miracle Grow or Scotts kind because those have chemicals/fertilizers) and repotted him. He's a little droopy from the repotting, but hopefully he'll perk back up soon. Any idea how long that usually takes?

 

[SpookyTooth]

It can take a couple of days to a few weeks. If the droopiness is a literal change in the position of the leaves it might be where the plant is trying to protect its rhizome in which case it'll sort itself out sooner rather than later, if it's more of a "sad looking" droop it could just be sulking from the repot in which case it may take a little longer as its roots adjust to the new soil and it acclimatizes. With the time of year it is you should find it recovers quicker.

 

[Olympia]

Distilled water?! That's why mine died! -____-
I really want one of these again now that I know this. Will my aquarium light (that's for plants) provide benefits for the flytrap as well if it's beside the tank?
Sorry, hijacking the thread Wolfie. :3

 

[SpookyTooth]

It depends on the lumen output and the wattage, really. They require somewhat more intense lighting than aquarium plants - though they can thrive on a windowsill so I imagine aquatic plant lighting should be okay!

 

[Wolfie305]

You also have to remember that VFT's require a "dormancy" period during the winter season for 3-5 months. Basically, you stick your plant in a garage window or somewhere coldish (with light). They require less water during this period. Without putting your VFT into dormancy, its lifespan is greatly reduced.

Here is the forum I go on and the article about dormancy. There are a ton of other articles on there that are really helpful

http://www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-dormancy.html

 

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

I know this is a very mature question (sarcasm, lol), but has it ever . . . bit you? lol

 

[lvandert]

When I had mine it was recommended to be put in a terrarium for humidity. I had mine for a long time before something came along and ate it...