How do I get my Venus fly trap to eat? 🪴

[Chloefairydust]

Random question … How do you look after a Venus fly trap plant?

I can’t seem to get mine to eat. I read they can eat fish food, so I tried feeding mine a fish flake and it closed the trap around the food however the next day the traps open again and it hasn’t eaten the food. Does it not like the food?? What should I feed it? And how often?

Any advice appreciated 🙂

I've just watered mine using tumble drier water - the water smells quite perfumed. Is that OK? Worried I've just killed him. I've also just cut the loooong flower stem off.

Thanks for the over wintering info. I've got a sunny cold spot I can put him in so hopefully he'll survive.

Would the tumble drier water not have chemicals from tap water like chlorine in?

Perfumed tumble drier water doesn’t sound great. Can you just put a bucket outside to collect some rainwater if you don’t have a water butt?

Here are my kitchen monsters. Whole load more in the greenhouse but they’re already going into dormancy. I really need to move these ones out too, but we’ve got loads of flies around at the moment and the plants are feasting.

I got an excellent video of a trap closing on a bluebottle yesterday but I don’t think you can upload videos on here, sadly.

Try Hampshire Carnivorous Plants. They’re very good.
www.hantsflytrap.com

@VenusClapTrap thank you!

I'm going to take some time and really look into this - find out the right size for a beginner etc.

I have a cat so need to check implications etc

Zero cat implications. Perfectly safe. Although if they can get their snouts in the water dish they will do 🙄 🐈

Came back to report what you said Venus :) my cat is fussy where she drinks so I'm not worried about her getting to them just to drink. To be honest she may not even notice it..

Is there any particular one you'd recommend from the website? I have a south facing kitchen so the window sill there would be perfect!

Bring in a dietician.

I read that tumble dryer water is ok because it’s evaporated, so it doesn’t have chlorine or minerals in it.

@VenusClapTrap your plants look a lot like mine, which makes me happy. Guess mine is ok after all! It’s got a lot more leaves since I bought it.

No problem with cats and Venus Fly Traps here - except less flies for the cat to chase. Our Venus Fly Trap has done very well over the last few weeks, has caught a lot of flies. Autumn can be a bit gruesome when she catches daddy-long-legs and I come down in the morning to find still twitching limbs and wings poking out. We have a dehumidifier, so an endless supply of suitable water.

We have a sundew as well. Sometimes I chase small flies with it... well, sneak up on them and try to get the sundew close enough that when they fly off they get stuck. Either way the people opposite must think I'm odd.

Next year we're planning on getting a pitcher plant...

Can I join in? 😬 mine occasionally eats and grows all the time but the problem I have is that it just doesn't look right, the traps and everything always look a bit thin and dry, not nice and meaty like when I first got it. Does anyone have the same issue and what do I do? Thanks!

My people!
Another big thumbs up here for Hampshire Carnivorous Plants. They had open days on Saturday and Sunday, so it would have been rude not to come home with a few new specimens.

I got a plain green Fly Trap, and a deep burgundy one, and a Monkey Cup. Ive had a variety of pitcher plants for years now, they spend Summer in the pond and winter in an unheated green house and have the most amazing flowers in spring. I love it when they catch a particularly buzz-y fly.

@EilonwyWithRedGoldHair i do that! Chase the little flies round with the sundew. I need a pitcher plant now.

Has anyone ever had a king sundew? Are they good? Or a scam?

OMG, monkey cups! They would certainly be a talking point!

Right I'm on the Hampshire website - what one am I buying??

@ChecoPerez it depends on what you want! They have some good beginners offers with a range of easy ones. Or if you're really bamboozled by the choice, Matt and his team give brilliant advice.

I've put a container outside for rainwater - thank you.

Loving the photographs - fine specimens! Makes mine look a bit weak in comparison but I'm hoping the rain water will help 😂

Just Googled Monkey Cups - fascinating!

Maybe it needs repotting? Or fertiliser?

Whatever gets into a trap will still be there when it opens again. The food does not vanish.
Fly traps really do not needing feeding often at all. Mine catches flies by itself during the summer. You also do not need to make sure every trap gets a fly.
Never give it tap water. I use de-ionised water if there is no rain water (you can buy a big container from Halfords).
Don't let it grow flowers (pinch them off early.. the stalk looks like a little green bell end lol).
Remove dead traps (they are black and shrivelled).
The plant will die back during the winter, but come back in the spring. I have a black thumb, but can keep a fly trap alive.

I have 3 plants in one pot, but have not been brave enough to split them yet.

I've done it!!

Bought a Dionaea muscipula!!

Is it permanently standing in rainwater? Got plenty of light? Any side of aphids eating it (ironic, I know, but it does happen)? How long have you had it - did it get the opportunity to go properly dormant last winter?

Don't give it fertiliser. They are from nutrient deficient wetlands in North Carolina and have evolved to suit those conditions.

Well done Checo! Exciting times ahead!

DH just rolled his eyes haha!! Can't wait for her (or him lol) to arrive!

@VenusClapTrap Yes for rainwater and light, no to insects, this is the second year I've had it, I don't think it was dormant - what do I do? 😬