Venus Fly Trap

[LrdGeno]

My wife just bought me a venus fly trap, and i really don't know anything about them. Does anyone know where I can find some information on feeding them, light requirements... etc?

[mith]

A venus fly trap supplements its diet because its usual habitat has poor soil. If you have good soil, I don't think you have to feed it but, feeding it is one of the appeals no?

[Winter]

interesting pet

here are some sites that you can find information on venus fly traps:

http://www.collectorscorner.com.au/plants/Venusinst.htm

http://www.pitcherplant.com/care_sheets ... _care.html

http://www.petflytrap.com/care.html

[b_d_41501]

Interesting pet indeed! lol

[LrdGeno]

thanks for the info. We have pretty good soil, but you're right the appeal is watching it eat stuff. exciting!

[MrMistery]

That is my favourite plant... I want to get one.. It is a wonder of nature, the only plant that can execute such a quick move that it catches an insect. By the way, if anyone cares(probably not)it's real name is Dionea muscipulla.
Don't put your fingers into it, it does smart

[LrdGeno]

thanks for the warning, 'cause that is one of the things I was going to do when it got a bit bigger! haha, now the other question is, how do insects to get caught by it? Just grap 'em with tweezers and stick them in there. That's what i was planning to do.

[b_d_41501]

When flies and other flying insects land on it it quickly traps them, hence "Venus Fly Trap"

[LrdGeno]

Yup, knew that. However mine is in my house and we don't have any flies or insects, at least none that I can see. And the thought of going and getting like 100 gnats and letting them go inside dosn't exactly sound appealing! lol

[mith]

Well, the plant eats insects for proteins...maybe you can try a small slice of beef?

[Poison]

Proteins? May be a slightly right term. But 'nitrogen' is a better term for this subject, I think...

[MrMistery]

A plant can transaminate all the 20 aminoacids it needs to make proteins. It need nitrogen in order to do this. Some plants get it from nitartes in the ground, legumes from the rhizobium bacteria it lives with and venus fly trap from sigesting insects. So i think proteins works, as LrdGeno probably wasn't interested in the methabolism of plants