One of the most common questions people ask about their Venus Fly Trap is whether or not they should feed them. Most people think that it’s a good idea, but too much food can cause problems for your plant.
In this article, we will discuss how often you should feed your Venus Fly Trap and what type of food to use if you choose to feed them at all!
If left outside they can manage feeding on their own, for life inside you want to feed them no more than one or two times per month. A plant can survive long lengths without constant feeding but this may cause slowing growth.
Let’s explore more details about the best way to feed your Venus Fly Trap. We can explore feeding and how often you should think about feeding along with what to watch for to ensure you aren’t overfeeding them.
How to Feed Your Venus Fly Trap
If you’re lucky enough to have a Venus flytrap, you may be wondering what the best food is for your new carnivorous plant. While flytraps will consume a wide variety of small insects, there are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing food for your plant.
First of all, the size of the prey should be appropriate for the size of the trap. Too large of an insect can overwhelm the trap and prevent it from closing properly.
Second, the insect should be alive when it is introduced to the trap. Dead insects do not provide the flytrap with the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Finally, avoid feeding your flytrap too often. Once or twice per week is generally sufficient.
With a little trial and error, you’ll be able to find the perfect food for your Venus flytrap. Just be sure to avoid overfeeding, as this can lead to problems for your plant.
If You Keep the Venus Fly Trap Inside
You need to think about feeding much more if you keep them contained inside as they will have limited food opportunities instead of being outdoors.
As a general rule of thumb, you should feed your Venus flytrap one to two insects per week. If you notice that your plant is not closing its traps or is producing small traps, this may be a sign that it is not getting enough food.
If You Keep the Venus Fly Trap Outside
When the plant is left outside it will lure prey as usual. If you live in an area with a lot of insects, you may not need to worry about feeding your Venus flytrap at all.
The plant will do just fine if it’s left to its own devices and allowed to catch its own food. However, if you want to encourage faster growth, you can feed your flytrap one or two insects per week.
Can I Overfeed a Venus Flytrap?
Every leaf has a lifespan, typically measured in energy that can be used to capture prey. If used too much they will exhaust all their power and begin to fall off, this is why you need to be careful not to overfeed.
Do You Have to Feed Every Venus Fly Trap Trap?
Many people when they get their new plant will mistakenly believe that they need to feed each and every trap and this is not the case.
Instead, try to balance feedings by rotating through the traps and helping it maintain a robust shape.
What Should I Feed My Fly Trap?
When deciding on the right food you need to think about whether you can handle live food or if dead and freeze-dried will help you out more.
Live food is often better as it contains more nutrients but can be harder to come by and you have to take care not to introduce any unwanted pests into your home.
Freeze-dried or dead foods are a good alternative and are often easier to find but don’t provide the same level of nutrition.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide what you’re comfortable with feeding your Venus flytrap but please don’t ever feed them human food!
Mealworms
Small frozen-dried worms are a good source of protein for Venus flytraps, which you may find at various pet stores and reptile shops. Small tubs are available for approximately $5 that contain enough food for your plant to be fed for many years.
Mealworms can sometimes be too large to fit into smaller plants since the traps are smaller and have less space to close fully, so you’ll have to chop a worm down to the right size for any smaller fly traps.
To use mealworms, simply rehydrate them with a few drops of water, wrap any excess moisture up with kitchen paper, then drop it in the trap. Then you will want to use something like a toothpick to touch the trigger hairs which will start the trap closing.
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Bloodworms
Although their name might be repulsive, tiny freeze-dried maggots may be a great food source for Venus flytraps. They are inexpensive, high in quality, and readily available at most pet shops and aquariums.
You may buy a tiny container for only a couple of dollars. Then all you have to do is take a little pinch of dried worms, rehydrate them with a few drops of water, and then soak up any excess water with a napkin or paper towel.
After this you just use a toothpick to stick it into a trap, Then you will want to use the same toothpick to touch the trigger hairs which will start the trap closing.
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Crickets
Dried crickets are a delicious treat for adult Venus flytraps. For roughly $5, you can purchase tubs of dried cricket which you can get at nearly any pet store, especially ones that carry reptiles.
To complete the seal, simply drop one of them into each trap, making careful that its antennae don’t protrude and spoil the seal. Then using the toothpick gently squeezing the trap’s sides can be used to stimulate the trigger hairs.
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Feeding Frequently Asked Questions
How much should you feed a Venus flytrap?
As any flytrap enthusiast knows, these carnivorous plants are not picky eaters. In fact, they will eagerly devour any small insect or arachnid that happens to wander into their traps.
The simple answer is, that it depends. If the plant is healthy and actively growing, then it can probably handle being fed one or two insects per week. However, if the plant is starting to look stressed or if new traps are not opening as quickly as usual, then it may be necessary to cut back on feeding.
In general, it is better to err on the side of caution when it comes to feeding a Venus flytrap and never pressure a closed trap!
Can I feed my Venus flytrap dead bugs?
Many people believe that Venus flytraps only eat live prey, but this is not actually the case. While the plant does prefer live insects, it will also consume dead bugs if they are available.
In fact, some experts argue that feeding Venus fly traps dead bugs is actually better for the plant. Live insects can sometimes fight back or be difficult to digest, leading to indigestion or other problems.
Dead insects, on the other hand, are much easier for the plant to process. As a result, feeding your Venus flytrap dead bugs is generally considered to be a good idea.
Just be sure to offer a variety of both live and dead insects to ensure that your plant stays healthy and happy.
Can I feed my Venus flytrap every day?
Venus flytraps are one of the most iconic carnivorous plants, known for their curious habit of trapping and digesting insects. While these plants are definitely unique, they also require special care to stay healthy.
One common question is how often to feed a Venus flytrap. Although it may be tempting to give them a daily meal, it’s actually best to only feed them once or twice a week.
Overfeeding can stress the plant and lead to problems such as yellowing leaves. When choosing food for your Venus flytrap, it’s important to stick to live insects that are small enough to fit inside the trap. Avoid feeding the plant anything too large or hard, as this could damage the trap.
Can you feed your Venus flytrap raw meat?
Many people are surprised to learn that Venus flytraps are not vegetarians. These carnivorous plants get the majority of their nutrients from the insects they trap, and they will happily consume anything from flies to spiders.
However, while they can digest raw meat, it is not the best food for them. In fact, feeding Venus flytraps raw meat can actually be harmful to the plant. The tough texture of the meat can damage the trap, and the high-fat content can lead to fungal growth.
For these reasons, it is usually best to stick to live insects when feeding your Venus flytrap.
Can I feed my Venus flytrap ants?
Most Venus flytraps will readily accept ants as food, and there is no need to worry about providing them with this source of nutrients.
However, it is important to note that not all ants are suitable for feeding to a trap and to stick to smaller ants which are generally harmless and easy for the plant to digest.
With a steady diet of these tasty insects, your Venus flytrap will stay healthy and happy for many years to come!
Should I Feed It During its Winter Dormancy Period?
As soon as the weather outside starts to cool down, your Venus flytrap will begin to enter dormancy. During this time, the plant will stop producing new leaves and traps, and it may even lose some of its existing ones.
Many growers choose to stop feeding their Venus flytraps during dormancy, as the plant is not actively growing and therefore does not need as much food.
Final Thoughts on Feeding a Venus Fly Trap
As you can see, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to feeding your Venus flytrap. By following the guidelines above, you can ensure that your plant gets the food it needs without overfeeding.
Now that you know how to properly feed your Venus flytrap, you can enjoy watching it thrive! Do you have any tips for feeding a Venus flytrap? Share them in the comments below!
Happy growing!
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