I fed my flytrap a spider the other day and the traps wouldn't close around it!!! They wouldn't even move! What the heck is up with this?? HELP!!
nepenthes gracilis
Nepenthes Specialist
If it was spread FLAT open it was exhausted. This is normal. DO NOT clip it. It can still benifit the plant throught photosynthesis. Any way now traps should not close or close slowly since it is dormancy now. Nep.G.
G
Guest
Guest
Also
The traps can only open and close so many times.
After that ...they do not work..or work slower.
If have your plant by something cold...that might be it too.
Regardless of all of that...new traps should be coming up...so that means more hungry mouths. :smile:
The traps can only open and close so many times.
After that ...they do not work..or work slower.
If have your plant by something cold...that might be it too.
Regardless of all of that...new traps should be coming up...so that means more hungry mouths. :smile:
But the one I fed it to was a new trap. And what do I do with exhausted traps? Was it something I did to make it exhausted? Does it have anything to do with the lighting, temp, or the amount of water I am giving it? Is this all normal or is my plant dying?
I find that my plants traps r exhausted after they digest a bug...one very small trap wouldn't close one day but the next day it closed...
nepenthes gracilis
Nepenthes Specialist
Man you really are clueless. Your name speaks for your confusion. We will help you. VFT's aren't my LARGEST specailty but Sarracenia and Nepenthes are. Soo I am stopping here. For anyone who has Nep. or Sar. questions post me I will be happy to help. Nep.G.
Oh my goodness you guys...should I take the bug out? I left it in there because I thought maybe it would close after a while...but it hasn't! What should I do? Is it not getting enough light? Or water? Or too much? What should I do to help?
unknownclown
BoooOOOOooooo!!!!!
Well, we were all Clueless at one time so don't worry about that.
It could have been the temperature if it's cold they don't react much but unless you are freezing I doubt that that's it. Mine outside in the freezing cold are still managing to grab a bite. My guess is that the trigger hairs weren't set off. That is of course just a guess I am by no means an expert. Maybe somebody else might know the answer to that.
When you get exhausted traps leave them they can still benefit the plant by photosyntheses (getting nutrients from light). When they start turning brown or black, clip (don't pinch) just the trap off not the leaf. The leaf will last longer that way and continue to benefit the plant.
Your plant is not dying at least not from hunger or from what you've mentioned. Trust me you'll pretty much be able to tell, they look pretty pathetic when they are getting ready to die.
It could have been the temperature if it's cold they don't react much but unless you are freezing I doubt that that's it. Mine outside in the freezing cold are still managing to grab a bite. My guess is that the trigger hairs weren't set off. That is of course just a guess I am by no means an expert. Maybe somebody else might know the answer to that.
When you get exhausted traps leave them they can still benefit the plant by photosyntheses (getting nutrients from light). When they start turning brown or black, clip (don't pinch) just the trap off not the leaf. The leaf will last longer that way and continue to benefit the plant.
Your plant is not dying at least not from hunger or from what you've mentioned. Trust me you'll pretty much be able to tell, they look pretty pathetic when they are getting ready to die.
PlantAKiss
Moderator Schmoderator Fluorescent fluorite, Engl
Clueless...was it a dead spider or alive? If it was dead and there was no movement, maybe the trigger hairs were never tripped properly. (I think the general rule is two different trigger hairs touched within a couple of seconds.) If it was alive, its crawling around should have triggered it. However, if you say the spider is still in there, then I'd say it must be dead, eh? duh. Did you wiggle the spider around a bit or just lay it in there? If its a new trap...is it fully formed with "teeth" and trigger hairs inside?
Just a thought.
Suzanne
p.s. Don't worry about being clueless...I am myself quite a bit of the time.
Just a thought.
Suzanne
p.s. Don't worry about being clueless...I am myself quite a bit of the time.
Is it possible for the spider to be too big for the trap? And is it possible for the trap to take a full 24 hours to close all the way in the winter time? Because it looks to be closed as far as it can now, but the spider may be too big. Will this be a problem?? And the trap looks fully formed, except for a few of the teeth are partially curled.
unknownclown
BoooOOOOooooo!!!!!
Ok as far as I know it shouldn't take that long for a trap to shut. I don't think it's something to worry about though so don't
Are you feeding it dead food? That's no fun!
It is possible for the spider and other things to be too big for the trap, you can usually tell though if part of the body is hanging out or the trap didn't shut all the way. just keep an eye on it and if it starts to get black spots on it clip it off.
It is possible for the spider and other things to be too big for the trap, you can usually tell though if part of the body is hanging out or the trap didn't shut all the way. just keep an eye on it and if it starts to get black spots on it clip it off.
Well my trap is finally almost completely closed after all this time!! I think that trap may just have not been mature enough. What does everyone think? Could this be the cause?? Also...I thought it was normal for the trap to blacken after eating a bug?? LoL, and yes it was dead. I would never be able to bring myself to actually touch a spider long enough to put it in the trap!! Hehe, and flies are just out of the question as its winter
unknownclown
BoooOOOOooooo!!!!!
This may also be out of the question but I use tweezers to pick up live bugs not spiders though I kinda like them the little ones anyway. you know they realy wont starve if you wait to feed them when it warms up. I know it isnt as fun, but their traps are supposed to get bigger quicker if you don't feed them as much so it could be worth it. At least that's what Ive heard.
you mentioned it was a new trap. How long was it open before you tried to feed it? It takes 2-3 days after it is fully open before it is ready to catch something.
Tony
Tony
unknownclown
BoooOOOOooooo!!!!!
Thats good to know I wasn't sure on that one.
Keep in mind, too, that fly traps are accustomed to being dormant by this time of the year. I have dozens of them outside that are still in beautiful rosette form with stunning traps...but they aren't actively catching bugs. I don't think the traps even work. Clueless...are you familiar with how to provide dormancy for your fly trap?
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