What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

New pitcher has popped--do I feed it?

Thanks again, everyone.

Well, a pitcher has just opened on one of my nepenthes. Very small, about an inch long, rosy throat--I *guess* it is mature (?).

Do I feed this? Or does it open before it is ready to go and I should let it be? It doesn't seem to be dripping with nectar or anything. Can I toss in a little damp tubifex with a tweezers and wiggle it, or wait?

Steve
 
No, don't feed it yet. If you do you may lose the pitcher as it is brand new and hasn't hardened off t the final point yet. Let it be for about 2-4 days. or longer, at maximum I would go 1 week then feed it personally. Then you are sure to not lose it.
 
NG is right, also what kind of nepenthes is it?

my ventrosica is producing small pitchers ;[ its making me mad, maybe since its a highland but can live as lowland too the temps are too high or something
 
Ng is correct, don't feed the pitcher until it's at least a few days old (i.e. more than 3). You can tell if a pitcher is ready to "eat" by GENTLY squeezing it. If it feels really soft, leave it be for a few more days. This works great for most Nep species, but some, like mirabilis and its hybrids,  have thin walled pitchers which makes it harder to tell their age.

Joel
 
Thanks, everyone. I will wait until Tuesday.

Stephano--
I *think* its an x Judith Finn, thought it is anybody's guess. The pitcher is actually about 2 inches long, now that I look again. Growth has seemed to be pretty rapid, after a week of recovery from the shock of entering the terrarium--I've had it about 14 days, and I have a mature pitcher!

I'll give it a tiny squeeze Monday. In goes the Tubifex, if the pitcher is ready.

Steve
 
well if you look under the "Pics II!" post i posted 2 pics of judith finn

judith fins usualy have a roundish leaves, and they grow sorta slow
 
Its probably not a Judith Finn if growth is rapid.. But I suppose the term is relative (I'm impatient). Mine has taken about 6 months to form its first 2" pitcher (also in the Pics!!! (Part II) thread, but I'm sure someone with more experience could accomplish the same in less time.

As for feeding it.. You don't have to if you don't want to. You stand a good chance to help the plant, but probably an equal chance to accidentally kill the new pitcher, or overfeed it (which might make it stop producing pitchers). Its up to you of course.
smile.gif


Pat
 
My pitchers are small too. But I was wondering what you feed them (ants?)? Also how do you know if you have acid inside the pitcher plant? Or do you add distilled water and stir it? Any special secrets to adding water to the inside of the pitcher?

Thanks alot for your time,
Travis
 
i don't think you need to do anything (like add fluids) to the pitcher, it knows what to do. It doesn't have a mommy outin nature, so leave it be. In a closed terrarium where bugs have a harder time getting in, then you might want to feed it.

I put a tiny little green worm (which travelled in on my sleeve one day) into one of my smaller venticosa pitchers, one which looked empty. A couple hours later i came back and held the plant up to the light and you could see a fluid line and the silhoutte of the worm. Then yesterday I threw an earwig into the terrarium and it immediately climbed up the pitcher and fell in, HaHA! Stupid bug!



(Edited by whispersiren at 2:46 pm on May 27, 2002)
 
  • #10
It's so cool to watch a plant catch bugs on its owne. In fact, I have a related question to ask, but I'll just start a new topic.
 
  • #11
I took an ant one day (I played... yes PLAYED outside with my plants), and i hurt it a LITTLE bit (just enough that it had to preen itself, and fix its legs). So, I placed it on the pitcher, instead of running frantically, it fixed its legs and stuff. By the time it was done, it wasnt scared anymore, and it went up to the peristome... It stuck its head in underneath to get some nectar I guess, and it sat there for a bit... Then, it went in a bit further, eventually, it started to feel a bit unsafe. As it reached up with its front legs (it was holding on the outside of the pitcher with it's two back legs), and it missed, and fell in. I liked it a whole lot!!! Hehehe...
smile.gif
 
  • #12
lol! thats funny, i always add some water to my pitchers, but i duno how to feed my ventrosica, it has like half inch , less han half inch pitcher, and its not producing that many, the plant is like a baby, but its about 6" across but pitchers rarely produce, the hole on top is so small, i dont think i can feed it or itll feed itself
 
  • #13
I only add water to the pitchers if 1) the original contents accidentally spilled, or 2) If it's a plant that I just recieve from the mail. I don't think adding water to the pitchers is good for the digestion process, IMO, because it dilutes that contents of the pitcher. I feed my plants small snails, but I rarely do that now since they catch lots of things outside (especially ants and moths).

My ¥2.49636
wink.gif


Joel
 
  • #14
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from Stefano1 on 10:58 pm on May 24, 2002
well if you look under the "Pics II!" post i posted 2 pics of judith finn

judith fins usualy have a roundish leaves, and they grow sorta slow
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

They look just like each other! Mine is growing better than the ventricosa next to it.

Steve
 
  • #15
Thanks for the responses.
smile.gif
I plan on feeding N. ventrosica soon...just do not want pitchers to die as I only have two on the N. ventrosica.

Travis
 
Back
Top