What samll insects do u feed ur small VFT's?

[joossa]

Hey. I was wondering...

For those of u that hand feed ur small VFT's, what small insects do u use? I have tried using small flies, but they were not small enough and my traps turned black and died.

Also, how long can a VFT go without eating? I have not feed mine in two weeks. Should I be concerned?

Oh, and BTW I am growing them in a terrarium.

 

[CopcarFC]

They can go almost a year without food so don't worry. I don't feed my VFT seedlings but they catch lots of small ants on thier own.

But all of mine are outside so I don't know what to tell ya.

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

I don't feed my little VFTs. They manage to catch a gnat or other small bug on their own more often than not.

 

[jack]

I fed my seedlings freeze dried blood worms I bought from walmart, there small enough and did ok. I placed the food in the trap with tweezers.

 

[JMurphy97]

You really don't need to feed you VFT's. Let them catch their own. Just keep them wet and in the sun. All you need. I worried about all that stuff before, now I just let them be. I come outside and they all have a bug. Just let them live their lives.

 

[Carito]

This is true, I was most enticed by the initial novelty and frenzy of hand-feeding my VFTs and watching the traps spring- brought me great joy, and I stressed over what insects would best be suited for them...

and found the greatest answer to be : let them be !

I always find nasty, fat, dessicated flies and other insect carcasses in my traps all the time. I am slightly peeved I wasn't there to witness it when it happened, but all my VFTs catch tons of bugs on their own.

But if you can't resist (I couldn't, for the longest time) small houseflies and fruit flies purchased from pet stores should suffice, I don't recommend roly poly's or pill/sow bugs, I fed these to my VFTs when I first had them and all the traps nearly blackened and died; the exoskeleton was too much to handle, and the bug fermented in the digestive juice and the trap festered as well.

 

[CopcarFC]

Yeap, rolly-pollys and moths are horrible VFT food. All they do is kill off the traps. Bee's and wasps are bad to.

 

[jimscott]

I just feed them very small teens from our youth group.

Seriously, if you have them outside, it is likely a hapless daddylonglegs will venture into the traps. Of course we all know that those who enjoy VFT's also enjoy the particulars of carnivorous plants!

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

Quote[/b] (CopcarFC @ June 12 2006,7:29)]Yeap, rolly-pollys and moths are horrible VFT food. All they do is kill off the traps. Bee's and wasps are bad to.

Wasps aren't bad, just dumb.

 

[PlantAKiss]

VFTs actually do not HAVE to eat bugs. They have chlorophyll just like any other plant. Bugs are just extra nutrition. So its all good. Feed. Don't feed.

Personally, I don't feed my plants. I let them do what nature intended. Its true that a plant in a tank doesn't have the opportunities, non-tank plants have. But even in my semi-sealed nep tanks, I found "debris" in the pitchers, so something was getting in there!

Certainly do not stress over feeding. And remember, if you do handfeed, prey must be live as the traps need "the wiggle" to seal.