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Is it dormant?

Hi all,

My VFTs' traps are all dying fairly quickly, some after just one meal. I live in the tropics and have yet to put them into the fridge. Can the VFTs go dormant on their own like that even in the tropical heat? The weather has been rainy of late, so that probably means a little less sun and lower temperatures, but nothing less than 25 degrees C.

I don't spot any fungus too.

Do u think it's going dormant or is it sick?
 
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Here's what it looks like.
 
Were they big meals?  My traps always fell off after eating somthing like a grasshopper but almost always reopen if it was smaller or softer prey like a maggot or fly......
 
They were flies, and the traps used to open after consuming them.
 
Sometimes it just dies after a meal. What will usally causes a trap to die is if the whole bug was not caught (most of the time a leg left out). That throws the digesting process off and allows bacteria inside.

If your leaves have been dying for about 3 weeks do not worry to much but do keep an eye on the plant. It is natural for leaves to die even after two or three weeks and sometime they last 2 months. Just make sure the new one do not start dying as soon as they open - then there may be a problem.

Travis
 
VFT won't go into dormancy on their own if you live in a tropical area, they would just continue growing. You should put them in the fridge.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Another observation I've made is that the traps close, turn red, then die. And it is a typical form. Is the turning red indicative of any problem?
 
No besides you have a healthy vft!
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Take a look at my avatar
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. I forgot to tell you that is a very nice vft you have. If you want snip off the blacken leaves for better looks.

Travis
 
Thanks
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I'll have to figure out a way for it to go dormant w/o the fridge though. No space in the fridge.
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  • #10
To be honest, that plant appears in the early stages of dormancy to me. How long has it been since its last dormant period? The new leaves comming from the center of the plant look shorter and wider with that charactaristic curling edge on them. VFTs will attempt to go dormant because of the changing photoperiod. Being in a tropical climate you will need to find a way to provide for them the cooler temps they are expecting and need to have in order for them to have a proper dormancy. You may want to start looking into clearing out a shelf in the door of the fridge cause I believe that plant is just about ready for it.

Steve
 
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