I'm sorry for having to start a whole nother thread about this, but I was wondering if there are insects that would end up damaging VFTs (and other CPs) if tossed into the tank with them. I just fed four baby crickets to my little buddies and thought to myself, "If these were caterpillars, would they end up devouring the plants?"
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What insects should you not feed to vfts?
- Thread starter RandallFlagg
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Cynic81
Frakkin Toaster
Chopped earthworms rotted my traps everytime; too much bacteria from the earth their in, so I would suggest staying away from them. I also heard mealworms are too tough (someone correct me if I'm wrong)
Also, like stated; no beetles and such including pillbugs.
Sandhill crickets of the right size are excellent; and flies when you can catch them. Spiders are good; SOME ants are good; I think fire ants burn them with the venom and have good pincers that can chew.
Complex proteins are out of the question as I'm sure you already know; like meat products, etc.
I can't think of anything else to add.
Hope this helps
Also, like stated; no beetles and such including pillbugs.
Sandhill crickets of the right size are excellent; and flies when you can catch them. Spiders are good; SOME ants are good; I think fire ants burn them with the venom and have good pincers that can chew.
Complex proteins are out of the question as I'm sure you already know; like meat products, etc.
I can't think of anything else to add.
Hope this helps
vft guy in SJ
VFT and Drosera lover
Alot of things aren't going to find themselves caught in the trap of the VFT in the wild; like an earthworm for example and I wouldn't feed that to my captive VFT.
A deer might poop on the VFT in the wild; but I don't want to feed that to my VFT either. There are also tarantulas that aren't found there, but are all over here; I don't think they would like it either. If VFT'S were indigenous to Arizona, for example; it may have evolved to 12 inch traps to catch larger insects, but it's adapted to it's territory in the East.
If I fed my VFT a toenail clipping; it may turn black (from my fungus) with no benefit of nutrient absorbtion; so giving people ideas of what to and what not to feed, I feel is beneficial to the health of what may be their only and prized VFT.
A deer might poop on the VFT in the wild; but I don't want to feed that to my VFT either. There are also tarantulas that aren't found there, but are all over here; I don't think they would like it either. If VFT'S were indigenous to Arizona, for example; it may have evolved to 12 inch traps to catch larger insects, but it's adapted to it's territory in the East.
If I fed my VFT a toenail clipping; it may turn black (from my fungus) with no benefit of nutrient absorbtion; so giving people ideas of what to and what not to feed, I feel is beneficial to the health of what may be their only and prized VFT.
mealworms and darkling beetles(mealworm beetles) is all i feed my vfts and love both of them. it doesnt look like they do much but if you actully look nothing but an exoskelton is left, i especally like to feed beetles with deformed shells. the only thing that has caused problems for me are pillbugs which rotted the trap and pretty much stopped growth for like a month.
Back when I was living in La Mesa; a suburb of San Diego, in Southern California, my Dionaea muscipula frequently caught small slugs. This was only obvious because many times parts of the slugs would still be protruding from the traps. Usually the traps would be damaged by this prey, but the plants would grow and prosper despite the supposedly, unnatural prey. Later, while living in Albuquerque, New Mexico I continued to see slugs on the menu. I was always amazed that they should choose prey which I considered inappropriate. I guess it's probably not a matter of conscious choice.
I've even read reports of Dionaea muscipula capturing aquatic prey during periods of being submerged. What are we going to do to restrict their diet to appropriate meals?
I've even read reports of Dionaea muscipula capturing aquatic prey during periods of being submerged. What are we going to do to restrict their diet to appropriate meals?
BTW, Goldslinger, I have tried worm pieces too,a nd I think it's not bacteria that kills the trap-I think it's just too rich. Is that what you mean by "damaged", Joseph, with the slugs?
I have black ants cause the same thing FlyTrapNewbie mentioned. I did not think they were carpenter, but they may have been young ones. Ants have some potent chemicals in them-has anyone wver watched the video "Death Trap" where the ant bites the D. rotundifolia leaf and it kills the leaf(they show it under time lapse photography)?
But, like Joseph said, there is no sign saying"you must be this big to enter trap", so traps may die, but the plant still thrives.
I guess, if I were looking for the optimum insect, it would be about a third of the length of the trap in size.
Randall, have you tried feeding the traps directly instead of leting Nature take it's course?
Cheers,
Joe
I have black ants cause the same thing FlyTrapNewbie mentioned. I did not think they were carpenter, but they may have been young ones. Ants have some potent chemicals in them-has anyone wver watched the video "Death Trap" where the ant bites the D. rotundifolia leaf and it kills the leaf(they show it under time lapse photography)?
But, like Joseph said, there is no sign saying"you must be this big to enter trap", so traps may die, but the plant still thrives.
I guess, if I were looking for the optimum insect, it would be about a third of the length of the trap in size.
Randall, have you tried feeding the traps directly instead of leting Nature take it's course?
Cheers,
Joe
