Q&A for How to Choose a Venus Flytrap

Yes you can, however you need to provide them with a dormancy period. First, rinse off the roots after uprooting the plant. Then trim off all dead growth and spray with fungicide. Wrap the plants in damp paper towels and place in ziplock bags, squeezing out excess air. Place in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator, checking every two weeks for mold. You need to keep these plants dormant for three months.

You just have to wait for it to open. If there is nothing in it, it will open eventually, although you never really need to feed a Venus Flytrap. You can raise one without ever feeding it as long as you give it water and plenty of of sunlight.

No, they go into a "low power" mode, and will need less water and food. It will come back out in the summer.

If you think the container it's in is too small, then yes, put it in something larger.

Most plant nurseries sell healthy flytraps so go to your nearest one and have a look.

Yes, but only ones that have just been killed, not anything old whatsoever. They close upon stimulation of the hairs inside the trap from movement of the prey, so if it won't close, you may have to move it around just a little bit with something to stimulate the hairs and cause it to close. You can always use small crickets from a pet store, mill worms, or earthworms if your having trouble feeding live flies.

Do not feed your Venus flytrap bugs during dormancy. It needs to conserve as much energy as possible. The traps will move much more slowly during dormancy, if they move at all. Any movement will consume energy, which it needs in order to survive. The Venus flytrap also won't need as much water during the dormancy period. It will still need plenty of light, though.

They need a lot of sunlight. Humidity is less important - in fact, high humidity will cause spindly growth and is not generally recommended outside of a terrarium.

It could be for bug control, but I think most people with Venus Flytraps just find them interesting and like to keep them as a hobby.

Generally, 2-3 times a week, but it really depends on where you live. When damp, the soil should feel kinda like a sponge when you gently press it. Keep it like that, never too dry.

"Tap water and bottled drinking water contains too many minerals. This will kill a Venus flytrap. You should only water your Venus flytraps with distilled water, deionized water, or reverse osmosis water. You can buy these bottled in the grocery store or garden stores and they are relatively inexpensive. You can also collect rainwater to use to water your Venus flytrap."

Of course, I'd use an LED light in the winter and a terrarium to make sure it's getting the correct amount of light and not getting too cold.

Yes, as long as it is not exposed to too much sunlight. Keep it in hot temperatures. If you live in a dry area, lightly spray ti with distilled water or rainwater.

It depends on the species of Venus flytrap you have. Make sure you put it in indirect sunlight because direct sunlight will kill it. It is not the heat.

You can get the seeds to grow your own for just a few dollars online. If you'd like the live plant, you can order one for around twenty dollars.

Yes, any kind of water works except for tap or bottled.

No, they do not smell.

Yes. They eat things like earthworms and millworms. However, bugs are better for the plant.

If there is nothing in the trap that the plant wants to eat, it will open in a few hours. If the plant senses food (e.g. because the food produces a source of nitrogen), you are looking at a few weeks while the plant digests it. Closing traps artificially is not a good idea because it will sap the plant's strength and cause it to die if done too often.

Yes, it should not bother the plant as long as you retain humidity, which can be done by misting the plant.

You can, but it makes no difference. You can use the flowers to get flytrap seeds if you keep them on, though.

It can have rain water. Tap water is not the best choice. Distilled water would be good for them.

Yes, but you have to keep them well misted, and not outside.

Keep them indoors and make sure that the are well misted and in a somewhat warm location.

If you have a curious pet at home, it's best to remove the flytrap from the pet's reach so it won't harm your plant.

Yes. If the trap's small, you will have to feed it the smaller house spiders. If you feed a small trap a large spider, it won't digest it properly.

You can order one online, or find it in plant nurseries and garden centers. It is most commonly sold in mid-spring to mid-autumn.

No, not at all, but they do need humidity. That is what a terrarium provides, but you can also mist it once a day to provide humidity.

Venus Flytraps’ water must contain no minerals, or else it will die.

Yes, as log as they're not bigger than the plant. Only feed 2 leaves at a time, though. Using too much of the plant's energy will cause it to die.