Venus Fly Traps?

[Marc10edora]

I just picked up a venus fly trap for my room today. I figured they would catch some of the fungus nats that are coming from my chams cage. But I wanted to also know if it would be safe to plant a couple inside the cage? Do you think they are harmful if swallowed? I think it would thrive in there because it needs 50% humidity and 70*F temps to grow. Also indirect sunlight is best. Then they could eat all the fungus nats. They are selling them at walmart right now, if anyone is intrested.

 

[filip]

PLEASE, don't do that to your plant. The venus flytrap is a great plant, but like chameleons it needs special conditions. Your idea is like keeping a chameleon in a pond!
First of all the V.F. (Dionaea muscipula) is a US native plant, it is not a tropical plant!!! It needs sunlight, direct unfiltered sunlight, even strong sun. It then needs a winter rest where the temp must reach nearly freezing. After that it needs pure sphagnum moss as a substrate and you have to water it ALWAYS with demineralised water or rain water!!! In a chameleon cage it leaves would be always closed because they would be touched by the cham and besides that it WON"T EAT GNATS! This plant doesn't need to be fed, it can take one fly in a week and it will be allright.
Now, you have many great resorces on the net and I think you should have taken a look before buying it...I know it might be cheap but it is still a pity to destroy it. So, remember this, for a happy venus you need:
1. Direct sunlight
2. Rain water
3. Pure sphagnum moss as compost, no fertilizers added
4. The most important thing is that the water must stand ALWAYS under the plant so it can be constantly wet, becouse its a wetland plant!
If you follow these instructions you will have a happy plant, if not it will die very soon. I have many and they are simply great...
All the best
Filip

 

[Marc10edora]

Thanks for the info. I kind of bought it on an impulse. Plus it was cheap. Is there any other breed of meat eating plants that will catch all these nats flying around my room?

 

[Vibrant Chameleons]

I'd just put up some of those sticky strips that are used to catch houseflies. This should help considerably within a few days.

 

[SethDaddy]

Fly Trap

I have some of those bugs too in my cham habitat. I just watched a utube video of a venus fly trap and it eats much bigger bugs. I think the little tiny fungus bugs could be eaten by a plant called sundew, (Same family as the venus fly trap) it eats smaller bugs but I wonder if it too needs a cold season and direct sun. I also wonder if it is toxic to the cham. It grows natural around my house so I might try placing some in an area that the cham rarely goes after food.

 

[ciafardo 4]

the sundew is very sticky in a cham cage it would be a disaster

 

[ciafardo 4]

derrick is right the best meat eating plant are victor pest ribbons they catch every thing that flies

 

[sandrachameleon]

The best way to rid yourself of fungus gnats is to let your plants dry out more. Also, remove the top two inches of soil and replace with rocks (or cover soil with two inches of rocks). You can also use beneficial Nematodes.

I agree, a chameleon cage is not the best environment for a fly trap plant.

 

[chameleon97]

a picher plant in the room (NOT IN THE CHAM CAGE!!) will keep down the gnats probably.

 

[THECHAMMAN]

i have a HUGE pitcher plant in my room by a window, and if i look in there each pitcher has a bajesus load of flies, gnats, and the *occasional* bee/wasp.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

They can survive in much less wet conditions - I've sen their habitats. But, the problem is keeping them alive through winter. They DO need that cool down. Chameleon cages woudl work just fine for the summer, but don't expect much of a dent in the insect population. Pitcher plants tend to work better for gnats and such.

Flypaper even better.