Carnivorous plants

[Eosophoros]

OK, if this seriously belongs elsewhere, feel free to move it. I'm in a punny mood today.
How many other people keep CPs? I used to when I was little, and I'm thinking of getting back into it. They're fairly labor-intensive (especially in terms of soil/watering requirements... yikes), and the species I kept primarily - drosera, ie sundew - required LOTS of sunlight/fluorescent lighting, but they're a really rewarding hobby, at least for me.

[Shang]

I love Flycatchers!  I've always wanted one and I'm about to go get one.  My mom never let me keep them before.

[Eosophoros]

Ommina add my links onto this thread - CPs are really harsh to take care of, especially for beginners, and you might find them useful.

http://www.carnivorousplants.org/ - the forum people are really kind and helpful, though they tend to be sticklers about using Latin names for the different genera. The forum is under Resources, and the Seed Bank link is good as well - http://www.carnivorousplants.org/seedbank/SeedsQuickLinks.php contains the germination and growing instructions for every type of plant they've had.

This FAQ is really informative: http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq3000.html

In general, CPs require distilled/reverse osmosis water and specialized soil mixes, typically including sand, sphagnum peat moss, pearlite and a bunch of other stuff that people will tell you is the Holy Grail of CP growth but as a beginning grower, you won't strictly need.

TL;DR: Do your research. Don't feed them hamburger, and for the love of all that's holy, don't fertilize their soil.

[Shang]

Thanks!

Yeah, I'd be really really careful with the plant.  The soil that you said is best isn't too hard to get here, because it's everywhere--peat moss and sand at least, it comes naturally with our soil, which might be why we've got carnivorous plants all over the place here (at least fly catchers, I saw a good two hundred on one section of trail once, it was pretty awesome).

Who would feed it hamburger?  o.O  And no fertilization's fine, makes it easier on me.

[aubrey]

I remember getting a flycatcher once as a kid and it actually said on the instructions that you could feed it hamburger.....bad advice cuz it died right after I did that

[Sarra]

Bumping from the dead...

Oddly, I've tried these before. I put some in with a larger frog who wouldn't eat smaller crickets. It was a royal pain to feed them (I tried flytraps). Mine didn't last so long... I believe they succumbed to fungus, actually. My frog tanks tend to have large amounts of fungus anyway.