Indoor Nepenthes

[Thazo]

Hello, I'm new here and just bought a nepenthes recently.

I am wondering if a southern facing window is enough light to keep it healthy with a supply of crickets and distilled room temperature water throughout the year?

[alcran]

Welcome! It looks like your post is a bit misplaced. As for the window, sure the plant will be healthy on a windowsill. Just as long as it gets several hours or more of light. What kind of nep did you get?

[Thazo]

Originally Posted by alcran

Welcome! It looks like your post is a bit misplaced. As for the window, sure the plant will be healthy on a windowsill. Just as long as it gets several hours or more of light. What kind of nep did you get?

Sorry about posting in the wrong sub-forum.
I am pretty sure it is a Nepenthes alata. But some of the ventricosa look just like the one I have.
Hmmm.

[alcran]

You have a ventrata. A hybrid containing mostly atlata with some ventricosa. Where in Texas are you? Some species of carnivorous plants are native to Texas.

[Thazo]

Originally Posted by alcran

You have a ventrata. A hybrid containing mostly atlata with some ventricosa. Where in Texas are you? Some species of carnivorous plants are native to Texas.

DFW area, specifically Arlington/Mansfield.

After I googled "Nepenthes Ventrata" I am convinced that that is exactly what I have! I love the smell it makes too.

[Thazo]

What other insects can I feed it, besides crickets? Could I feed it some earth worm pieces?

[alcran]

You can feed it anything small enough. I feed fish to some of my plants. Some people have lizards, birds, and even mice get captured. The prey is limited only by the size of the pitcher. Just make sure that the prey can be completely.

[Thazo]

Originally Posted by alcran

You can feed it anything small enough. I feed fish to some of my plants. Some people have lizards, birds, and even mice get captured. The prey is limited only by the size of the pitcher. Just make sure that the prey can be completely.

The reason I was asking is that it has been almost two weeks and I can still see the exoskeleton of the crickets in the pitchers. Is that normal? How long does it normally take to breakdown the crickets?

[alcran]

The exoskeleton never dissolves. But the soft tissues are digested by now. But when fed animals with internal skeletons, like fish, they absorb the skeleton. I'm guessing that they want the calcium.

[Thazo]

Originally Posted by alcran

The exoskeleton never dissolves. But the soft tissues are digested by now. But when fed animals with internal skeletons, like fish, they absorb the skeleton. I'm guessing that they want the calcium.

So should I dump the pitchers periodically and refill them with distilled room temp water? It looks like the fly it caught the other day is blackish mush.So flys must be easier for them to break down.