How to Open a Venus Flytrap

The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that lives in very damp soil and high humidity conditions. While many people have a perception of the Venus flytrap as a snapping plant that might bite off your finger, this is not at all true. The Venus flytrap doesn't bite and is not at all dangerous to humans. The Venus flytrap gets its nutrients from flies and other small insects, trapping them and slowly digesting them. While the plant is almost always open to allow insects to land, there are times when it may be necessary to open the plant manually.

Place your thumb under the lower leaf of the flytrap and your index finger on the top leaf. Venus flytraps are delicate, so don't apply too much pressure. Don't stick anything between the two leaves of the flytrap or you will risk touching the hairlike sensors, causing the two leaves to close around the object.

Roll your thumb and forefinger gently back and forth. This will trick the flytrap into thinking there is a live insect nearby. The two leaves will begin to separate in preparation for allowing the insect inside.

Apply slight pressure to the left and right edges of the Venus flytrap to cause the leaves to separate further. At this time, you can slip an insect into the plant's "mouth." The insect should be living. A Venus flytrap will only digest living insects. If you place a dead insect in the plant, gently roll your thumb and forefinger on the top and bottom leaves again. This can trick the plant into believing it has a live insect.

Since a Venus flytrap stays closed while it is digesting an insect, it's a good idea not to open one. Healthy Venus flytraps will open on their own every two or three days. When a Venus flytrap is digesting an insect, it may stay closed for up to 10 days.