Sounds to me that your flytraps are going Dormant.
i read that you've been having your VFTs for over 5 months right?

And it seems like your plant's growth as decreased do to the cold weather and shorter days. just let your flytrap rest this winter since it's decreasing growth.

Your flytrap is not dying, and there's nothing wrong that you are doing :) Your plant is getting ready for its winter dormancy. Just don't water it too much during this wime, make sure its soil is bearly moist at all times, but NEVER allow it to dry out.

Once spring arrives (late febraury- march'sh) the days will become warmer and the days will become longer, once this happens, water your plant like you always had. make sure there's a tray below the container of the plant. Once it begins growing again, it will send more leaves with big traps again, Don't worry. It will most likely send a flower stalk next spring, too. :)

So simply: allow your plant to fall dormant, around late february, grow it outside in full sun. but for now, just grow it under lights or ever outside in the shaded area since it's Cold over where you are located.

I live in california, i grow my plants outside all year round. Yes, during the growing season flytraps send very big traps with tall leaves, they are gorgeous under the sunshine. but Once fall & winter approuch, they decrease their growth as they do in their natural Habitat (the carolinas U.S.) Don't panic :) just trim off any dead/brown leaves and dead traps. Keep the healthy small leaves and traps. everything will be alright.

The only things I would add to what xymox has written is that I would strongly urge you to cut the flower stalk off. Personally, I wouldn't trust a VFT to live past flowering if I hadn't given it a proper dormancy. At this time of year, VFT's are purchased and it's a debate as to whether they should be put through a dormancy this year or wait until the following year. For some reason, this species is prone to dying from the enrrgy expended by flowerin and if it doean't have a full season of growth & sunlight, followed by a dormancy, the potential is higher for the flower to kill the plant. So to be safe....

Also, since we provide artificial environemnts for these plants, they are more prone to mold. Therefore, I remove anything that is dead plant material. It's like keeping tropical fish in a fishtank; they are more prone to ich and bacterial infections, than their counterparts in the wild.

At this time of year, VFT's are purchased and it's a debate as to whether they should be put through a dormancy this year or wait until the following year.

I got Frankenstein (my VFT) last year around Thanksgiving, and did not let him go dormant last winter, I kept him inside with lots of light and a glass pie plate over his pot to work as a "greenhouse".

He hasn't tried to grow a flower stalk at all. I'm wondering if I will see one in the spring, if he survives the winter, I'm really worried about letting him "die"!!!

J

don't let it flower! just cut it off. most of the time it just uses up the all the plants energy and it dies right afterward. the flowers really aren't that great anyways. really small, no big deal. not worth the plant dying!

wait, so if i just cut off the flower stalk befor it blooms the life expectancy will go up?

no, no cut it off as soon as you see it. i only waited because i didn't know, and it actually weakened the plant, i thought it might die, but it pulled through. just cut it off as soon as you see it.

i know that leaving the flower stalk kills the plant but I am forcing my vft into dormancy by putting it in the fridge until february.it is in a small tank made from half of a 2 litre bottle.and I will water it only before the soil starts to get dry.are these all the steps to giving my vft a proper dormancy?

Joel: I wouldn't put a room temp plant in the fridge. It ought to be somewhat gradual. I had mine in between storm and inner windows before the fridge.

Ilex: the less stress you can put on the plant, they better the chance of getting it through the winter.

what part is the flower stalk ? if the leaves are brown and it looks dead what part do I cut off?

Anything dead you can cut off. The flower stalk will be a thin green stalk that goes pretty much straight up and has a ball type looking top.