Question
i am supposed to be looking after some plants for a friend, all i could tell you is that one is a venus fly trap and the labels in the others just read sarrencia hybrid. not very big plants, pitchers i believe. they are kept on a window sill but the room is never particularly warm. i water them once a week and was told to do so with pond or rain water. i forgot to waterthem for ove two weeks!! the pitchers are droopy and very vey brown and some parts are very dry but particularly tough-i was going to pull out dry brown leaves. the venus fly trap has gone brown and dry and shriveled back quite alot. there are still green parts to all plants but as i know nothing about plants and tend to kill anything i look after im guessing they may be dead-although i am continuing to water them! should i give up on them and apologise no end to my friend?

Answer
Hi Luke,

The plants might survive depending whether the dehydration was severe or not.  For now, set the plants in a saucer of standing water.  Keep the water level no higher than half way up the pot.  These plants can tolerate standing water, so it's a lot easier to simply water them this way rather than top watering them weekly.  Besides, as you've noticed, these plants do not at all tolerate dry soil, so the standing water will ensure that the soil is moist all the time.

The plants will perk up within a few days.  At that time, clip off leaves that shriveled and turned brown.  

Other than keeping the plants in standing water, care for the plants as your friend has mentioned.  In the meantime, read our care sheets on growing these plants:
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets

You should also direct your friend to these care sheets.  While it is unfortunate that the plants were neglected, in the end I wouldn't fault you because the growing instructions you were given weren't exactly accurate or feasible for someone who has never successfully grown these or any other plants before.  

But for now, care for the plants exactly as your friend has mentioned other than keeping the plants in standing water.  

Good growing!
Jacob Farin