How to Raise the Red-Headed Giant Centipede? Key Points of Feeding and Management Techniques

The Chinese red-headed giant centipede is an excellent centipede variety bred through genetic mutation, characterized by a large body, fast development, stable food intake and very strong immunity, and its medicinal value is more than ten times higher than that of wild centipedes. Generally, wild centipedes can only sell for 0.5----1 yuan each on the market, while the market price of the Chinese red-headed giant centipede for medicinal use is as high as 6----8 yuan each. Its raising technique is simple, easy to manage, and gives good returns.

----Raising tools. Centipede house: it can be raised indoors in three-dimensional boxes, with a box size of more than 1.2 sq m, or raised in an underground pool, with walls made of wood or cement structure, wall height above 0.5 m, and the inner wall all around lined with smooth plastic film or glass, with the bottom covered with more than 10 cm of loose soil (or sand), three rows of tiles placed on the soil, and then another layer of tiles placed upside down on the tiles, repeated for three or four layers. The enclosure wall for outdoor centipede raising is the same as for indoor raising, but a roof is needed to protect against sun, rain and insect pests. Feeding utensils: the feeding trays use large porcelain trays or clean rectangular plastic trays, and several feeding trays should be placed in the raising box so that every giant centipede has a place. The drinking trays should be small saucers, and each box needs more than 5 of them, distributed throughout the box. The utensils must be washed once a day and disinfected once a week with potassium permanganate. At the same time, tools such as a thermometer, hygrometer, spray bottle, exhaust fan, small brush and catching chopsticks are needed. To keep the room ventilated and the air fresh and clean, the excrement should be cleaned up in time, and the exhaust fan should be installed at the window or above the door.----Feeding food. Feed at fixed times and in fixed amounts, distribute evenly, and there are certain requirements for the food: eat less fish and shrimp, eat more mealworms, and do not feed melons, fruits, miscellaneous insects, rotten meat or overnight meat. The main choice of feed is yellow mealworms, and fresh cooked fish can also be fed once every 15----20 days (cooked, mashed and scattered in a very thin layer on the tray), with fresh cooked loach being even better. Young centipedes more than 40 days old can eat cooked egg yolk, and fresh yolk must be used once a day; young centipedes more than 50 days old can be separated from the mother, and at this time the large centipedes should be picked out, leaving the small centipedes for easier raising.----Raising method. During the active period of the Chinese red-headed giant centipede, feed at 5----6 pm every day, once a day (every 800 centipedes can eat about 1.5 kg in 30 days). First, wipe the washed feeding utensils and drinking utensils dry without leaving water droplets, place them separately in the centipede pool, and keep every centipede able to approach and eat the food; at this time evenly put in yellow mealworms (or fish), add cool boiled water to the drinking trays, and do not spray water indoors before feeding. Feed on time every day, do not feed too much fish, and stop at the right point, so as to avoid excessive food, indigestion and food poisoning. For drinking water, choose flat, shallow trays (about 1----1.5 cm deep), and provide fresh cool boiled water once a day. Keep the room sanitary, and do not let flies appear. Keep the room temperature at 20----25°C normally; if the temperature is too high, sprinkle water outside the centipede house indoors to cool the room, but do not use an electric fan, while an air conditioner may be used; if it is cold in winter and you want them to reproduce early, you can adopt a non-hibernation raising technique and add heat. Pay attention to observing the giant centipedes to see whether there is any abnormal spirit. A red-headed giant centipede that keeps running back and forth has been attacked by centipedes and has slight injuries on its body or head, and its whole body should be wiped with mercurochrome, centipede wine or alcohol. Those with bloated belly, not eating and walking slowly should be raised in isolation, and fed with dried yeast, oxytetracycline and anti-bloating tablets (the usual food can be supplied in small amounts). Those with antennae pointing backward should be fed oxytetracycline, dried yeast and chloramphenicol, and then their bodies wiped with alcohol or centipede wine.----Prevention and control of diseases and insect pests. Black spot disease: different-sized black spots are found on the underside and head of the Chinese red-headed giant centipede. It can be prevented and controlled by grinding 0.6 g of dried yeast, 0.25 g of oxytetracycline and 0.25 g of chloramphenicol together, mixing with feed insects and feeding continuously for 7 days; for severe cases, they can be separated and fed. Emulsifiers such as nystatin, amphotericin, cycloheximide and kanamycin can also be selected separately for prevention and control. Gastroenteritis: feed with 0.5 g of sulfa tablets mixed with feed insects, or feed with 0.25 g of chloramphenicol mixed with 300 g of feed insects. Molting disease: the Chinese red-headed giant centipede grows fast, and when molting, if the humidity is too dry it is difficult to molt, while if too wet it produces small mites and fungal parasitism. At this time, continuously feed 0.5 g of oxytetracycline, 0.6 g of dried yeast and 1 calcium tablet once every 10 days, grind them together, mix evenly with 400 g of feed insects and feed continuously.----Reproduction and hatching. The Chinese red-headed giant centipede generally mates from March to June and lays eggs from May to August, laying 50----60 eggs each time, and after laying eggs the giant centipede holds the eggs in its embrace to hatch them. They hatch in about 20 days, and only after 45 days can they leave the mother to live independently. During hatching, a quiet environment and suitable dryness and humidity should be maintained; generally the hatching temperature should be controlled at 12----15°C, normally 25----32°C, and the relative air humidity controlled at 50%-70%. As the young red-headed giant centipedes keep molting and growing and their individuals grow, when the giant centipede's body length reaches about 80 mm, its food intake increases and its body weight increases accordingly, so food should be fully supplied; generally feed cooked egg yolk, and if molting is found, manage them in isolation. Choose pure Chinese red-headed giant centipedes as seedlings, and do not choose wild or hybrid varieties.