Disease prevention and control techniques in centipede farming

1. Green mold disease, also called green muscardine disease, is the main disease in artificially farmed centipedes. From mid-June to the end of August, due to high temperatures, high humidity, and moldy food, centipedes are susceptible to infection by the pathogen and contract this disease. In the early stage, infected centipedes mainly show small black or green spots on the skin at the joints, which then gradually enlarge; subsequently the body surface loses its luster, black spots appear on the underside of the abdomen, appetite decreases, movement becomes sluggish, and finally they die from refusing to eat and wasting away. The main cause of this disease is excessive humidity in the rearing environment, or rotting and moldy leftover food in the pool. Prevention and control methods: (1) Remove moldy food, feed fresh live food, maintain good sanitation in the rearing pool, and carry out disinfection and sterilization. (2) Adjust the temperature and humidity in the rearing pool, and maintain ventilation to dissipate moisture. (3) For affected centipedes, 0.25 g of penicillin dissolved in 1 kg of water can be sprayed for disinfection or added to drinking water. (4) 0.6 g of dried yeast, 0.25 g of oxytetracycline, and 0.25 g of chloramphenicol can be ground into a coarse powder, mixed evenly with 400 g of feed, and fed to sick centipedes until they recover.

2. Abdominal bloating disease. Centipedes mostly suffer from this disease during the rainy, low-temperature period after autumn, mostly caused by overeating and low temperatures. In the early stage, sick centipedes have a purplish-red head, fully extended venom claws, no eating or reduced eating, a swollen abdomen, and slow movement, and they die about 1 week after onset. Prevention and control methods: (1) Mix 1 g of dried yeast with 500 g of water, let them suck it up, and raise the rearing temperature. (2) Grind 0.5 g of sulfonamide tablets into a fine powder and mix evenly with 300 g of feed; alternatively, mix 0.25 g of chloramphenicol with 300 g of feed and feed every other day until recovery. 3. Molting disease. It is caused by fungi parasitizing the body because the centipede's habitat is too damp. In the early stage, they appear restless and agitated, crawling back and forth; in the later stage, they appear weak and move slowly, and finally die without eating or moving. Prevention and control methods: Grind 0.25 g of oxytetracycline, 0.6 g of dried yeast, and 1 g of calcium tablets into a fine powder, mix evenly with 400 g of feed, and feed for many consecutive days until recovery. 4. Ant damage. Centipedes that are molting or in the egg-laying and hatching period have weak resistance, and when ants enter at this time, they attack in groups. This causes centipedes that are molting to be bitten to death, or causes female centipedes that are hatching to abandon their eggs and flee. Prevention and control methods: (1) Dig a surrounding trench around the rearing pool and fill it with water, which can effectively prevent ants from entering. (2) Use bones, sugars, fruits, or other sweet foods to lure ants away, then scald them to death with boiling water. 5. Miscarriage. Miscarriage in pregnant centipedes is mostly caused by disturbance, turning, noise, or direct stimulation by foreign objects, so during pregnancy they should be kept quiet, and they should certainly not be turned frequently. In addition, it is also necessary to prevent rats from eating adults, young, and eggs and causing harm.