Methods and Technical Points for Disease Prevention and Control in Centipede Farming

Centipedes have a relatively strong disease resistance and generally do not get sick, but improper rearing can still cause them to become ill. The main diseases of centipedes and their prevention and control methods are described below:
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 of infection, small black or green spots mainly appear on the skin at the joints, then gradually expand; subsequently the body surface loses its luster, black spots appear on the underside of the abdomen, appetite decreases, and movement becomes sluggish, ultimately leading to death from weight loss due to refusal to feed. 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, penicillin 0.25 g dissolved in 1 kg of water can be sprayed for disinfection or added to drinking water. (4) Dried yeast 0.6 g, oxytetracycline 0.25 g, and chloramphenicol 0.25 g can be ground together into powder, mixed evenly with 400 g of feed, and fed to sick centipedes until they recover.
2. Abdominal bloating disease: centipedes mostly contract this disease during the rainy, low-temperature period after autumn, and it is mostly caused by overeating and low temperatures. In the early stage, the head of the sick centipede turns purplish red, the venom claws are fully extended, it eats little or nothing, the abdomen becomes distended, and movement is slow; death occurs about 1 week after onset.
Prevention and control methods: (1) Mix 1 g of dried yeast with 500 g of water, let it suck the mixture, and raise the temperature. (2) Grind 0.5 g of sulfonamide tablets into 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 is caused by fungi parasitizing the body because the centipede's habitat is too damp. In the early stage, it shows restlessness and crawling back and forth; in the later stage, it shows weakness and slowed movement, and finally dies 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 together into fine powder, add 400 g of feed, stir evenly, and feed continuously for many days until recovery.
4. Ant damage: centipedes that are molting or in the egg-laying and hatching period have weak resistance. When ants enter at this time, they attack in groups, causing molting centipedes to be bitten to death, or causing incubating female centipedes to abandon their eggs and flee.
Prevention and control methods: (1) Dig a surrounding trench around the rearing pool and fill it with water to prevent ants from entering. (2) Use fruit or other sweet food to lure ants away, then kill them with boiling water.
5. Miscarriage: pregnant centipedes mostly suffer from this due to disturbance, turning over, noise, or direct stimulation by foreign objects. Therefore, during pregnancy they should be kept quiet, and they should certainly not be turned over frequently.
In addition, it is also necessary to prevent rats from swallowing adults, young, and eggs and causing harm.