What causes baby scorpion deaths? Causes and solutions
Scorpion farming is a fairly profitable breeding business, but the most important part of scorpion farming is the management of baby scorpions. Many scorpion farmers often see baby scorpions die during breeding, which brings economic losses to the farmers. So what causes baby scorpion deaths? How should they be prevented and controlled? Let's take a look at the details on Qinnong Network.
1. Death from freezing at low temperatures
A low temperature does not mean a temperature around 0 degrees. For baby scorpions, anything below 28 degrees is a low-temperature environment. When baby scorpions are just born, they need to be in an environment above 28 degrees. Many new farmers, lacking breeding experience, think that as long as the temperature is comfortable it is fine. If the baby scorpions' breeding environment stays below 28 degrees for a long time, they will freeze to death, with their legs and pincers curled into a ball.
Solution: Keep the breeding environment above 28 degrees, preferably 32-35 degrees.
2. Starving to death
When baby scorpions are just born, they climb on the mother scorpion's back and do not eat, surviving on nutrients carried from the mother's body. But as they grow, they molt, which uses up part of their strength. When they begin to come down from the mother scorpion's back, the nutrients they carried have been used up. If they are not fed and given nutrients at this time, they will starve to death. Feeding also cannot be done directly with large yellow mealworms, because baby scorpions cannot hunt them normally; small yellow mealworms or ground beetles (Eupolyphaga) should be provided instead.
Solution: As soon as the baby scorpions are born, prepare small yellow mealworms and small ground beetles (Eupolyphaga) and build up a feed reserve. Sterile flies or minced meat can also be used as substitutes.
3. Suffocating to death from lack of oxygen
Scorpions like dark environments, so general breeding rooms are dark. To block sunlight, they are kept in a closed environment, and the ventilation in such an environment can be imagined, which causes baby scorpions to suffocate and die from lack of oxygen. After death, baby scorpions show no obvious changes in body, their body color is normal, and their limbs are soft.
Solution: The best solution is to improve ventilation and ventilate once a day at a fixed time. In addition, some plants can be grown in the breeding room, but the plants must be guaranteed sufficient light for photosynthesis, otherwise it will have the opposite effect.
4. Humidity too high
High humidity in the breeding room can also cause baby scorpion deaths. Especially after baby scorpions die, farmers find the dead bodies stiff and assume it is caused by low humidity, so they spray water or mist into the scorpion pit, making the humidity higher and higher. This leads to an increase in baby scorpion deaths; when they die, their whole bodies are limp and red.
Solution: Stop spraying water or mist, improve ventilation, lower the humidity, and keep the breeding environment dry and clean.
5. Cannibalism
After baby scorpions leave the mother scorpion's back, both the baby scorpions and the mother scorpion have extremely strong appetites and need to eat a large amount. If food is insufficient at this time, competition for food will lead to the mother scorpion eating the baby scorpions and the baby scorpions killing each other.
Solution: The food provided must be sufficient. After the baby scorpions leave the mother's back, it is best to raise them in separate groups to prevent this phenomenon.
The above is Qinnong Network's coverage of the causes of baby scorpion deaths and solutions. We hope it helps you. To learn more about scorpion farming, please stay tuned to Qinnong Network.