CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Five or six of the earthworms I raise die every day. Is this normal?

There must be a problem.

1. Fungal enteritis

Causes of the disease: The breeding environment is too humid, the temperature is unstable, and eating spoiled food.

Symptoms: The abdomen is swollen, light yellow, with black spots on the body surface, crawling slowly, the abdomen is easily broken when squeezed by hand, and yellow-green pus flows out. It grows slowly, does not mate, does not lay eggs, and some die.

Prevention and treatment methods: Prevention is the main method for this disease. Replace the moist soil, open doors and windows for ventilation, and keep the air in the pit room fresh. Do not feed high-protein feed, mainly feed extensive feed, and prevent the feed from rotting and deterioration. Add 0.5 grams of oxytetracycline to the feed and mix it with 250 grams of wheat flour before feeding.

2. Mites

Mites are one of the biggest natural enemies of insects. They reproduce very quickly and are only as big as a needle tip. They parasitize on various parts of the earthworm's body and also on the surface of the breeding soil. They mainly eat feed such as wheat flour and also eat sick and weak earthworms. They are more harmful to larvae. The large-scale production of mites is mainly caused by excessive feeding, long-term food leftovers, too wet breeding soil, and too low temperature.

Here are some ways to get rid of mites:

(1) Scrape out the topsoil with mites and sieve it through a window screen. (2) Soak wheat flour and make small balls with a diameter of 1-2 cm. Place them on the surface of the breeding soil at 3-5 points per square meter during the day. Mites will flock to eat. After 1-2 hours, remove the wheat flour balls and mites. (3) Combine the above methods and do not feed for 1-2 days. Mites will starve to death, but the growth of earthworms will not be affected. Adjust the humidity of the breeding soil.

3. Prevention and control of ant damage

Ants are everywhere, including in earthworm breeding ponds, where they often eat larvae.

(1) Chlordane oil and chlordane powder are available for sale in agricultural supply or chemical stores and can repel ants.

(2) Place the latest Cockroach and Ant Cleaner in places where ants are present. This drug is a chronic drug. Ants will drag this drug into their caves and kill all the ants in a nest in 2-3 days. However, earthworms should be prevented from accidentally ingesting it.

(3) Place meat scraps where ants are found to trap and kill them.

The above is some of my earthworm breeding information, I hope it can help you