CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What is the biggest feature of centipedes? What are the prospects for breeding them?

Centipede is commonly known as centipede, also known as Tianlong. It belongs to the phylum Arthropoda, class Myriapoda. It is 8-25 cm long, with a pair of antennae on the head, 21 body segments, and 21 pairs of legs. The first pair forms sickle-shaped venomous palates and has venom glands. Under artificial breeding conditions, it matures in about 6 months. The mature centipede is 11-14 cm long, 5-11 cm wide, and slightly flattened dorsally and ventrally.

1. Medicinal value and breeding prospects of centipedes

According to relevant experts, centipedes contain two active ingredients similar to bee venom and a variety of substances such as tyrosine, leucine, and formic acid. It has the effects of dispelling wind, calming the nerves, anti-cancer, detoxifying and dispersing knots, unblocking meridians and relieving pain, and is one of the important raw materials for Chinese patent medicines such as "detoxifying ointment" and "snake medicine tablets". Modern medical research shows that centipedes can be used as medicine to treat infantile convulsions, crooked mouth and squinting eyes, convulsions, tetanus, white baldness, etc. my country is the origin of centipedes as medicinal materials, and enjoys a high reputation abroad, especially in Southeast Asia and other countries. The local centipede is called "golden head centipede", and the main production areas are Yaohua, Anfu Temple, Baiyang, Gujiadian, Yaojiagang and Gugubei, especially Yaohua. In the past, centipedes were mainly caught in the wild for medicinal purposes, but with the continuous expansion of the application range of centipedes and the continuous reduction of wild resources, the supply of centipedes is very short. Therefore, the prospects for artificial breeding of centipedes are very broad, with low investment, quick results, easy breeding, and high profits. It is a way to prosper the rural economy and increase farmers' income.

2. Feeding and management techniques

1. Construction of breeding ponds: Centipedes have strong climbing ability but cannot swim. Based on this characteristic, the pond can be designed as a water-surrounded breeding pond, a glass-lined breeding pond, etc.

2. Food habits and drinks: Centipede is a typical carnivorous animal. It likes all kinds of living insects, such as crickets, locusts, mealworms, dragonflies, cockroaches, flies, bees, and the pupae and eggs of these insects. It also eats spiders, earthworms, snails, geckos, snakes, frogs, birds, mice, etc. When hungry, it also eats a small amount of young leaves and buds of plants.

3. Management of centipedes caught from the wild for breeding. Choose healthy and healthy centipedes. Too high density, too much disturbance, or insufficient feed and water can cause centipedes to kill each other. For piles of tiles and stones, 300 centipedes can be released per square meter based on the bottom surface area.

3. Reproduction Technology

Centipedes lay eggs once a year at normal temperature. If they are kept at a constant temperature, they will break the routine and lay eggs twice a year. Centipedes have the habit of incubating eggs and raising young. Centipedes reach sexual maturity in 3 years at normal temperature and can reproduce and lay eggs in 1 year at a constant temperature. Pests and diseases The main enemies of centipedes are mice, toads, ants, etc. Centipedes are in a semi-sleeping state during the molting and hatching period. If they are taken advantage of by ants, they will be eaten in a few hours. They must also be protected from harm by chickens or birds.

Capture, Processing and Grade Artificially cultivated centipedes can be captured in September and October as needed. After the centipedes are put into hot water and scalded to death, use your fingers to squeeze out the intestinal contents from head to tail. Take a bamboo stick that is similar in length to the centipede's body, sharpen both ends, insert one end from the ventral side into the first internode between the head and the trunk, and insert the other end into the tail to support it and straighten it. Then use thin bamboo sticks to clamp 10 in a row, straighten it and dry it in the air or dry it with charcoal fire. The finished product is required to be dry, with a complete head and tail, shiny and in strips, without broken pieces, insects or mildew. Special-grade products are more than 15 cm long, first-grade products are more than 12 cm long, second-grade products are more than 9 cm long, and third-grade products are more than 6 cm long.

4. Precautions: Although centipede breeding is simple and easy, every summer, with the increase in temperature and humidity, improper management will also affect the normal growth of centipedes.

1. Provide sufficient feed. When the temperature is around 25℃, it is the most suitable stage for centipedes to grow. When the temperature is above 30℃, centipedes are most active and their food intake increases with their activity. The molting period is shortened accordingly, and egg laying, hatching, growth and development are greatly accelerated. At this time, sufficient feed should be provided, mainly meat and high-protein feed. Of course, centipedes' favorite food is insects, flies, earthworms and mealworms.

2. Drinking water should be sufficient. Artificially bred centipedes should have sufficient drinking water in the breeding pond. Otherwise, after being cut off from water for several days, once water is available again, the centipedes will drink excessively and die. When the temperature reaches 35℃, if water supply is not paid attention to, the centipedes will die from dehydration and limb paralysis.

3. Disease prevention. In summer, pathogens multiply in large numbers, especially those caused by mold. The key to prevention is to pay attention to regulating the temperature and preventing humidity. Therefore, while taking good measures to prevent heatstroke and cool down, pay attention to properly control the amount of watering and spray multiple times. In addition, strictly prevent centipedes from eating rotten and moldy food.