Feather-tailed centipede

Feather-tailed centipede (Latin name: Alipes grandidieri) is native to the tropical rainforest areas of Western Africa and Tanzania. It is a large poisonous centipede with a maximum body length of 20 centimeters. Its unique feather-like tail legs (also known as trailing legs) are brightly colored and distinctive. It can make a "rattling" threatening sound when encountering enemies, which has a similar rhythm to rattlesnakes. The first time a keeper hears this sound, they are likely to be both familiar and surprised. Therefore, it has another name: "Rattle Centipede".

Feather-tailed centipedes are relatively easy to keep. They should be kept in rectangular transparent plastic boxes with good sealing, with a few small ventilation holes. The bottom material should be reptile-specific damp soil (small particles) mixed with a little fine sand. As they have a habit of burrowing, the thickness of the bottom material should be more than 3 centimeters. The suitable temperature is 24-28℃, and the suitable humidity is 70%-80%. Feather-tailed centipedes require high humidity and may also splash droplets of water onto the walls while feeding. Juveniles should be fed every 2-3 days, with small insects, small bees, mealworms, mealworm pupae, needle-headed crickets, etc. Adults should be fed once a week, with a variety of food. After eating, remove the food residue in a timely manner to prevent rapid decay and environmental pollution under high temperature and high humidity conditions.

In addition, it is important to note that they must be picked up with tweezers or chopsticks and should never be touched directly. Feather-tailed centipedes have a fierce temperament, are nervous, and have rapid movements, they can suddenly attack or escape. Daily checks should be made to ensure the lid is properly closed. If they are kept in shallow boxes, they are prone to escape, so larger boxes can be used to cover them or they can be caught with a net.

Chinese Name: 羽毛尾蜈蚣

Latin Name: Alipes grandidieri

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Diplopoda

Distribution: Tanzania, Western Africa

Feather-tailed Centipede: also known as the centipede family Alipes, is a crawling creature native to the tropical rainforest areas of Western Africa and Tanzania. It was named in 1854 and has 7 subspecies. When encountering enemies, it can make a threatening sound similar to the rhythm of a rattlesnake. The first time the breeder heard this sound, he must have been familiar and surprised. Hence, another name was born: "Rattle_Centipede".

Alipes appendiculatus Pocock 1896

Alipes calcipes Cook 1897

Alipes crotalus (Gerstaecker 1854)

Alipes grandidieri grandidieri (H. Lucas 1864)

Alipes grandidieri integer Cook 1897

Alipes multicostis intermedius Attems 1911

Alipes multicostis multicostis Imhoff 1854

Five subspecies of them live in Tanzania, which is the main habitat. The original habitat of the other two subspecies may be in the western part of the African continent.

Recommended for experienced people who like to keep climbing pets, Feather-tailed Centipede, Alipes grandidieri, is a large poisonous centipede native to the tropical rainforest areas of Western Africa and Tanzania. It has a maximum body length of 20 centimeters and its unique feather-like tail legs, also known as trailing legs, serve as important sensory organs. The feather-like tail legs are brightly colored and have a unique shape, resembling peacock feathers, and can also emit a rattlesnake-like warning sound. These characteristics make it a highly popular species among pet reptile and centipede enthusiasts. It is a relatively easy centipede to keep.

Gastrointestinal inflammation

1. Causes

The causes of centipede gastrointestinal inflammation can be as follows:

(1) Decayed feed: This is the most common cause of centipede gastrointestinal inflammation, especially in hot seasons. The feed for centipedes is usually protein-rich small animals with high water content. Before feeding, they are generally killed. If stored for too long after being killed, they are prone to decay. After eating, centipedes can cause acute gastrointestinal inflammation.

(2) Toxicity of prey animals: Under normal circumstances, the regular prey animals of centipedes do not produce toxic substances that are poisonous to centipedes themselves. The toxicity of prey animals is mainly due to the presence of toxic substances in the growth environment, which invade the surface of prey animals. However, the prey animals are not sensitive to this toxin or they have not entered the body, so it is difficult for the breeders to notice. After feeding, it can cause acute or chronic gastrointestinal inflammation in centipedes.

(3) Improper feeding amount: Occasionally, if the feeding amount is too small and some centipedes become excessively hungry, and then the feeding amount increases dramatically the next day, these hungry centipedes will overeat. If the temperature drops suddenly, these centipedes that have eaten too much will inevitably have indigestion. The food will stay in the digestive tract for too long, ferment and cause inflammation.

2. Symptoms and characteristics

Centipedes affected by multiple pathogenic factors tend to have simultaneous diseases. The affected centipedes first experience indigestion, bloating and weakness in the abdomen, followed by diarrhea and loss of appetite. Then, toxic substances produced by inflammation invade the body tissues, causing centipedes to have internal poisoning. The head becomes congested and purplish-red, the whole body becomes weak and limp, the movements become slow, the venomous hooks are fully extended, and finally, they become unable to crawl and die under tiles or other concealed places. They rarely die in the feeding soil. When dissected, the intestinal mucosa of the dead centipede can be seen warm and red, ulcerated, and there is light yellow liquid in the abdominal cavity. The feces in the intestine are loose and foul-smelling.

3. Prevention and treatment

(1) Strictly control the quality of feed. It is best to feed centipedes with fresh live prey. They should be killed immediately before feeding. If there is leftover live prey, it can be stored, but the dead prey animals should be discarded. If the feed is found to be decayed, it must not be fed.

(2) For self-breeding prey animals, attention should be paid to their breeding environment, feed, and drinking water. Do not use substances that may cause diseases in centipedes, such as heavy metal drugs and certain disinfectants. Also ensure that the breeding soil, feed, drinking water, and even the air are not contaminated by pathogens. Once diseased prey animals are found, the causes or types of pathogens and possible infection range should be analyzed to determine whether the batch of prey animals can be used.

(3) For prey animals caught in the wild, try to catch them in areas without pesticides, fertilizers, and other harmful substances. During the capture, also check whether there are dead animals of the same kind in the area to determine if the captured prey animals are already diseased.

(4) Clean the tank. All centipedes in the affected tank should be thoroughly cleaned and placed in several small containers. According to the specific symptoms, they should be classified into healthy groups, suspicious groups, and diseased groups for isolated breeding. The feeding soil in the tank should be completely replaced and all items in the tank, such as feeding trays, water trays or tanks, and tiles, should be thoroughly disinfected and sun-dried before reuse.

(5) In seasons of violent temperature rise and sudden drop, close doors and windows. If necessary, open heating facilities appropriately to ensure relative temperature stability. When heating, be careful not to cause smoke or gas pollution in the breeding shed.

(6) Medication. For diseased or suspicious centipedes, the following prescriptions can be used:

① 0.5g sulfamethoxazole, 0.6g multienzyme tablets, and 200-300g feed crushed and mixed. Feed once a day for 3 consecutive days.

② 2g Coptis chinensis powder, 1 multienzyme tablet, and 5g full-fat milk powder dissolved in 100ml warm boiled water, mixed well, absorbed with a sponge, and let the centipedes suck. Once a day for 3 consecutive days. Note that the sponge should be replaced daily. This treatment method is mainly for young centipedes.

③ 0.25g chloramphenicol, 0.5g compounded vitamins, and 300g feed crushed and mixed with the powdered medicine. Feed once a day for 3 consecutive days.

④ 0.5g sulphonmethane, pressed into powder, mixed with 500g feed crushed, and feed once a day for 2 consecutive days.

Centipede pharyngeal ulcer disease

This disease is a recently discovered acute and epidemic infectious disease in centipedes, first reported by experts such as Liang Jiaquan from Guangxi Agricultural University.

1. Causes

This disease is caused by an infection of centipedes by a bacterium called "Pseudoalteromonas bacterium". It mostly occurs in hot seasons.

2. Symptoms

The main symptoms are the inability to open or close the mouth, secretion of mucus from the mouth, inability to eat or swallow, and mental depression. Eventually, the centipedes become exhausted and die.

3. Prevention and treatment

Currently, the prevention and treatment techniques for this disease are still under research. However, strengthening centipede breeding management, maintaining good environmental hygiene, and not feeding contaminated prey animals remain effective measures for preventing the disease.

Mite disease

1. Causes

Mites are tiny mites less than 1 millimeter long. When they parasitize on the surface of centipedes, it causes centipede mite disease. In hot summer weather, if the room or tank for breeding has excessive humidity, it is prone to mite infestation. They reproduce in large numbers. At this time, if centipedes are molting or there are young centipedes, because their skin is exposed without protection, it is easy for mites to infest them. After being infested by mites, on the one hand, centipedes consume a large amount of nutrients due to mites feeding on their body fluids, leading to emaciation and death, and on the other hand, mites produce toxins that irritate centipedes, preventing them from performing normal activities such as feeding and drinking water. At the same time, mites bite through the centipedes' skin, making them prone to secondary infections by pathogens. Therefore, if mite disease is not treated in a timely manner, it often triggers other diseases.

2. Symptoms

Centipedes infested by mites are extremely restless. They often crawl aimlessly and quickly on the activity area or the feeding soil. Sometimes, they try to lick their backs. Even when they are not crawling forward, some appendages make "digging" movements. This phenomenon initially occurs in recently molted centipedes or young centipedes born in the current year. As the disease progresses, other centipedes also start to show symptoms. Diseased centipedes become emaciated, exhausted, and die. Sometimes, they die from secondary infections by other pathogens. Mites can be found moving on the feeding soil when carefully observed. Mites can also be found on the surface of infected centipedes, indicating the presence of mites.

3. Prevention and treatment

There is no specific medication for this disease because drugs that can kill mites often harm centipedes as well. Therefore, control should mainly be achieved through management, from the following aspects:

(1) Maintain good ventilation and light in the breeding shed, and implement measures to prevent heatstroke and cool down to ensure a good breeding environment.

(2) Properly store various objects in the breeding shed. Work clothes should be regularly washed, dried, and sun-dried. If necessary, carry out high-temperature treatment to kill the mites or mite eggs that may be attached to them.

(3) When mite infestation is found, all centipedes in the tank should be completely removed, the original feeding soil should be removed, and the entire tank and shed should be sprayed with acaricides such as diazinon and chlorfenethol. The breeding shed should be closed for a period of time before reusing it.

(4) After removing the diseased centipede group, the molting centipedes, tender centipedes, and suspicious centipedes should be separated from healthy centipedes. Place them in separate small basins and intermittently expose them to the sun to drive away the mites. The exposure time is about 30 minutes each time, with 30 minutes intervals. After sun exposure, quickly pick up the centipedes one by one into another basin. After disinfecting the original basin, use it under UV light, which also seems to have some effect. The method is the same as sun exposure.

(5) Place a semi-dried pork bone with meat on the feeding soil or activity area during the day, and remove it every 2-3 hours. This method has a good trapping and killing effect, but it cannot be used for preventing healthy centipedes, otherwise, it may backfire.

Feather-tailed centipede is relatively easy to keep in captivity, with a maximum body length of 20 centimeters. Its unique feather-like tail legs (also known as trailing legs, which are sensory organs) have bright and peculiar colors. Therefore, it has another name: "Rattle Centipede". The method of keeping it is to use a well-sealed rectangular transparent plastic box, with a few small ventilation holes. The substrate should be reptile-specific moist soil (small particles) with a little fine sand. Because it has a habit of digging soil, the thickness of the substrate should be more than 3 centimeters. The suitable temperature is 24-28°C, and the suitable humidity is 70%-80%. Feather-tailed centipedes require high humidity and will splash water droplets on the walls when they eat and spray water. During the growth stage of the nymphs, they should be fed every 2-3 days, and the food can be small insects, small bees, mealworms, mealworm pupae, tiny crickets, etc. During the adult stage, they should be fed once a week, and the variety of food should be increased. After eating, the food residue should be removed in time to avoid rapid decay and environmental pollution under high temperature and high humidity conditions.

In addition, it is important to note that they must be picked up with tweezers or chopsticks, and never with bare hands. Feather-tailed centipedes are aggressive, nervous, and move quickly. They may suddenly attack or escape. It is necessary to check whether the lid is properly closed daily. If kept in a shallow box, they are prone to escape. A larger box can be used to cover or they can be caught with a net.