Hissing Cockroach Care

Hissing cockroaches are large and wingless, and produce a hissing sound by pushing air through their breathing tubes, which are located on their abdomen. These cockroaches make this hissing sound to scare off predators, and also when disturbed or picked up. They are found on the east African island of Madagascar and are brown in color. The males have two large antennas which point upwards, while the females have two small antennas pointing downwards. Male cockroaches also have two pronounced horns on their pronotum. The size of an adult cockroach is 2-3 inches long and 1 inch wide, and contrary to popular belief, they do not produce any odor.

Hissing Cockroach : Fact File

There are more than 4,000 species of cockroaches, out of which only 25-30 have been given the pest status, with the rest making good pets. Fossils found have proven that cockroaches were around even 250 million years ago, and most of the species are from the tropical climate regions. These cockroaches have been known to live for 2-3 years and some even live up to 5 years. The hissing cockroach is the only species which makes a hissing sound by pushing air, other species make this sound by rubbing two body parts together. The hissing cockroach use their hiss for two main reasons, to fight, and when they are disturbed. Female cockroaches hiss less than their male counterparts, and use their hiss in mating rituals. Female cockroaches seem to bear live young roaches, rather than lay eggs. Actually, the females have a cocoon like case known as the ootecha in which they carry their eggs, and they push out live young ones, once these eggs hatch. The gestation period is about 60-70 days and the female can give birth to 20-40 young ones. These young roaches are also known as nymphs and are about ¼ inch long when born. Young roaches molt their skin about 5-6 times before reaching adulthood and this takes them anywhere between 5-9 months, depending on the climate.

Care

These insects are native to Madagascar and need a humid climate to survive and reproduce. Hissing cockroaches make great pets as they are odorless and they do not bite, and as they don't have wings there is less chance of them escaping either. They are ground dwelling creatures and are scavengers who eat rotten logs and vegetation.

• The giant hissing cockroach is a social being and they live together in large numbers. You can keep them in a large plastic container or fish tank which can be about 10-12 inches long and 8-10 inches high and wide. Remember to put petroleum jelly on the inside walls to prevent them from climbing and escaping from the top. It is also imperative to cover the top of the tank with a mesh or a net to prevent cockroach infestation.
• Maintain the temperature of the tank/container at 75 degrees F to 85 degrees F, as these roaches are from the tropical region. The ideal temperature for hissing cockroach breeding is 80 degrees F to 90 degrees F, you can maintain the temperature with a thermostat or an electric heat pad available with most retailers.
• Cover the floor of the tank with sand or dead leaves as this species likes to burrow. Also make providence for artificial caves or keep wood logs for the roaches to hide and seek shelter. If you are using dirt and leaves from your backyard, make sure it does not have any fertilizers mixed in it, as this will be harmful for the roaches.
• Feed your roaches leafy vegetables, apples, oranges and egg shells, this is an omnivorous species. They also seem to relish dog and cat food which are available at your local pet store. You can sprinkle water on the floor couple of times a week or leave orange slices from which they can suck the water. You can also use chicken drinkers to provide water for you pet roaches.
• Hissing cockroach pruning is also an important aspect which should not be neglected. If you see them nibbling on each other, it might be a sign of lack of protein or presence of a mite. The mites are harmless if small in numbers, they feed on the saliva and the food of the roaches. If you want to take care of your roaches, put them in a zip lock bag, add flour to the bag and shake it vigorously. This process helps the mites to separate from your roaches and stick to the flour. If you thinking about breeding your roaches, keep a watch on the temperature and keep the nymphs in a separate tank.

Care of Hissing cockroach is quite easy and they don't need much maintenance either. They can be great exotic pets and in fact, are popular pets in many places.