null
Track a Package

Hissing Cockroach Care Sheet

Scientific Name Gromphadorhina portentosa

Hissing Roaches
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are known for the hissing sound they can make, hence the name, and it happens in a rather odd way. They force air through spiracles, respiratory openings, on their abdomen. This hiss can be made to suit three different situations: disturbance, mating and fighting, but only males use the latter two.
Show More Show Less
Telling Them Apart
A distinction between the two genders is the thicker antennae and bumps, tubercles, on their pronotum, the portion behind the head or the ‘forehead’, found on males. Both genders have tubercles, however, the males are more distinguishable.
Show More Show Less
Wingless Roaches
Unlike most cockroaches, these roaches are wingless. Despite this, they are very good at climbing and can even climb smooth glass. They should be kept in an enclosure with a secure lid to prevent escape and with a substrate that allows them to hide from light sources.
Show More Show Less
Preferred Living Conditions
These roaches are photophobic insects and much prefer darkness over a well-lit environment. Making them a nocturnal insect. It is most common to utilize peat moss and wood chips as their substrate, but other substances like egg flats or paper towel tubing can be a good temporary substitute.
Show More Show Less

Caring for Hissing Cockroaches:

Containment Sizing
An adult Madagascar hissing cockroach will require at least a 5-gallon aquarium. To provide adequate space for the development of the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, especially for the territorial adult male.
Suitable Substrate & Temperature
Suitable substrate for Madagascar hissing cockroaches is peat moss with dark idling places. They are indigenous to tropical rain forest areas of Madagascar; therefore, it's crucial that they be provided a temperature range of 77°-82°F during the day and mid to high 70°F at night. This is necessary for the metabolism and immune system to function properly. If you want to induce breeding, keep low to mid 80°F. Like the tropical rain forest to which they are native they should be kept at a moderate to high level of humidity. One way to do this is to mist the enclosure with water every other day.
Diet and Hydration
These roaches are opportunistic herbivorous feeders whereas in their natural habitat they would go after fruit that have fallen in the rainforest. Once way to feed the insects, is provide them a diverse diet of fruits and vegetables. Another way to feed them is to utilize our dry diets, such as our high-calcium dubia roach diet. However, when providing them with a dry diet one must provide a water source, such as our cricket quencher.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Whether you feed them fruits, vegetables, dry diets, and wet diets their enclosures should be regularly cleaned out to prevent any unwanted growth from leftover feedstock. Additionally, when cleaning their cage their substrate should be replaced as needed whether it is climbing structure or hiding substrate.
Additional Tips
If you are rearing them for reproduction, which can take up to 6-8 months, then a small shallow bowl with a saturated cotton ball or sponge should be included for water. This method requires attention but is meant to prevent juveniles from drowning in their water source.

Essentials For Hissing Cockroaches

Crested Gecko Premium Fruit And Insect Diet
Product Title 0
Add to Cart Adding to cart...
Crested Gecko Premium Fruit And Insect Diet
Product Title 1
Add to Cart Adding to cart...
Crested Gecko Premium Fruit And Insect Diet
Product Title 2
Add to Cart Adding to cart...
Crested Gecko Premium Fruit And Insect Diet
Product Title 3
Add to Cart Adding to cart...
Crested Gecko Premium Fruit And Insect Diet
Product Title 4
Add to Cart Adding to cart...

Common Name Hissing Cockroach
Scientific Name Gromphadorhina portentosa


Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are known for the hissing sound they can make, hence the name, and it happens in a rather odd way. They force air through spiracles, respiratory openings, on their abdomen. This hiss can be made to suit three different situations: disturbance, mating and fighting, but only males use the latter two.

Another distinction between the two genders is the thicker antennae found on males. Unlike most cockroaches, these are wingless. Despite this, they are very good at climbing and can even make it up smooth glass.

Caring for Hissing Cockroaches:

An adult Madagascar hissing cockroach will require at least a 5-gallon aquarium.

Suitable substrate for Madagascar hissing cockroaches is peat moss with dark idling places. They are indigenouse to tropical rain forest areas of Madagascar; therefore, it's crucial that they be provided a temperature range of 77°-82°F during the day and mid to high 70°F at night. This is necessary for the metabolism and immune system to function properly. If you want to induce breeding, keep low to mid 80°F.

They should also be kept at moderate to high levels of humidity. To ensure proper humidity levels, the enclosure should be misted with water every other day. 

The roaches are herbivores, with a diet consisting of dark greens, such as pesticide-free romaine lettuce and dandelions.

A small shallow bowl with a saturated cotton ball inside should be included for water.

 

Find out more about the safe disposal of live feeder insects. 

!