hissing cockroach care sheet

Hissing Cockroach


Care Sheet

Madagascan hissing cockroach’s are not only seen as a pet but are also a main food source for Chameleons and other animals– the full extent of them as a food source has not been documented.

Both Male and Female hissing cockroaches produce a hissing sound, but males will generally only hiss during mating or fighting, females will also hiss when disturbed. Each cockroach has it’s own sound which they can distinguish from another.

They are extremely good at climbing and are even able to climb up sheer glass.

Hissing Cockroaches live in large colonies in the wild and are more than happy in a secure area with several being kept together.

our stick insect starter kit

HOUSING YOUR COCKROACH

Cockroach’s enjoy simple lives and providing they are warm enough and have regular food and water, they are pretty happy.  We recommend a large faunarium, either flat offering terrain or standard offering height– cockroach’s are quite active and do like to move around the enclosure, mostly at night. In the wild cockroach’s do form colonies so it’s a good idea to keep a few together, however they will not mind being kept alone.

Coco fibre or a bark substrate which is completely natural can be used, cockroach’s spend a lot of time hiding in tubes and bark and often dig down under the substrate. Using a natural substrate will prevent your cockroach from coming into contact with any harmful chemicals.

Depending on the size of your cockroach, you may not notice it pooing if it is small. Once larger you will see poo which will be hard dark brown or black pellet type stools. Poo can be removed with a scoop or piece of kitchen roll. The enclosure should be cleaned fully every 3-4 weeks or more often if you notice build up of waste.

When fully cleaning the cockroach’s enclosure, use f10 or similar disinfectant and rinse the enclosure fully with dechlorinated water before placing substrate, décor and cockroach’s back into the enclosure– if the enclosure is not dirty then there is no need to use a terrarium cleaner, dechlorinated water can be used on its own.

Temperatures should be 77-82  Fahrenheit which is higher than normal household temps. If you do not have this as a normal temp, you use a small heat mat. Please speak to us about adding a heat mat to your setup.

HOUSING YOUR COCKROACH

Cockroach’s enjoy simple lives and providing they are warm enough and have regular food and water, they are pretty happy.  We recommend a large faunarium, either flat offering terrain or standard offering height– cockroach’s are quite active and do like to move around the enclosure, mostly at night. In the wild cockroach’s do form colonies so it’s a good idea to keep a few together, however they will not mind being kept alone.

Coco fibre or a bark substrate which is completely natural can be used, cockroach’s spend a lot of time hiding in tubes and bark and often dig down under the substrate. Using a natural substrate will prevent your cockroach from coming into contact with any harmful chemicals.

Depending on the size of your cockroach, you may not notice it pooing if it is small. Once larger you will see poo which will be hard dark brown or black pellet type stools. Poo can be removed with a scoop or piece of kitchen roll. The enclosure should be cleaned fully every 3-4 weeks or more often if you notice build up of waste.

When fully cleaning the cockroach’s enclosure, use f10 or similar disinfectant and rinse the enclosure fully with dechlorinated water before placing substrate, décor and cockroach’s back into the enclosure– if the enclosure is not dirty then there is no need to use a terrarium cleaner, dechlorinated water can be used on its own.

Temperatures should be 77-82  Fahrenheit which is higher than normal household temps. If you do not have this as a normal temp, you use a small heat mat. Please speak to us about adding a heat mat to your setup.

our stick insect starter kit
handling your cock roach

HANDLING YOUR COCKROACH

Always wash your hands before handling your cockroach to prevent passing any harmful chemicals which could be on your hands. Hissing cockroaches are known in the reptile hobby as being quite docile and easy pets to handle and keep. They are fun to hold and will generally be happy to sit on your hand.

Just remember the legs can be quite spiky. Your cockroach will not bite you, but you may feel a pinch from their legs if they are gripping on to you. We always advise handling over the enclosure until you are used to handling your cockroach, just in case it drops from your hand.

Always wash your hands before and after handling your roach’s.

hissing cockroach care sheet

GENERAL CARE

Genus, Species Gromphadorhina  portentosa
Adult Size 5-7.5cm
Habitat Tropical/Sub Tropical
Lifespan 2-5 years
Diet Fresh veg: Leafy greens like Kale, Cabbage, Romaine, Avoid watery lettuce
Also provide dry dog biscuits/dry mix for extra protein
Ambient Temp (f) 77-82
Humidity (%) 60-70
Locality Madagascar
Difficulty 1
Breeding Age 3-4 months old
Social Structure Lives in colonies, Will breed

GENERAL CARE

Genus, Species Gromphadorhina  portentosa
Adult Size 5-7.5cm
Habitat Tropical/Sub Tropical
Lifespan 2-5 years
Diet Fresh veg: Leafy greens like Kale, Cabbage, Romaine, Avoid watery lettuce
Also provide dry dog biscuits/dry mix for extra protein
Ambient Temp (f) 77-82
Humidity (%) 60-70
Locality Madagascar
Difficulty 1
Breeding Age 3-4 months old
Social Structure Lives in colonies, Will breed

hissing cockroach care sheet
cockroaches for sale

SEXING YOUR COCKROACH

There are some distinctive characteristics between male and female hissing cockroaches. These may be difficult to see to the untrained eye but after looking at the roach for a while you will start to spot the following:

Males have hairy antennae where as the females are smooth

Males have large horns on their bodies directly behind their heads

Females are much smoother than males and have much smaller bumps rather than horns.

Your cockroach will need to be around 2-3cm in order to be sexed.

SHOPPING LIST

SHOPPING LIST

HEALTH CHECK

Hissing cockroach’s are a very hardy invert who survive in most conditions and rarely suffer from health issues.

Ensure that your cockroach’s are sprayed daily to keep humidity levels to around 60-70%. Dehydration can kill cockroach’s and is the most common cause of illness. You can also supply bug grub or jelly pots to keep your cockroach’s hydrated.

Cockroach’s do shed and are very sensitive around this time. You may notice them shedding, they will be white when freshly shed. Never try to assist your roach with shedding and leave it alone if you notice it hiding lots as it may be trying to shed. If you interrupt an inverts shedding process it can cause to incorrect shedding and further health issues such as loss of limbs.

ADVICE FOR LIFE!

When you buy your Pet & Housing from us!

Priority Boarding | Advice available face to face, via Telephone, Facebook Chat, Email, Instagram