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How About Hissing Cockroaches?

© Maureen Fleury

What do you think and say when someone says "cockroach"? You've probably heard your parents express fear and hope there are none in your house. You or your parents may have a vision of hundreds of cockroaches crawling all over your kitchen, feeding on leftover food or stuck all over the walls. It is a very creepy feeling.

Despite the visions of cockroaches swarming around, there is a breed of cockroach that is sold as a pet. They are called "hissing cockroaches" and they come from Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa. They are also called Madagascar Beetles.

In their native habitat, the hissing cockroaches live in logs and wood in the forest floor and feed on fruit. They are very hardy and live 2 to five years. They do not bite and they are not able to fly. They can get quite big, up to 4 inches long.

Why are the hissing cockroaches a popular exotic pet? They cannot fly away, they are very tame, eat little food and move slowly. They are not dirty creatures and you can pick them up and let them crawl on a table or floor or on your hand. Why are they called hissing cockroaches? They make a noise by blowing air through a pair breathing pores (holes) in their abdomen. The pores are called spiracles. They are the noisiest in the evening.

To keep hissing cockroaches, you need a glass terrarium. Most people use a 5 or 10 gallon aquarium. You will also need a screen on the top so they don't crawl out. They are able to crawl up the sides of the tank. For the bottom of the tank, use mouse bedding or wood shavings. It should be changed monthly, especially if there is a lot of moisture in the tank. It is important to have a wood block or a log in the tank. They like to crawl on the wood; it helps keep them busy and prevents them from fighting with each other. For food, they eat dry mouse food or dog chow. Food should be changed every 2nd day. They also like to eat bits of fruit or carrots. They also need water and the best thing is a water tube plugged with cotton at the end. The water needs to be changed every two days. You can also put a wet sponge in a very shallow dish. Do not put water in an open dish because the cockroaches will drown.

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