Hissing cockroaches

[eViL_KaRoT]

I just bought 8-10 baby hissing cockroaches. A pet shop I was going to was selling them for a dollar for the whole buch!! They have 1 male and 4 female Hissing cockroaches that resently birthed these. They said that the entire cage was covered with them, so they wanted to get rid of them!! Well, for a dollar I couldn't pass it up!!! I figured that I'd get them to breed for food for my T's and my Gecko. Now for the questions, does anybody know how to sex them while they are still small. I think the biggest one now is about 1/4 inch (sorry I'm not sure what that is in metric). Plus does anyone know some basic care instructions as well?

[katev17]

All I really know is that you should give them things to hide under and on, like wood, logs, etc, and feed them veggies, corn, carrots... I believe they're decomposors!!

That's all I know, haha, sorry :p

Kate

[eViL_KaRoT]

OK, I finally found a site with some good info on the care for Hissing cockroaches. Just in case anyone else in interested in the care of them.

hissing cockroach care (http://www.easyinsects.co.uk/cockroaches/madagascan-hissing/)

[Colonel SB]

Just look for the ovipositor on the females.

[OttawaChris]

I know my spiders LOVE those as a snack. I am leary of keeping them in my place though because they are such good escape artists... I am in an apartment complex so I would hate to have the building infested with them :S

[Kyle Barker]

If you look underneath them, you notice they have those plates going across (they do on top also). Look at the ones clossest to their butt. Where the females last plate is the males will be divided into 2. You can sex them with 100% certaintly right away, just hard to see on the smaller ones. I dont keep em anymore, but if i come across a couple i'll show you with pics.

Also for best success, keep lots of food, keep mould down, and keep around 90f. The higher temps make them breed like mad (well lots for hissers anyway).

Chris: If your worried about them getting out, just chuck them in coffee cans. i used to use the 1 gal, or sim size, cans put the lid on and poke a dozen holes with a pen (small holes). I then put a bit of that egg crate stuff from cricket boxes and 1/4 of a carrot. taht was good for about 20-30 adults. They breed better when crouded. I really doubt they could infest a building in Ottawa unless the temps are always above 80.

[eViL_KaRoT]

I've got a question. My cockroaches had little white granuales all over them. Not so much any more, but they did. Can anyone tell me what they might be. Here's a link to the pictures so you can see them.


pictures of cockroaches (http://www.redtailboas.com/forum/index.php?board=17;action=display;threadid=2726)

[nouserpif]

Hissers are GREAT! easy, and fast breeders... good luck! and that is one WICKED deal you got!

[Gregg M]

The males even when babies have larger bumps on top right above the head....... You can still sex them that way even when very young...... But just not too young.......

[reptile boi]

Hey its actually really hard sexing them when young, i think youd need a magnifying glass to sex the young ones (by looking at the bottom of their butts) gregg, sometimes a male has small bumps too, but to be 100% sure of the gender you would have to look at the bottom.