Species Summary:
Diet: Flake soil, decaying plant matter, fruits, and vegetables
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Environment Requirement: warm and humid
Care difficulty: 1/10
The Madagascar hissing cockroach, is one of the largest species of cockroaches in the world. They are native to the island of Madagascar, and are known to grow up to 2-3 inches, and live up to 5 years in captivity. They are known for the hissing sound they make which is used to try and ward off potential predators. Adults have a long and fat and flat body where the head and thorax is covered in a dark exoskeleton, and the abdomen appears more exposed with a dark orange.
They are known for their hissing, which can be used to ward off predators, attract females, or even settle territory disputes among males.
Males and females can be sexed by checking their heads, with the females having a smoother rounder head shape, and males having little distinguished bumps. The Madagascar hissing cockroaches are flightless due to a lack of wings, but they are great climbers and are able to easily scale up on glass. So it’s important that your enclosure for them contains a lid on top preventing them from getting out.
Care for the Madagascar hissing cockroach is quite simple. They can be kept in a small enclosure, usually with moist substrate, and simple objects for them to cling onto and climb around. Old paper egg cartons and toilet paper rolls can be an excellent low cost solution. They can be kept on a diet of fruits and veggies, such as apples and cucumbers. Dry dog and cat food, and other various pellets are also an excellent choice since it can be high in protein.
