Reptile & Amphibian Forums

{{{WEATHER AND CLIMATE IN MADAGASCAR }}}

What is the best temperature to breed Madagascar giant hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)?

Here is the information regarding the temperature of the natural environment in Madagascar, where Hissers live. Following 3 websites feature vital information of weather and climate in Madagascar in great details.

http://www.globalsurfers.com/country_details.cfm?land=Madagascar

http://www.southtravels.com/africa/madagascar/weather.html

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/global_monitoring/temperature/tn67117_90.gif

You may be surprised to find out that the temperature in Madagascar is Average 59 to 71F degree. The relative humidity there is average (almost no changes over the year) 75 to 80%. The average wind speed there is average 8 to 10 miles per hour.

Nevertheless, if you want to make your pet hissers to breed like crazy like a rabbit, then, you might want to keep the tank’s temperature between 80 and 90F degree (some also says between 85 and 90F). This figure is based on the many professional commercial hisser breeders in America.

Good luck to you and your pet insects!

Takeshi

All the rights reserved by Takeshi Yamada 2006
E-mail: niceguyinny123@aol.com
For more articles about Hissers, please go to http://www.hissingcockroach.50megs.com/tt1.htm
My giant insect taxidermy gaffs are also featured in following website;
http://sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html

{{{ WEATHER AND CLIMATE IN YOUR HISSER TANKS }}}

Cockroaches are one of the oldest insect orders with a fossil history extending back more than 300 million years. There are over 3500 known species of cockroaches worldwide of which only a few are troublesome to people as they live in human habitats. All the cockroach species are from tropical lands. About 175 species have been recorded from southern Africa. Fossil cockroaches have been recorded in deposits dated to as far back as the Upper Carboniferous, about 305 million years ago. During the Carboniferous they were one of the most abundant of the insect orders in terms of number of individuals. Unlike the common belief among people, cockroaches are not the dominant insect in terms of numbers in this world. It is beetles, and this is the planet of beetles. Statistically speaking, one in every five animals on this planet is beetle.

In the previous article, I have featured the weather and climate in Madagascar, where Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa) have been living in their natural environment.

In this article, I want to introduce few tips about breeding Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroaches most efficiently at captive environment.

1. Humidity: Keep the humidity of hisser tanks as high as possible. This is based on the several professional feeder roach breeders. This also helps their molt. (Needless to say, dry humidity increases the death during molt.) Nevertheless, you have to be very careful about large size bad mites’ infestations by periodical tank cleanings. Also be careful for decaying fruits and vegetables in their glass tanks, so that they do not produce unwanted mold and fungus.

2. Temperature: 80F to 90F degree. (27C to 32C degree) This figure is based on the several professional feeder roach breeders. This is their optimum biological breeding temperature.

3. Temperature change: minimum.

4. Light: dim: Hissers do not like bright light at all. They are nocturnal creature.

5. Sound & vibrations: none. Thy like a quiet and stable place. (The effects on the sounds/music onto the growth of plants conducted by professional researchers are quite fascinating, and it should be featured in another occasion.) This may be a good school science project for young students.

6. Wind: none (You do not have to place any small fans inside of their tanks at all.)

7. Fresh Airs: as long as there are small air holes on the cover of the glass tanks of hissers, you do not have to worry about it. There were no report of hissers death caused by the luck of fresh air supplies in any websites I visited so far. Also, there are no needs to install any fresh plants in the hisser tanks for them (unless it gives you aesthetical pleasures).

In addition to conditions stated above, I want to list a few crucial conditions to breed healthy Hissers.

Cage mates: NEVER WITH OTHER ROACH SPECIES. When I started breeding Hissers, I made a really big mistake. I had Hissers and Discoid roaches (B. Discoid) lived together. During the day, it appeared that they are doing OK; they were not fighting each other. Nevertheless, when the day passes, I realized that the numbers of Discoid roaches shrunk, and they were all gone. I understood that Discoid roaches were eaten by Hissers during the molt, when they were the most helpless to defend themselves. I have read of articles by hobbyists, who breed Hissers and Giant African millipedes together in the same glass tank, but I do not know their long term effects on their health and breeding.

Good luck to you and your pet insects!

Takeshi

All the rights reserved by Takeshi Yamada 2006
E-mail: niceguyinny123@aol.com
For more articles about Hissers, please go to http://www.hissingcockroach.50megs.com/tt1.htm
My giant insect taxidermy gaffs are also featured in following website;
http://sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html

You seem to be the person inthe know..is there a reliable source to purchase Madagasgar Hissers? I am a teacher and kept them in college. I think they would be great in a classroom. I am in New Jersey. Thanks!
Beth