Halloween Madagascar hissing cockroach care consist of the roach diet, housing, substrate and more.
Halloween Hissing Cockroach Care
The Halloween hisser are one of the most handsome and popular “show roaches”. They are dark brown colored and have contrasted cream strips along the abdomen.
They are around 1.5-2 inches and can be more medium sized as compared to the common hissers. There are two colored type:
One has a black pronotum and
The other has a red pronotom.
The nymphs of the Hallo hissing roach starts their life black and as they begin to get older, they gain mire color until they attain maturity level and have the pronounced and familiar color scheme.
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Scientific name:
Elliptorhina javanica
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Maximum size:
Around 2.25″
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Origin
Like all hissers, they too originate from the Islands of Madagascar. Not much is known about them as these breed of roaches are secretive.
The Island they are from often face import regulations and frequent political turnmoil that makes it almost impossible for other species to be introduced or new genetics to come in.
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Reproduction
The female black tiger hissing roaches release pheromones when receptive and mate with particular males. Males establish their dominance by pushing each around using bumpy protrusions on the top of the pronotum.
The females produce a long yellow egg case also known as the ootherca. This ootheca is retained inside their abdomen for around 60 days.
Each egg case consists of 30-100 plus eggs. The eggs then hatch inside the female and nymphs are then expelled out.
New babies hatch inside the female and the nymphs are then pushed out.
Bbay Halloween hissing roach (nymphs) are pure white until their exoskeleton hardens and darkens. Nymphs crowd around a thick secretion that offers initial sustenance.
At times, if conditions are not excellent, crowded, or nutrition is insufficient, females may “abort” or expel the partially developed ootherca.
Reproduction is prevented if temperatures are not maintained above 80 degrees.
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Development
Within a time frame of 6-10 months, nymphs will experience 6-7 molts. Nutritional quality and Temperature heavily affects development
Nymphs frequently consume all or parts of their old shed skin. Your roaches will experience molting issues if humidity is not properly maintained.
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Nutrition
Hissing roaches will consume some range of food, but it should be fresh and organic. Feed fruits and foods that naturally contain oxalates and phytates.
They love organic oranges, zucchini, and bananas.
Their regular food should be soaked high protein dog puppy food.
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Housing
Your colony of Halloween hissing roaches can be housed in a small container. They love their enclosure to be slightly crowded. They breed best when you keep it so.
This weird feeling keeps them close to their water and food. The substrate you place in their cage should be a mixture of well-rotted compost and peat.
The substrate should be minimally moist and not soggy. A lot of people opt for egg cartons, but we have observed that using natural pieces of tree bark stacked toward the back gives them plenty shelter options and promotes proper humidity and natural breeding.
For temperature, I like to place heat mat on half of the tank. On a daily basis, you can dump water or mist the back half where it will naturally evaporate and increase humidity levels.
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Rearing notes
Holloween hissers reproduce very fast when their enclosure is properly set up. Naturally, they tend to breed slower that common hissers, but can prove to be very productive if given well ripened fruit as well as good high protein feed regularly.
Other FAQ’s
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Can they climb smooth surfaces?
Yes, Halloween hissing roaches can and will climb surfaces
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Can they fly?
No, black tiger hissing cockroaches can’t
