Roach Articles by Takeshi Yamada, Brooklyn, NY

Below is an article originally written by Takeshi on Kingsnake.com in reply to a question about something the individual found in his Hissers tank. Also a couple of good Pics.

ABORTED OOTHECA WILL NOT PRODUCE BABY HISSERS

Dear M Ross,

What you found were aborted ootheca (egg case made of many individual Hisser eggs) and aborted slimy baby's foods. The stresses of shipment, relocation and new environment commonly cause this kind of behavior to adult female Hissers. The aborted ootheca will not hatch if you do not know how to incubate them in very specific laboratory-like environment. So, do not worry about it at all.

Adult Female Hisser aborting unhealthy, irregular ootheca (egg case) onto the ground.  

Picture (c)Takeshi Yamada 2002

Newly born Hisser babies are ivory white except cute black eyes. Their size is about 1/2 inch. They have much "rounder" body with cute long antennas in constant motions. They are VERY ACTIVE and ready to eat, run and climb the glass wall although they like to stay around their mother for a few hours unless being disturbed. Their color turn into grayish brown and their body become "skinnier" in a few hours.

Healthy solid ootheca (egg case) protruding from the adult female. The direction of the ootheca is then reoriented from vertical to horizontal and retracted back into the females brood pouch until the eggs hatch and she gives birth to live babies. The reorientation gives the room needed in the brood pouch for the development to take place. 

 Picture (c)Takeshi Yamada 2002

Go to www.yahoo.com and simply type “MADAGASCAR HISSING COCKROACH”. You will find about 800 websites about Hissers there. Look into the CARE INFORMATION. I strongly recommend you to take a look at those websites so that you can take care of your Hisser not as "prisoner" but "guest" came from all the way from the tropical jangle of Madagascar. I also hope you learn many good tips there so that you could put smiles on her small face, too.

I also wrote many extensive articles here in "roach forum" about breeding Hissers. You may find them informative.