Madagascar hissing cockroaches

Madagascar hissing cockroach

Biological features of tropical insects

Habitat Madagascar cockroach correspond to its name. Insects live in the forests of Madagascar under the fallen leaves, branches, rotten stumps, in the trunks of trees. it the largest family of the cockroach family - body size of an adult individual reaches 9 cm, and weight is 60 g, females are always larger than males. The color varies from yellow-orange to saturated brown and depends on age: the older the insect, the lighter its cover. Madagascar cockroach has a wide fat belly and differs from all its “relatives” by the absence of wings at all stages of development. The body is segmented, in the female the last two are painted black, in males only one.

An adult male from a female can be recognized by protruding growths in the upper part of the cephalothorax - peculiar horns (see photo).Another distinctive feature of a mature male is damaged, broken mustache, as they are actively used in the struggle for the right to possess a female. There is a certain hierarchy in the colonies. During a fight, a weak male turns over, thus demonstrating his defeat and submission to a stronger male.

Male and female Madagascar cockroach

Many wonder Is an exotic cockroach dangerous?. Not at all, they are timid insects and they cannot harm a person or bite him. In a natural environment, Madagascar hissing cockroaches are very shy. In search of food sent at night, feed on plant residues, rotten fruit. When attacking dangerous predators firmly pressed to the ground. Due to the nature of the structure of the back, it is impossible to grasp the insect from above. To scare away annoying birds or lemurs, the cockroach begins to make loud hissing sounds, reminiscent of a hissing snake or whistling. For the publication of sounds, a sharp contraction of the body is enough for him to use the spiracle.

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are used by mites as a means of transport.This species of mites parasitizes exclusively on this species of insects and does not occur anywhere else in nature. For a long time, scientists believed that the parasites feed on lymph or blood of a mustache, but in the course of the experiments it was established that this is not true and ticks feed on the same food that Madagascarians eat.

How many live Madagascar cockroaches, depends on conditions. In the natural environment, the longevity does not exceed 1.5 years, in captivity they can live up to 3 years. Occasionally there are long-livers, whose age reaches 4-5 years. On the approaching death shows the color of chitinous cover, which becomes very light.

How Madagascar hissing cockroaches breed

Reproduction of Madagascar cockroaches depends on the ambient temperature and humidity. Tropical insects are very thermophilic and at temperatures below 20 ° C, the reproductive function is extinguished. In the colonies is an active struggle for the female. Also in the period mating games males to attract females emit characteristic sounds - a sharp hiss.

After mating, the female of the Madagascar cockroach bears offspring in a 25-35 egg duck, which is located inside the abdomen and has a yellow color and soft structure.Periodically, the female pushes the camera through the anus to air the eggs. The time of carrying the library is determined by the ambient temperature and is about 45-75 days. The lower the temperature, the longer the gestation period.

Eggs of Madagascar hissing cockroaches

Hissing cockroaches belong to viviparous species. After the eggs mature, the nymphs appear in the cavity of the female and are pushed out with the remains of the oteca. For newborn larvae, white shell is characteristic and miniature sizes are just a few mm. They diligently eat the remains of the oteca, after a few hours their cover begins to darken, and they become small copies of adult individuals.

A new mother takes care of her offspring. It ensures that no insect comes close to the larvae, until they themselves sprawl, and all potential enemies are scared away by angry hiss. The period of maturation of the nymph in a full-fledged mature individual lasts from 6 months to a year. During this time she molts 6 times. The chitinous cover does not grow together with the larva, when the shell becomes small - it cracks and a white nymph creeps out from under it.During that time, while the larva eats its old shell, its color darkens, the cover becomes hard.

Breeding exotic cockroaches

Madagascar cockroach is very unpretentious in its requirements, it is not necessary to walk it, it is not the cause of unpleasant odors, it makes almost no noise. Therefore, the content of Madagascar individuals in the home will not cause much trouble. Cockroaches are bred not so much for aesthetic pleasure, but for quite specific goals: they are high in calories, harmless and are good food for reptiles, snakes. Also tropical cockroaches become participants of cockroach races - the most ancient entertainment.

Madagascar hissing cockroaches occupy a special place in Thai cuisine, of which they prepare a variety of delicacies, and the product itself is recognized as dietary because of its low fat content and high amount of protein.

For breeding "Madagascar" will need an aquarium or terrarium. The volume depends on how many individuals you plan to keep. When choosing an aquarium, it is better to follow the recommendations of experts and adhere to the ratio: 1 individual per 1 liter.For breeding two individuals, it is enough to purchase a plastic aquarium with a volume of 2-3 liters. It does not take up much space, if necessary, you can always take it with you and the price is several times lower compared to huge terrariums. A banal three-liter bottle is suitable for breeding young stock - the purchase of a tank will not cost anything, it is convenient to feed it and nymphs will not be able to run anywhere. To provide air access, holes must be made in the lid.

Aquarium for Madagascar hissing cockroaches

Sawdust, wood dust, coconut substrate are used as litter. Insects need shelter, for this purpose, suitable all kinds of paper cylinders, cardboard stands for eggs.

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are accustomed to dwell in a warm climate with high humidity, so it is necessary to recreate similar conditions in the aquarium. The air temperature should be at least 20 ° C, to maintain humidity, it is recommended to regularly spray their content with water. At lower temperatures, individuals will not die, but reproduction will not be possible.

How to feed Madagascar hissing cockroaches at home is one of the most exciting issues that arises when they are bred.You can feed cockroaches with any fruits, vegetables, plant leaves, cereals, boiled eggs, dairy products. Tropical insects are contraindicated in dog and cat food. Water is no less important than food. It is impossible to put a container with liquid, as the cockroach can choke in it or drown. Drinking bowls are made of foam rubber, which is regularly moistened with water.

The cost of Madagascar cockroaches

How much an exotic insect costs is determined by the seller. The cost of one adult in specialized online stores varies from 100 to 200 rubles. On the bulletin boards there are many offers from people who are engaged in the breeding of insects and you can buy one Madagascar cockroach for only 40 rubles.