Most people don’t think to get a hissing cockroach as a pet, but you aren’t most people.
There are 20 varieties of hissing cockroaches in the world, all of which are native to the island of Madagascar. They grow to around 3 inches and, incredibly, can live up to 5 years in controlled situations.
You’ll recognize Madagascar hissing cockroaches from the distinctive hissing noise that comes when they’re attracting a mate or feeling threatened. They may look scary, but looks can be deceiving.
Today, we’re going to tell you 5 misconceptions about pet hissing cockroaches. If you’re thinking about getting one for yourself, keep reading and we’ll dispel some of the myths around these mysterious insects.
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1. They Sting
Male hissing cockroaches have relatively large horns, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll go after you. These horns are reserved for adversarial encounters with other males, where they’ll use them to push their enemies around and win the female.
The distinctive hissing cockroach sound does usually mean that the cockroach is upset, but that’s not cause for worry in humans. They’re a whole lot of hiss and not a lot of sting.
2. They’re Pests
Despite most people’s perception of cockroaches in this part of the world, 99% of them aren’t pests, which includes Madagascar hissing cockroaches. In fact, they play an integral role in their native lands, where they eat rotting plant and animal material, recycling important nutrients back into the ecosystem.
3. They’re Not Tame
If you’re looking for an insect to take home, pet hissing cockroaches are a dream. Giant hissing cockroaches, in particular, are great because of how tame they are – they don’t even mind a pet on their little exoskeleton.
It should be noted that during the molting process – the shedding of old skin – you shouldn’t touch your hissing cockroach. It’s once the exoskeleton hardens that it’s safe to touch them.
4. They Like Light
When undertaking hissing cockroach care, you need to give it a place to take cover. Dark, warm, moist areas with lots of familiar surfaces for them to run around on are best. Most scientists will keep them in aquariums with wood chips, moist peat, or sphagnum moss.
It’s important to let some air into the environment but be careful to seal the aquarium because their padded feet allow them to climb on various surfaces.
5. They’re Not Easy to Find
You wouldn’t think that it would be easy to obtain cockroaches from the other side of the world, but it is. Find a hissing cockroach sale online or head to a local pet store to find them. Only laboratories, classrooms, and pet stores are allowed to import them, but that makes them fairly easy to find.
Hissing Cockroaches for the Win
Now that we’ve dispelled some of the common misconceptions about hissing cockroaches as pets, you can get one and see for yourself. As long as you give it the right environment, the right care, and the right food, it’ll give you a few years of domestic entertainment, so why not give it a shot?
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