Madagascar cockroach - unpretentious exotic in your apartment

An original Madagascar cockroach of its kind is able to become a real diamond in your collection of exotic pets. Of course, it is difficult to call him attractive, and he also does not fall into the category of affectionate four-legged friends, but some features of his biology are quite curious, which forces many to acquire and breed this insect at home.

These insects are very calm. Unlike ordinary pets, such as a dog, a cat, a parrot, they will not cheat in your apartment, and guests who come will most likely simply not notice them.

Despite their unpretentiousness, they will nevertheless require some care. Therefore, before purchasing this type of cockroach, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main features of their lifestyle and the rules regarding their content.

Biological features

Madagascar or hissing cockroach comes from Madagascar and lives only there. Exotic lovers bring it to other countries of the world or they get there, one might say, by chance - climbing into a food box, which after a few hours is on the other side of the mainland.

Interesting fact! The exact number of varieties of Madagascar cockroaches has not yet been calculated. In some sources, you can find the number 20, which put an end to, but nevertheless, the disputes of systematists regarding this still do not stop.

Appearance

These insects are wingless, and at all stages of development, which distinguishes them from other species of the cockroach suborder. Almost all of their close relatives have developed wings, and some of them fly quite well.

Madagascar cockroach is quite easy to recognize, as its hallmark is its appearance - hard chitinous cover, wide abdomen and impressive size. Adults can reach up to 9 cm in length.

Color may vary - the color scheme ranges from a light tint to a rich black color. This largely depends on the age of the insect - the older the individual, the lighter the shade of its shell. The male from the female is distinguished by the presence of outgrowths on the anterior upper part of the chitinous cover. They play the role of a kind of decoration.

Another hallmark of males is the mustache. With them they will always be broken or damaged. This happens during the fight for the female. And the females, in turn, can boast of an even whole antennae.

The third difference is the width of the abdomen. If you place next to the same-sex adult individuals, you can see that the abdomen of the female is noticeably wider.

Lifestyle

This type of cockroach, like many others, is quite shy. In the light of day, they hide, and after dark they crawl out of their shelters and scurry about in search of food. In the wild, they prefer to settle under snags, in rotten stumps, in crevices of rotted trees. In a word, where there is a rich woody smell.

Despite their impressive size, they are completely harmless to humans, as they do not bite and do not release poison.

Madagascar cockroach is a real treat for many animals and birds, which is why they learned to hide and sit still when a potential threat appears. But even if the insect did not have time to stop in time and fell into the hunter's field of vision, the latter often simply cannot grab it with its paws on a smooth and rather slippery shell, and knowing this, the cockroach tries to snuggle up to the ground as tightly as possible. And when the situation is too sad for him, he begins to hiss sharply and loudly. It is for this that he received his nickname.

The hiss of a Madagascar cockroach resembles the sound that a snake makes. This method of scaring away is quite effective, since the animals and birds that eat these insects are relatively small and sometimes they themselves become prey to snakes.

On the surface of the body of this insect are organs called the spiracles, with which it produces these frightening sounds. Madagascar drastically reduces the lungs and air escapes from them, thus hissing.

This scaring sound is made by insects not only in order not to become prey, but also during the struggle for the female. Males collide with horns and always accompany the fight with hissing. When one of them is exhausted, he turns on his back, recognizing his defeat.

How many live?

Life span The insect is largely dependent on the conditions in which it lives. In the wild, the average is between 1 and 1.5 years. In the terrarium, where he is constantly being cared for, this period is significantly extended and reaches five years.

It is easy enough to notice that your pet will die soon - the color of its chitinous cover will become much lighter.

How do they breed?

After fertilization, the female hatches the offspring in the ooteca, which is located inside the abdomen. From time to time, she pushes her to ventilate the eggs. This breeding process is reminiscent of a kind of pregnancy, which distinguishes Madagascar cockroaches from other species of the cockroach suborder, in which females drop their oedema long before the larvae begin to emerge from the eggs.

The duration of gestation will depend on the ambient temperature. On average, this period lasts about two months. Larvae begin to leave their eggs right in the abdomen of the female, from where they creep out along with the remains of the ooteka.

During the first hours of life, hatched nymphs eat up the edema and gradually darken, acquiring a characteristic color for this species. During the growth of the offspring, the mother does not step away from them, constantly collecting them near her and driving away potential enemies with a loud hiss.

At one time, the female can tolerate from 20 to 25 larvae. Until the nymph reaches puberty, she sheds 6 times, from time to time dropping the old shell. In this case, only the larva's body increases in size and when it becomes too crowded, the chitinous cover cracks, and a new soft shell appears under it. Each time, the nymph eats up the remnants of her former shell and becomes darker each time. The period of this period depends on the conditions of the Madagascar cockroach and may vary between 6-12 months.

Home Content Requirements

This species is bred not only for pleasure. Often they serve as food for other exotic animals, for example, for spiders, snakes and lizards. The main advantages of this feed are as follows:

• these cockroaches are harmless;
• Do not emit any odors;
• quite high in calories.

Another reason for keeping Madagascar cockroaches is a popular entertainment - cockroach races.

In some countries of the world they are considered a real delicacy, where they are eaten on a par with chicken and veal.

Litter

Equipping a container for these exotic pets, you need to take care of the litter.As mentioned earlier, they prefer to dwell in a substance that exudes an expressive aroma of wood. A suitable option would be sawdust of various tree species, ideally coniferous. They can be combined with sand and changed at least once a month.

Ticks can settle on the body of Madagascar cockroaches, and although they do not bite, but use huge insects as a means of transportation, they can still cause certain inconveniences. Therefore, do not forget to change the litter.

Terrarium

In terms of choosing a terrarium and creating a suitable interior, there can be a ton of options. Since the Madagascar cockroach loves to hide from bright light and leads mainly a nocturnal lifestyle, the more shelters, the better.

1. Egg trays are the most popular material for creating ideal conditions. With their help, you can build a "multi-storey" housing, which will be as dark as possible and with a large number of places where the insect can hide.
2. You can also use cardboard cylinders from paper towels or toilet paper. Small sections fold into various designs that allow insects to move and hide.
3. In the terrarium you can put driftwood, branches and tree bark. Cockroaches simply adore such fragrant objects, from which excellent shelters are obtained.
4. Some equip the tray with two wooden plates that are mounted parallel to each other. Inside are placed fragments of pottery, which play the role of cozy shelters.

If you equip an open terrarium, then do not forget to lubricate its walls with petroleum jelly. Adults will not be able to get out even without it, but the hatched young animals can calmly move on a vertical surface.

If your aquarium has a lid, then you need to make small holes for air on it. Similar plastic containers can be purchased at any pet store.

Temperature

Madagascar cockroach for a normal life requires a certain temperature. The maximum mark of the thermometer should not be higher than + 30 ° C. Otherwise, the insect cannot reproduce. Minimum permissible air temperature + 18 ° C.

Air humidity

The ideal figure is 65%. True, rarely anyone manages to maintain such conditions constantly, and even the cockroach itself is not so important. To create acceptable conditions, it is enough to spray the walls and the litter with hot water once a week. For these purposes, it is best to use a conventional spray gun. Water will begin to evaporate and turn into a warm fog - ideal conditions for the Madagascar.

Do not fill the aquarium with plenty of water, as this can lead to parasites, and the litter itself will begin to rot.

To maintain relative humidity, you can install several cans of warm water in the terrarium, and wrap gauze over the necks. Make sure that the fabric holds tight, otherwise cockroaches can fall into the water and drown.

Feed

Quite often, the question arises as to what to feed Madagascar cockroaches. In fact, there is nothing to puzzle over, since they are omnivores. In the wild, they will be happy with a fallen leaf or a rotten fruit. They can be fed to almost everyone:

• bread;
• fresh apples, bananas, cucumbers, carrots;
  
• boiled buckwheat or oats without salt;
• fish food - daphnia or dry;
• flowers and leaves of dandelions, celery, salad, cabbage;
• eggs
• dry cookies, unsalted popcorn, corn sticks.

The main thing is to monitor the diversity of the diet, as some individuals can show cannibalism by eating and mutilating their fellow tribesmen.

Do not use food for cats and dogs, as it may contain insecticides.

Water

The drinking bowl is arranged as follows. A shallow water tray is installed, on the bottom of which cotton wool is laid. This design is necessary so that insects do not drown and have constant access to water. In nature, they extract liquid from the fruits of juicy fruits or drink dew.

The material in the drinker must be constantly wetted so that cockroaches do not need water.

Today, getting Madagascar cockroaches is not a problem. They are sold in bird markets, pet stores and zoos. A simpler method is to purchase online. But remember that traveling a long time in a closed box, some individuals may die, so choose an online store that is located as close to your home as possible.

However, the Madagascar cockroach is not the only exotic species of these insects that is popular with breeders. Along with him, for example, Turkmen or marble cockroaches, which can be read about in the article: Marble cockroaches - how to breed correctly.