Six Species of Hissing Cockroaches Madagascar

[@nickfuentes4152]

I think I know the next cockroach species I want to keep! Those princisia vanwaerebeki were absolutely stunning.

[@bugsincyberspace]

Ah, and mine aren't even as flashy as they can be when they are younger adults!

[@gingecharmander]

I'm sensing a pattern of the week lol. Great video I didn't realize how many different species there actually where from Madagascar! Such a crazy diverse island. Great video again 😁

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thanks! I have at times had a number of other hissers including v-horns and dwarf hissers, standard tigers and it seems like I'm forgetting one other.

[@pleasejoe]

Nice black tigers

[@cs4870]

THAT WAS AWESOME!!! If I can get my wife on board I’m totally getting some hissers

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thanks a bunch, C S!

[@Weeshakespeare]

Just got 2 for my birthday. They seem to be of the first type. I'm terribly pleased!

[@3flyte_3flyte]

Thanks for showing the different species. I never knew there were so many.

[@bugsincyberspace]

I appreciate your comments. Thank you!

[@3flyte_3flyte]

@@bugsincyberspace G. oblongonota is difficult to find. Do you know of any specialty breeders who are offering this species?

[@THEMISSINGCITIZEN]

Thank u sm for posting this! There’s little info on roaches and this helped a TON

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thanks for watching!

[@dvilsadvocate1498]

Wow I didn't know there were different kinds of hissing roaches!

[@Oscar-42]

Soo I may be very late, but I’ve kept a handful of pet invertebrates and hissers are by far my favorite! My two girls, Dino and Pie, are so gentle and friendly! They’re very pleasant to handle/interact with and they aren’t much of hissers! I’ve heard them hiss maybe once when I accidentally dropped their food dish😅 it’s almost like they know I won’t hurt them and they trust me! They were very cheap, and are quite low maintenance. I’ve fallen in love with hissers, they’re my favorite invertebrates:)

[@SupremeGecko]

Great video. You make topics like this very interesting. Well done. And.... "Hissy fit" knew that was coming at some point. ;)

[@bugsincyberspace]

Oh yeah, you know it's always coming, Wally. They have so much to say! ;)

[@josephtalarigo4243]

I love hissers! I have several colonies, in spite of having an allergy to them. I just avoid handling them, but they seem to be doing well. I keep hoping that I can acclimate my body to hissers, but sometimes even handling them once makes whatever surface they were on itchy, and if I am careless I can get bad hay fever.

[@starlightvampire]

Well, it might as well be Christmas again now that you've uploaded this video! Love me some good hissing cockroaches. I might consider breeding my black tiger this time around, but Princisia vanwaerebeki are definitely up there on my wishlist as well.

[@bugsincyberspace]

I was happy to see another clutch of them born here since I sent you that last one from what was, at the time, a very small group of nymphs to found a new colony with. I always think of you when I think about the black tigers!

[@chriswingo1439]

Do you have any types of roaches available for sale? Thank you

[@Minnow-m2t]

Ok if I can ever convince my mom I’m surely getting those they look absolutely adorable

[@PuppyMintMocha]

Thanks so much for doing this one! Elliptorhina javanica is my personal favorite, and they also were my very first pet bug!

[@bugsincyberspace]

That's so neat to hear and interestingly when I was trying to find information online again about whether or not this species has ever been established in parts of Asia, I came across your name on a zoo forum and thought...hey, I recognize that name! I was not able to find an article corroborating this old data point in the back of my mind though.

[@WizzleTeats69]

Are there any other species? I keep all of these and I can’t find any information on different species of hissers to add to my collection. Very good video!

[@kathyinwonderlandl.a.8934]

Lovely story about your containers and your friend and Dinosaur Jim

[@bugsincyberspace]

Oh, I made this video a while ago and it's nice to see his name here again and to take a moment to remember him. Thank you, Kathy!

[@themantisgarden]

How did you train them to be that well behaved, Peter 😆Mine won't stay still for a second, none of my species. Nice to see you have them with substrate as most people over here (UK) just keep them with egg cartons which I find very sad indeed. Great video, by the way.

[@lilonenps]

Love all the info 10/10

[@amandabucci2777]

That was really interesting, thank you

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thank you, Amanda!

[@sarahgrollich9125]

how exactly do princisia differ from gromphadorhina? I've read a lot of things, some people theorizing that they are gromphadorhina too. I'm currently trying to ID some hissers with very pretty color combinations but I can't pinpoint anything specific.

[@kathyinwonderlandl.a.8934]

Six species? Wow never knew that thanks😺they seem like a very mellow just gentle species..just hiss if insulted lol

[@LoraAndujar-pj3wr]

Waoooo is so cool is my first time seeing this one and I got 6 different types of roaches just so cool

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thanks Lora!

[@ariframli1343]

Have you tried selectively breed them to create a certain criteria like size or pattern?

[@robertlamb5545]

Awesome video! Thanks for picking my idea! Not sure which sp won me over more, the vanwaerebecki or the insignis

[@bugsincyberspace]

I will have to get some tiger hissers again, with stripes. I really miss them and it would have really complicated things in terms of picking a favorite. ;) Thanks Robert!

[@MT-THNDR207]

Hey Peter. How are you doing these days? I just picked up a male & female pair of Portentosa from Petco today. I can't believe they've started selling them as feeder insects. I grabbed them to add to my collection.

[@bugsincyberspace]

I assume they put them on the shelf knowing that a lot of people will purchase them as pets rather than as feeders, which is nice because they really are one of the all time best and well known pet bugs. Congrats on your find!

[@MT-THNDR207]

@@bugsincyberspace That could be one of their sales tactics is to sell them as feeders but expect people to want to save them.

[@mellewedin8221]

This is e years old but my w hissers def look like the first pair. The largest of them all. I setting them up a wicked nice enclosure so they can be happier roaches.

[@AZ-zv1qo]

Great video! Love videos on roaches-- they're so interesting and hissers are among my favorites. Why are hybrids so frowned upon? I'd imagine because it taints the few pure strains that exist, but is/are there any other reason(s)? Thanks again for the great video!

[@bugsincyberspace]

It's exactly as you suspect, John. In nature these species have been separated for millions of years by geographic and other types of barriers. Most keepers of non-domesticated species chose to honor nature's perfection. If the species were themselves mingling in nature or working to meet of their own accord, or maybe acts of nature like earthquakes changed the physical landscape, that would be one thing. But "acts of humans" to bring two distinct species together in an artificial setting are considered by most to be disrespectful to the laws/history of nature. It is a matter of consensus only. People are welcome to do what they want in their tanks, and do. But it is my role to play to raise awareness about the topic when it presents itself, and I thank you for the question!

[@徐精明]

@@bugsincyberspace 👍👍👍

[@jfreebird]

Well they crossbreed if they get put together? Will they fight if you mix the tubs?

[@dustingibson1796]

Sad part about it is the pest roaches of the ones that give these guys a bad name.. I had to put off start my own Dia colony because we had a German infestation pop about from neighbors

[@nicholasbarkley294]

@Bugs in Cyberspace, we are new to insects and just got 8 male hissing cockroaches. We have had them a few days and just noticed a mite or two on one of them. All of yours in this video seem to be mite free. After searching the internet there seems to be a wide variety of opinions about these mites. Some say they have to have them to live long lives and some people say to remove them in various ways. We would prefer to remove the mites if possible, but not sure of a safe way to do this. We are keeping them as pets and are already quite attached to them. We have a range of ages, but most are quite young. Can you help? Any advice?

[@tyliful]

what species is your favorite. am leaning towards the black hisser. the flat hisser is second.

[@bugsincyberspace]

Having kept quite a few, I like the flat horns best I suppose. Sometimes they throw wild colors with vividly orange sections, and their morphology is comparatively unique.

[@tyliful]

@@bugsincyberspace do you have any for sale?

[@bugsincyberspace]

@@tyliful I'll have standard Madag hissers back soon. I do have the historical Princisia nymphs but I have to ask @invertebratedude what species they are calling them these days before I list them.

[@Lampofilm]

On one of the hissers, I noticed a white mite. I had a nice group of hissers last year with none, and then someone gave me some hissers, and they must have had the white mite, and I just could not get rid of them. I know they are not bad, and help the hissers, but would rather not have the white mite. I am sure you know more about this. So do you also have groups that have it and some that don't?

[@bugsincyberspace]

I'm honestly not sure without inspecting every single specimen in my various tanks of them. In some cases I have multiple tanks for a species. I will say that I find the mites to be a part of what makes a hissing cockroach the animal it is and so it just isn't the same to me when they don't have mites. I don't think my current batch of G. portentosa have mites but I rotate inventory of this particular species in and out on a very regular basis and mostly smaller nymphs.

[@GlockRoaches]

Hissers are so much fun

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thanks HMS!

[@GlockRoaches]

@@bugsincyberspace I recommend hissers over dogs

[@InvertebrateDude]

FYI, while I'd definitely say MOST Gromphadorhina portentosa strains in the US are hybrids, luckily there are still a number of hobbyists culturing the pure strain Roachcrossing sold, (which came from the Cleveland Aquarium's culture), so we do still have a few pure colonies left, most of the people still maintaining them are pretty careful about avoiding any culture contamination. :) Of course unless they are labeled as being pure, they should be treated as hybrids. ALSO, unfortunately your Princisia are indeed hybrid stock, Orin's are as well, there may only be a single culture of pure "Princisia" left in the US, (a group of two adult males, one adult female...). The differences in coloration between pure stock and some hybrid stocks are pretty minor, but generally pure Princisia have thinner stripes, more black coloration, and are far less variable in terms of coloration, (whereas hybrid stocks can be very variable). Also, interesting tidbit of information, apparently Aeluropoda and the Gromphadorhina sp. "grandidieri" can hybridize... Offspring look like flat sp. "grandidieri" in terms of coloration and patterning, just a little darker.

[@bugsincyberspace]

Good to know about the hybridizing nature of the two in your last paragraph. I hadn't heard that though there is much discussion of hybrids between the other genera. Jan 6, 2013 Orin noted on roachforum.com that he sent Princisia, G. portentosa and G. oblongonota to a taxonomist (probably Dr. Roth) who confirmed their purity. www.roachforum.com/topic/4220-gromphadorhina-and-princisia-taxonomic-discussion/ Did a different taxonomist later come to a different conclusion with Orin's, and thus my, Princisia?

[@InvertebrateDude]

@@bugsincyberspace Orin personally told me a couple weeks ago in PM that he doubts his Princisia are actually 100% pure on account of the differing coloration and random G.oblongonata-like individuals that occasionally will pop up in the colony. As opposed to Kyle's old stock from Double Ds that was very consistent in terms of coloration.

[@bugsincyberspace]

@@InvertebrateDude Well, that only contradicts what he said 7 years ago. He can't both be right! 😂 We'll have to threaten to take all his roaches in the dark of night if he doesn't clear things up for us. But in any case, it is a pleasure to acquire things with names and to share them with others under those same names. Time will test all things. I'm sending a dozen species off to some guys on Monday that are doing DNA work to look into some of these matters and they are particularly interested in hissers. Hate to see some of my adults go, but I had already pulled specimens out before shooting this video for the shipment. Your comments here have definitely motivated me to be especially clear with them that we as hobbyists don't really know for sure what we have in all cases. Thanks ID for the ID help!

[@InvertebrateDude]

@@bugsincyberspace Well considering his and yours differ markedly from the type specimen and older, "pure" stocks, and are quite variable in coloration, I am inclined to say his most recent comments on their purity are the correct ones... 😜 That's cool, I believe George Beccaloni is doing work on the tribe as well, hopefully we can get the bottom of how these are all related to each other, which species are valid, etc... Hopefully the DNA testing will prove a more reliable way of identifying species and such than morphological characters, seeing as the genitalia between most hisser species are nearly identical in most cases, and horn size and structure is extremely variable from specimen to specimen...

[@InvertebrateDude]

Also, on the subject of him sending Princisia to a taxonomist, it's quite possible Princisia hybrids could still key out as Princisia, since they ARE part Princisia, and the species diagnostic in the description was not coloration, but rather the pronotum structure, (which is the same in some Gromphadorhina species)... 😄

[@ascendingspirit186]

I got some Madagascar hissers at the pet store and completely fell in love with them. So now I've ordered some black and some Halloween. Now I see that there are tiger hissers! Are they the same thing as Halloween hissers

[@bugsincyberspace]

Nope, they are separate species. Quite a few hissers species in the hobby and it increases from time to time too. Hard to keep up with them!

[@ray-sattler]

We have around 200 hissing roaches and discovered clumps of mites on them all over the head legs and back and on some lesser infected ones you can see tiny white mites running around. You can't even wash them off and when we looked closely in the container, there where some dead roaches in there with thousands of mites on them, so we cleaned everything out. It also looks like the mites kill the roaches or they at least die because of them. All 3 enclosures we have now have mites :( It sadens me to tears cause my girlfriend and me love them so much. Do you have any idea, what i can do to get rid of them, i don't want to loose our cute hissers? I tried the flour method on some of them but I'm not 100% sure if that did the trick. Thx a lot in advance mate. Ray

[@bugsincyberspace]

These definitely sound like grain mites, rather than the mites that live on them in nature and in normal tanks. It very much sounds like a maintenance/cleanliness issue. Too many roaches in the tank, more than likely, and in a case like this you really have to check all corners of the tank frequently for any dead ones and not leave any uneaten food lingering in there for more than a couple days or the mites will start eating the food and overpopulate.

[@Wickedreptiless]

I have a 1.2 group of Melanistic hissers how do I know if they are black tigers?

[@bugsincyberspace]

Unfortunately you won't likely be able to know for sure unless you donate a few offspring to a scientist of the species.

[@die.3695]

By some bizarre coincidence, that big ass island had 4 different genus of cockroach evolve to have no wings, grow horns, and learn how to hiss… right.

[@bugsincyberspace]

Nature will surprise every time!

[@lauraomara4997]

Can you house a few each of madagascar and dubias together in a 20 gal terrarium? And I discovered a male madagascar who seems to be without feet. Was this from fighting behavior or disease?

[@bugsincyberspace]

Sometimes in old age the feet wear out, but it is hard to know the cause of this w/o having more information. You can house the two species together with no issues that I'm aware of.

[@hylaarborea1090]

Hey, so i have three of them, one male and two females. I got them yesterday and they only move their antennae what shall i do? They only moved a little yesterday

[@bugsincyberspace]

It's difficult to answer but it sounds like they are just happy roaches. Roaches don't move constantly. When they are hungry they look for food. When they are cold they will move to the warmest place in the tank (assuming it isn't too warm). They also move as they interact with one another in social ways. It may be that your tank is a little on the chilly side. 75F+ is recommended.

[@hylaarborea1090]

@@bugsincyberspace oh, so what should i do? Should i get some sort of a heater or something?

[@bugsincyberspace]

@@hylaarborea1090 If your comfortable in your room the roaches are too. I don't think you need to do anything. If there is some change you are trying to create, let me know and perhaps I can help you to work towards that outcome through additional information.

[@hylaarborea1090]

@@bugsincyberspace okay, thanks for the infromation!

[@shrekadvisoryboard]

What brand/type of fish pellets do you feed?

[@jaydenjayden2971]

Greetings! Do you know where I can find a picture of a pure strain of G. portentosa?

[@bugsincyberspace]

Probably on the Blattodea Species Files website. Or type the word holotype into google.

[@Pdgirlkc]

I have one male hisser named Romeo who’s creeping up on the 6 yr mark (that’s how long I’ve had him anyway and he was an adult when I got him). Him and his lady friend, who passed last year, were my first bug loves. Since he is a senior (and my first bug) he’s absolutely spoiled rotten 🥰 Not too bad for being sold as feeders.

[@bugsincyberspace]

6 years, Romeo! I really appreciate your mentioning this. It's wonderful to have data like this on the longevity of them. Thanks Jen!

[@Tervnut]

Would you be selling starter colonies of these species? I have portentosa and hybrid oblongota but want to find non hybrids and other hisser species to add to my collection

[@bugsincyberspace]

I have them off and on. You can add yourself on the waiting lists on the BugsInCyberspace.com website for the various species listed there. Thanks for your interest!

[@jessicapearson9479]

I cannot find any information on the petco giant islander cockroach. I have two that just had 48 babies. But I know nothing about them. I have been caring for them in the same way you would for the giant madigassgar hissing cockroaches. Do you have any information on these guys?

[@jordynjohnson3932]

I have an adolescent female hisser who is missing her pronotum plate, she was like that when I adopted her. Do you think that could cause issues for her? Is there any chance of it growing back as she molts? I am not sure if she was born that way or if she experienced trauma that caused her to lose it.

[@bugsincyberspace]

I have never heard of this before. Super interesting and I'm not sure what might have caused it. It's hard to say much more without seeing it. So unsual!

[@EclecticMel]

Hi! I have 2 female Madagascar hissing roaches and was wondering if I bought the Halloween hissers if I could put them all together in the same enclosure?

[@bugsincyberspace]

As I understand it these two species cannot interbreed. Otherwise, their care requirements are much the same.

[@jedrikfevalpardilla594]

Would it be okay to mix other species of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches into 1 enclosure? Let's say the Wide Horn and Black Tiger. I didn't know they are different species not up till now I've watched your video lol

[@SusanLBritt]

Is it true they trigger asthma attacks??.

[@bugsincyberspace]

It is only true that asthma has many triggers in the variety of humans and that some statistics state that some people are allergic to droppings of some roaches when they are present in amounts enough to be/host allergens.

[@SusanLBritt]

Ok did some furthee reading ... only of u allow their habitat to mold.

[@bugsincyberspace]

@@SusanLBritt And only if you are allergic to it, and most people are not. ;)

[@reinanjelobatayan2109]

Is it ok to hybrid the hissers?

[@bugsincyberspace]

It is generally frowned upon to introduce two species that do not meet in nature.

[@reinanjelobatayan2109]

@@bugsincyberspace but what happen when you breed halloween hisser to madagascar hissing cockroach?

[@Sp00kshow]

Super helpful! I love my roaches, have 4 out of the 6 species. Accidently knocked off a few of the labels so this helped me remember between a couple.

[@bugsincyberspace]

Thanks Spookie!

[@TheLucidWyvern]

can Halloweens and Madagascar hissers live together in the same tank?

[@aronbraswell1589]

I have hissing cockroaches and I have a question. What causes them to abort eggs?

[@lillymearkley1939]

I have lizards, which I have started getting dubia for. Recently I've wanted to get Madagascar hissing cockroaches, for pets but also breeding purposes. Do you sell them? Where might I get some?

[@graceking3936]

Hi I really want some and I have a question - do they smell? Great vid btw! :)

[@bugsincyberspace]

Over time the tank can develop an odor but you can change the substrate and that will freshen things up. My wide horn hisser tank smells like toasted coconut after I spray it. 🤷‍♂️ iI’s been a couple years since I changed the substrate.

[@graceking3936]

Bugs In Cyberspace ok thank you! x

[@NeLsInFiNiTy]

When do hissing roaches become a male or female ? There isn't alot on that question. Are they just nymphs then grow horns or are they born a sex already ? If you can help answer my question I would appreciate it alot, thank you.

[@bugsincyberspace]

The phenomenon of animals changing sexes for one reason or another is well documented, however to the best of my knowledge hissing roaches remain the same sex and the males merely develop the horns as they grow. Of course, we are learning new things about humans all the time and we understand roaches even less!

[@NeLsInFiNiTy]

@@bugsincyberspace Thank you for the quick response, much appreciated.

[@Mixboy6X2008SdoDJ_LilE]

I used to have Madagascar hissing cockroaches but now I don have any more Madagascar hissing cockroaches because cuz my mom doesn’t like Madagascar hissing cockroaches anymore.😢😔😞❤️❤️

[@SusanLBritt]

Have any of your hissers bit you ??

[@LordHegyi]

Hi there i'm interested do you shipping to UK?

[@bugsincyberspace]

I'm sorry but I only ship within the US.

[@LordHegyi]

Bugs In Cyberspace at lest for a bit of help can you send me the right names of your roaches you showed in this video please

[@aryananand5089]

I ordered a pair two weeks ago, the breeder shipped them the same day with a little food n water crystals. It’s been 13 days and they are still in transit😤😭 Any chances of their survival?

[@bugsincyberspace]

In mild weather there is a very good chance of survival. In hot weather, it really just depends on where the box has been sitting.

[@randomthoughts1001]

People keep waiting on the aliens. 🙂 I say they are already here. Beautiful specimens.

[@lucianobrancato5975]

I want to get 5 hissing cockroaches and start a colony. How would I prevent inbreeding?

[@zonester_exe9142]

Luciano Brancato add new genes

[@gracio1231]

I didn’t know there were 6 spices I love those cockroaches only

[@bugsincyberspace]

They are definitely the most familiar of all roaches in the pet hobby.

[@gracio1231]

Bugs In Cyberspace they’re the coolest n have the cutest faces dawww

[@robertevans4165]

I have always wanted these Incredible Insects but all I keep getting told is that they smell and that's what puts me off but if I did ever get these the Halloween 🎃 Hissing Cockroach would be on my list

[@WithoutAnyRain]

My hissers have an extremely easy bioactive setup so their enclosure just kinda smells like coco coir. Literally just coconut husk bedding kept moist, some pieces of bark for them to hide in, some sphagnum moss to help keep humidity up, with springtails & isopods as cleanup crew. The springtails & isopods clean up anything the roaches don't eat so it doesn't sit too long & get moldy. All I have to do is feed them every so often, spray them with water like once a week so they get a good drink & make sure to dispose of any individuals that have passed away due to old age. The water makes the coconut bedding smell like it just rained 😊

[@thelegionisnotamused8929]

I don’t know how I ended up here but... now I have hissers.

[@bugsincyberspace]

lol, let's have this conversation in ten years and see where we both end up! ;) Welcome to the hisser hobby!

[@clamskaboo5120]

I feel like madagascar, along with the Galapagos, was evolution’s test grounds...so many diverse species on such a small island...

[@bugsincyberspace]

It's definitely an inspiring spot and I'd love to visit someday!

[@sargentdsod3167]

Hey bugs in cyberspace. I held a jungle nymph. Male and female. Male is smaller than the female And they boath have spines. On them and they hiss. And. I saw a vingeroon ilove vingeroons. I want one as a pet. And 4 millipedes. And a hissing cockroach. I would put them in different. Tanks I held a lot of insects throughout my life Click beetles Bess beetles. Hissers Millipedes. Mantises. Beetles. Moths. Dragonflys . Grasshoppers cicadas. Hawkmoths. tranchulas i been in to bugs. And there ancestors like arthroplura and mesothelae and meganura and the prehistoric sea Scorpions

[@cuddlycrochetbuddies6352]

I have Halloween hissers!

[@bugsincyberspace]

I really like them because they are so different than the others. Even though they aren't in my top 3 favorites, I might still pick them as one to keep if I could only keep two just because they are so different in coloration and size.

[@jableslables8029]

Mine have birth to a Albino overnight

[@bugsincyberspace]

They are all pure white when they are first born but then they darken up as the hours continue.

[@jableslables8029]

@@bugsincyberspace Oh I wondered where he was!

[@k2rmabubba271]

Chunky boys

[@ronniemoysey8854]

Dinosaur Jim.... en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Jensen

[@HomosapienThe2nd]

can you make a pt 2 where you shorten it and cut to the chase by JUST telling us the species?

[@pastelk]

roach

[@Andreas-gh6is]

They are called Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches because they come from Madagascar and they hiss. Duh.

[@ronniemoysey8854]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Jensen