Hissing cockroach Ootheca

[Julie Schmidt]

Hi all! I have next to no knowledge about insects and was tasked with caring for a colony of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. I have learned a lot in the past two years about their breeding, behavior, and care. However, I have never seen one with a dried egg sac partially exposed. I don’t know if this is something that happens often. Is it something that can be removed? Any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ellenantula]

Do hissers even lay ooths or don't they have live births???

 

[Jesse607]

They retain the ooths inside until hatching. Sometimes you can see them extend the developed but not ready to hatch ooth out and rotate and bring it back inside themselves. That looks like an aging female and her lady parts aren't functioning properly anymore (in non-scientific terms).