# How to tell if my hissing cockroach's eggs are fertilized or not



## CaptSaltyJack (Apr 22, 2012)

I know there are a few reasons I'd see my hissing cockroach extend her ootheca:

1. She's forming her eggs and putting them out there for a male to fertilize.
2. She's already "pregnant" and airing out/readjusting her ootheca.

Is there any way to tell which one of these is happening?


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 22, 2012)

What she is doing, is airing out the ootheca. She will then suck it back in, into a gestation chamber, then gestate the ootheca. Finally, she will bear live young.


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## CaptSaltyJack (Apr 22, 2012)

How do you know? How can you tell? They do have to actually get their eggs fertilized by a male first, which also involves exposing the ootheca. Correct?

I'll elaborate more:

I have two females obtained from a breeder in early January. Female #1, I found out the hard way, was given to me while "pregnant." In late January, female #1 was seen airing out her ootheca. She gave birth on April 8th (way late!).

Female #2 just aired her ootheca on April 18th. This is a whole 100 days since I first got them, so I doubt would just now be airing them out and has not given birth yet.


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## J Morningstar (Apr 22, 2012)

The famale just gives live birth, I have never seen a male involved with the ooth.. they just have white little roaches, it's awesome.


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## CaptSaltyJack (Apr 22, 2012)

J Morningstar said:


> The famale just gives live birth, I have never seen a male involved with the ooth.. they just have white little roaches, it's awesome.


Er.. so you're saying the female hissing cockroach just gives birth to babies, without a male being involved in the process. Hmm.


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 22, 2012)

First, im pretty sure there isnt a ootheca involved when the roaches breed. Im not positive, but dont think so. Also some of the roach species like Dubia, are gravid for life, once they breed with a male. So they very well could be popping out babies after only breeding once. 





CaptSaltyJack said:


> Er.. so you're saying the female hissing cockroach just gives birth to babies, without a male being involved in the process. Hmm.


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## CaptSaltyJack (Apr 22, 2012)

Ok, so that's the first question: how do hissers mate? I've Googled a ton and found nothing solid. There's not much info on these guys.


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## MrCrackerpants (Apr 22, 2012)

CaptSaltyJack said:


> Ok, so that's the first question: how do hissers mate? I've Googled a ton and found nothing solid. There's not much info on these guys.


If you watch them a lot you will see them have sex. Males and females attach at the opening on the end of their abdomen.

---------- Post added 04-22-2012 at 09:16 PM ----------




CaptSaltyJack said:


> I know there are a few reasons I'd see my hissing cockroach extend her ootheca:
> 
> 1. She's forming her eggs and putting them out there for a male to fertilize.
> 2. She's already "pregnant" and airing out/readjusting her ootheca.
> ...


She is already pregnant.


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## CaptSaltyJack (Apr 22, 2012)

Thanks. So that answers that part then.

Now the only question remains: do females air out unfertilized eggs ever? In other words, is what my roach did a 100% sure sign she's going to have babies?

---------- Post added 04-22-2012 at 08:35 PM ----------




MrCrackerpants said:


> She is already pregnant.


Even 100 days after I first got her? She can really hang onto the sperm and self-fertilize after that much time has passed?


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 22, 2012)

If they are fertile for life after breeding, than yes. She will be able to produce young until the day she dies. 





CaptSaltyJack said:


> Even 100 days after I first got her? She can really hang onto the sperm and self-fertilize after that much time has passed?


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## CaptSaltyJack (Apr 22, 2012)

catfishrod69 said:


> If they are fertile for life after breeding, than yes. She will be able to produce young until the day she dies.


Yikes! Would've been nice if the guy who gave me these females had told me that. So all it takes is one time with a male and they can produces offspring indefinitely?


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 22, 2012)

CaptSaltyJack said:


> Thanks. So that answers that part then.
> 
> Now the only question remains: do females air out unfertilized eggs ever? In other words, is what my roach did a 100% sure sign she's going to have babies?
> 
> ...


if the ootheca is bad, she will drop it.


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## lizardminion (Apr 23, 2012)

CaptSaltyJack said:


> Yikes! Would've been nice if the guy who gave me these females had told me that. So all it takes is one time with a male and they can produces offspring indefinitely?


Yep. Most roaches, if not all, only have to mate once in their lifetime. After that, they store the sperm for indefinite use.


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