# Hissing Cockroach Ailment



## Tarantel (Jul 1, 2011)

One of my two Madagascar hissing cockroaches has been behaving strangely. I have been looking into the terrarium to find her on her back, legs waving, trying to right herself. I'm pretty sure it is the same cockroach each time. This started a few days ago but only today has it started to happen often enough for me to be concerned. She doesn't seem able to walk well and when she is on her back I notice her two legs closest to her head seem shorter than they should be, both segments are still there but the second segment seems like it might be partially gone. Perhaps the other cockroach ripped part of her legs off? Perhaps they were severed by other means? Or maybe I'm mistaken and the problem is some thing totally different. I keep the roaches in a ten gallon terrarium with two half logs, one large and one small, to hide under, a water dish filled with cricket quencher water gel, feed them lettuce and cat food (mostly lettuce) and a substrate of coco fiber. I mist the tank every day to maintain humidity at 80% and don't use a heat mat as the temperatures are not very cold around here as it is summer. Please respond as I'm worried about her.


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## MrCrackerpants (Jul 2, 2011)

This may not be your problem but I would switch to dry dog food. I have found cat food (over long periods) seems to be associated with higher roach mortality rates. Is she a nymph? How old is she?


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## thedude (Jul 2, 2011)

Bugs can just be weird like that sometimes man. I have had roaches that present themselves with those symptoms but i think it's just their genetic luck (or lack thereof) of the draw. Just keep helping it back on its feet so to speak until it molts.. it might molt of the issue but it might not too. It could be something neurological.. has the cage been around any chemicals lately? These bugs produce alot of babies to make up for the possible deaths or deformities that might happen while they mature, so hearing things like this doesn't surprise me even though it can be frustrating or upsetting


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## Tarantel (Jul 2, 2011)

She is not a nymph. I'm pretty sure she is an adult as she was about or three inches when I got her a month or so ago. She hasn't molted in my care.


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## thedude (Jul 2, 2011)

Tarantel said:


> She is not a nymph. I'm pretty sure she is an adult as she was about or three inches when I got her a month or so ago. She hasn't molted in my care.


Hmm. Maybe old age then? do you have any idea how old she is?


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## MrCrackerpants (Jul 2, 2011)

thedude said:


> Hmm. Maybe old age then? do you have any idea how old she is?


Could be old age or molt issues. I often put their mouth on a moist cotton ball when they are in this state but this has only been helpful once. You could cover the top of the aquarium to drive the humidity up.


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## Scoolman (Jul 2, 2011)

Tarantel said:


> She is not a nymph. I'm pretty sure she is an adult as she was about or three inches when I got her a month or so ago. She hasn't molted in my care.


She sounds like an old female. The symptoms you describe sound like a very old hisser on they way out. What you described is exactly what mine go through before the pass. They only live about 3 years, and under favorable conditions up to 5 years.
You may want to use a heat mat anyway. These are tropical species and do best above 80. Below 75 the will stop breeding and become less active.
I have been using cat food mixed with oatmeal for roaches and mine are doing fine. If you are having fod issues it is not because of cat or dog food, but may be the brand or variety you are using.


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## Tarantel (Jul 2, 2011)

I have a heat mat but it isn't plugged in. I don't really want them to breed and they can't anyway because they are two females. I turned it off because one of them had buried itself in the substrate and I didn't want to accidently cook her. I don't think the problem is from the cat food as I had only put in lettuce for the last few feedings. Cat food gets very moldy in my experiance, and they don't seem to eat it. Should I just not flip her over next time and let her die? Should I switch to oatmeal instead of cat food?


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## Scoolman (Jul 5, 2011)

Tarantel said:


> I have a heat mat but it isn't plugged in. I don't really want them to breed and they can't anyway because they are two females. I turned it off because one of them had buried itself in the substrate and I didn't want to accidently cook her. I don't think the problem is from the cat food as I had only put in lettuce for the last few feedings. Cat food gets very moldy in my experiance, and they don't seem to eat it. Should I just not flip her over next time and let her die? Should I switch to oatmeal instead of cat food?


I would keep flipping her back. definitely add some oatmeal with the cat food. Try grinding the cat food in the blender with the oatmeal. She may still live another 6 months like this if you keep her fed and hydrated.


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## Tarantel (Jul 12, 2011)

The cockroach has died. She is not moving. Her legs are curled on her body and her antennae are no longer twitching. Thank you for your responses, I hope I have taken good care of her in her final days. Thankfully, my other hisser is still going strong.


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## Scoolman (Jul 12, 2011)

Tarantel said:


> The cockroach has died. She is not moving. Her legs are curled on her body and her antennae are no longer twitching. Thank you for your responses, I hope I have taken good care of her in her final days. Thankfully, my other hisser is still going strong.


Sorry for your loss. I know I get attached to my largest hissers. 
You should look into getting a couple more, as they are a communal insect and seek the company of others.


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## marcfrick2112 (Jul 14, 2011)

Also sorry that your hisser passed. I agree with Scoolman here, I would use the heat mat, and maybe get a few more hissers. If you start getting too many, you can always sell any excess.

I just use a human heating pad under the hisser tank, on the lowest setting. Heating pads can vary, so I test the temp with an instant read thermometer, before using it 'live' with hissers.

It's hard losing any pet. My biggest female (3.5") is probably near her last days.


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## Tarantel (Jul 14, 2011)

Thank you for your sympathy. I really appreciate it.


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## Immortalis79 (Feb 11, 2012)

*Ack*

I've been having the same problem recently, but all of my roaches (including the small ones) have started to go belly-up. While they're on their back they seem to be trying to scrape something off their legs?

I've been using an infrared heat lamp if that might have anything to do with it. Please help, I don't want to lose them all.

Thanks


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