Breeding hissers

[EightLeggedFrea]

Anyone have any exp in breeding Madagascar hissing roaches? I'm considering breeding some for my blondi when she gets larger. Are they same as breeding Dubias, only with warmer temps (and the ability to climb)? How long does it take them to produce young and how long does it ake the nymphs to mature?

 

[jmiller]

Hissers are fun to have but do not make the best feeders. You might want to look into getting some B. discoidalis they are large and breed fairly fast. They can be raised just like dubia. They do not climb smooth surfaces either.

Hissers are very slow to multiply if you do not have the conditions just right. It also seems like forever for the nymphs to mature.

Just my opinion. Good luck either way.

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

Hissers are fun to have but do not make the best feeders. You might want to look into getting some B. discoidalis they are large and breed fairly fast. They can be raised just like dubia. They do not climb smooth surfaces either.

Hissers are very slow to multiply if you do not have the conditions just right. It also seems like forever for the nymphs to mature.

Just my opinion. Good luck either way.

I've got discoids, but they don't seem to breed...at least nowhere near as quickly as my Dubias. I tried warming them but they started to die off. I now keep them at room temp.

I'll probably just get more of those since they seem to breed no matter what I do. Maybe I'll try another feeder roach. I've heard orange heads (E. posticus) are the fastest breeding of the livebearers.

What's wrong w/ hissers as feeders? Do they have hard to crack shells or something?

 

[Scoolman]

I have a hisser colony. I just bumped it with an additional 15 females, 5 males (all adults) and about 50 nymphs. They need high temps to breed, about 85F. They also require a slightly higher humidity. Gestation is usually about 60-70 days. Normally, a female gives birth to 20-40 babies, known as nymphs, over a two-day period. The nymphs, which resemble miniature adults, grow fairly rapidly. They usually go through six molts, reaching adult size in the seventh instar. Nymphs reach maturity in five to ten months, with faster maturation at higher temperatures. Adults may live for two to three years. I have a huge adult male who is running on about 4 years now.
As far as using for feeders. I think they are great. They do develop a tough exoskeleton as adult, but an adult blondi would have no trouble. My G pulchra devour 2cm nymphs with no trouble at all. They bread readily when temps are up, the long life of adults guarantees a steady breeding supply, and they are very hardy.
Also, you can sell off larger specimen occasionally to help pay for maintenance.
The real bonus, I think, is that escapees can not survive without the artificial environment you provide; they are a tropical species that have not adapted to life anywhere else..

 

[Matt K]

Check out www.roachforum.com

There are several people there with extensive hisser roach colonies (and several dozen other species too).

 

[skips]

I think if you had a big enough colony and things went just right for you, you'd be fine. My room mate has had them for a year now, feeds them them same diet our dubia, lateralis, and giganteus get and they've maybe doubled in that time. He also keeps them warm year round. Not to say that it isn't possible, but it may be difficult to start out. I'd say the time frame above is pretty accurate.

 

[Moose9]

I have hissers and discoids too. Discoids in my experience are much slower breeders than B. dubia and require higher humidity, but make good feeders being there larger. As mentioned earlier, hissers do require higher temps and humidity. Although mine still breed okay at 75F, they do better at higher temps. I don't heat any of my colonies, just room temps.

Every once in awhile I'll find a nymph in with one of my other colonies. Even though I have the top portion greased up, the babies sometimes manage to get across and out. And even though as adults they have a tough exoskeleton, tarantulas have no problem, because they liquefy the food from the inside and suck it out. Besides the larger tarantulas like T. blonde have powerful fangs to begin with, so crushing and mutilating an adult hisser shouldn't be an issue. Good luck!!!