Hiss-scuttle-scuttle-hiss.

[skinheaddave]

I picked up container of young hissers today for next-to-nothing. The deal got even sweeter when I got home and discovered that there were at least 2 dozen, but likely closer to 4 or 5 dozen.

Anyhow, I have read a variety of care sheets etc. and I have had friends who have had them, but I want to know from the people here who have kept them what has worked and what hasn't. I am going to be breeding them as food, not pets -- though if I do manage to track down some lobster roaches they may end up being pets after all.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Marc_C]

Hey,
I keep mine in a large rubbermaid bin with a little less than half of the lid screened over with aluminum mesh. I use oak leaves as substrate because I dont like the scratching sound they make on the bottom sometimes when there is nothing on the floor.they have an under tank heather that they all seem to congegate towards. I basically throw anything I can in there for cover for them. Eggcrate,toilet paper rolls, small boxes that had granola bars in them are some of the things I use.I dont recomend spraying the crates with water because they get moldy really fast and you will have to change them more often I offer a diet of dog food, cat food, turtle food, fish flakes, white sugar, vanilla sugar, oates,bran,Cuttle bone + any other dried goods that I feel like I wont use anymore like pancake mix. All of this is ground up into a powder with a coffee grinder and mixed together. I use the lid from a mayonase jar as a food dish. I aslo offer fresh fruits and veggies every other day to them. Although the fruits and veggies could probably provide enough moisture I provide a watter dish with some small pebbles in it so that the babies wont drown.

I recomend that you get a nice secure lid because the babies can slowly tread over vasoline (100 hisser babies in your room all over is not fun at all). I currently have somewhere around 400-500 adults in one bin along with countless nymphs.
Hope this helps
Marcus-sparcus

 

[Wade]

My method is simmilar, if simpler, than Markus's.

I also use a large storage bin, with section of the lid cut out and screening glued in. I have a band of vasaline around the top edge, but as Markus mentioned they can sometimes get accross it, especially small nymphs and if the vaseline gets dirty it makes it easier for them.

I've used an assortment of substrates, from nothing to peat moss, but the one I'm experimenting with now is plain, clay kitty litter. This absorbs excess moisture and feces, and has a dessicating effect on dead roaches. All of these together cause the smell (and flies) to be less objectionable. I've been using this in one of my hisser bins for about 6 months now, and so far so good.

I use egg crating from cricket boxes, either stacked or leaning against one end. For food, I use unmedicated chick mash from the feed store, offered in a dish. It's real cheap, a 50 pound bag is like $6. Some stores sell it in smaller quantities, however.

For water, I've used planter saucers full of paper towels and then filled with water (roaches will drown in open water). I've also use chick watering bottles. Currently, I use "water saver" crystals, hydrated. Others use sliced potatos or fruit.

Since these, as well as the lobsters, are glass climbers, they might tend to climb out of reach of your scorpions. When I feed them to scorpions, I usually give them right to the scorp with big tweezers. Other times, with T's as well as scorps, I will crush the head and leave it.

Happy roaching!

Wade

 

[skinheaddave]

Thanks for the suggestions, Marcus and Wade. I'll post a progress report in a couple months -- if I remember.

Cheers,
Dave