How to get rid of Madagascar roach eggs

[Alexx]

So my adult female has arrived pregnant, and I am truly not in the place right now to have baby roaches. She’s got the sac hanging out of her abdomen right now, but im not really sure how I should go about disposing of the eggs? If there even is a way to do that without harming the mother?

 

[chanda]

It is normal for a female hissing cockroach to partially extrude her ootheca (egg case) from her abdomen after it has formed. This is so she can reorient it before retracting it back into her brood pouch while the nymphs develop inside the eggs, so it is facing the correct way for the nymphs to emerge when they are ready. The nymphs will hatch while the ootheca is still inside her body, giving the impression that she is giving "live birth."

Even though quite a bit of the ootheca is protruding, if you attempt to pull it out, you could seriously injure the mother. (If she drops it by herself, on the other hand, you can safely dispose of it. Sometimes the mother will abort her ootheca, or sometimes it is not viable and she discards it.)

Unfortunately, you're probably going to have to let the eggs hatch - but if you don't want the nymphs, you can offer them for sale (or for free) in the classifieds forum, or use them as feeders, if you keep predatory invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, or birds - or just dispose of them yourself by freezing or flushing or squishing.

 

[Alexx]

Thank you, I’m very new to keeping roaches so there is still plenty I have to learn despite my research. I appreciate your help!

 

[xXTristinaXx]

You can’t just get one bro, I’d be overjoyed if I were you lol