Madagascar hissing cockroach as a feeder?

[Moakmeister]

Hey doods, I've got an adult male Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) on the way in the mail. I was planning on feeding it to Regina, my recently molted G. pulchripes, as a fun first feed now that she's so large, but now I'm not so sure.

Of course I only found out all of this AFTER ordering the dang thing, and idk if I can cancel my order at this point. Apparently they have tough shells which can break a tarantula's fangs, even on a large T. Also their legs are sharp and strong enough to puncture a tarantula's body. And on top of all that, I was just asking cold blood for his opinion and I learned that they're actually supposed to be PETS, not feeders. So now it even feels cruel to feed it off even if it is safe.

I need some more opinions. Can I feed this thing to Regina or am I stuck with it as a pet?

 

[CJJon]

They are fine as feeders. Some do keep them as pets. So what? Lots of things are fed to pets that people keep as pets.

 

[fried rice]

Hissing cockroaches can get 2-3” so they are very big. If Regina is 6” or larger I think you could try. If you have a theraphosa species it might be able to eat it.

 

[Moakmeister]

They are fine as feeders. Some do keep them as pets. So what? Lots of things are fed to pets that people keep as pets.

Have you fed adults to Ts without issue?

Hissing cockroaches can get 2-3” so they are very big. If Regina is 6” or larger I think you could try. If you have a theraphosa species it might be able to eat it.

I believe she would be 6" by now, because her exuvia is barely over 5". Though after typing that, I realize how stupid it is to think she'd gain an entire inch in one molt.

 

[CJJon]

Have you fed adults to Ts without issue?

Yep.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

They scream.

 

[CJJon]

They scream.

Yep

 

[chanda]

I've fed hissers to subadult/adult T. stirmi with no problems, though I usually opt for the dubias.

 

[viper69]

Hey doods, I've got an adult male Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) on the way in the mail. I was planning on feeding it to Regina, my recently molted G. pulchripes, as a fun first feed now that she's so large, but now I'm not so sure.

Of course I only found out all of this AFTER ordering the dang thing, and idk if I can cancel my order at this point. Apparently they have tough shells which can break a tarantula's fangs, even on a large T. Also their legs are sharp and strong enough to puncture a tarantula's body. And on top of all that, I was just asking cold blood for his opinion and I learned that they're actually supposed to be PETS, not feeders. So now it even feels cruel to feed it off even if it is safe.

I need some more opinions. Can I feed this thing to Regina or am I stuck with it as a pet?

Those are the only cool roaches worth keeping as pets. They get huge.

 

[Moakmeister]

Those are the only cool roaches worth keeping as pets. They get huge.

I'll keep them as pets in the future regardless of what transpires, they are cool

 

[RezonantVoid]

I feel sad enough feeding native wood roaches to my spiders because they can also faintly hiss. I couldnt stand the screaming of a big hisser