Madagascar hissing roaches

[KevinsWither]

A setup of them with a cork bark habitat in a large kritter keeper? Any odors?

 

[Tenevanica]

I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean. Are you asking for advice? Are you looking to buy?

As for the odor question, no they don't smell at all. They are incredibly clean roaches. Hissers secrete an anti bacterial substance through holes in their exoskeleton. They are cleaner than you the moment you get out of the shower. These make great pets. Good luck!

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Hissers secrete an anti bacterial substance through holes in their exoskeleton.

Do you have a reference on that? I was not aware of this.

 

[Tenevanica]

Do you have a reference on that? I was not aware of this.

I read that in a book a while ago. When I was working at the Butterfly Pavilion, several entomologists (and entomology students who were working with roaches) said that was correct. I took 10 minutes on google to do some searching, but I couldn't find anything. Take a look at a hisser sometime under bright light. It glistens! Ever touched a hisser? They are kind of slippery aren't they? This is because of that elusive antibacterial substance.

Also, your location of Alpha Centauri seems highly improbable because that solar system has only 1 planet, and the surface temperature is estimated to be double that the surface temperature of Venus. Unless your alien race lives underground?

 

[Tenodera]

The shine we see on Gromohadorhina is the waxy cuticle, not an antibiotic secretion. Cockroaches' antibiotics are located in their nervous system and hemolymph, and I don't believe hissers' immune systems have been examined for these chemicals. Apparently American roaches as well as two locust species, however, possess very potent neural antibiotics.

Search "cockroach brain antibiotic" for a host of news articles.

 

[Tenevanica]

The shine we see on Gromohadorhina is the waxy cuticle, not an antibiotic secretion. Cockroaches' antibiotics are located in their nervous system and hemolymph, and I don't believe hissers' immune systems have been examined for these chemicals. Apparently American roaches as well as two locust species, however, possess very potent neural antibiotics.

Search "cockroach brain antibiotic" for a host of news articles.

I know about the brain antibiotic, madagascan hissers have some kind of secretion as well. Maybe I was wrong to assume it was the cause of the shine, but I have been backed up on that fact.

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Unless your alien race lives underground?

Yes, our race lives underground on Alpha Centauri Bb.

 

[KevinsWither]

It is for advice.