Welcome to no 5 of 16 Reptile Roadshow Reptile Profiles – Hissing Cockroach – celebrating 16 years of Reptile Parties and Events
- They can reach 2 to 3 inches in size, that’s between 5 and 8cm approximately
- They weigh approximately 22grams when fully grown
- Hissing cockroaches produce a hissing sound by forcing air through their respiratory openings
- They come from the island of Madagascar
- They can live approximately 5 years
- They only eat veg – Herbivore
- They prefer to come out at night
- Female Madagascar hissing cockroaches carry their babies for exactly sixty days
- Baby Madagascar hissing cockroaches are called ‘nymphs’
- Their babies are born from egg pods
- The Nymphs go through 7 growth stages before reaching adulthood, moulting six times.
- When a Madagascar hissing cockroach sheds its exoskeleton, they sometimes eat it because it contains valuable nutrients.
- The hissing cockroach may be a member of the roach family but unlike others roaches, they have no wings.
- The Madagascar hissing cockroach is thought to be the closest to its prehistoric ancestors that roamed the earth long before the dinosaurs.
- In their natural habit they keep the jungle floor clean by eating rotting fruit and dead leafs.
- In the wild males establish territories and defend them from other adult males
Reptile Roadshow celebrates going strong for 16 years. We hope you enjoyed this animal profile. This reptile is just one of many you can see at Reptile Roadshow events.
To book your own Reptile Roadshow party contact us at 01908 640 072 or email.
Make sure you checkout the other animal profiles on our blog.