Madagascar Hissing Cockroach FAQs

Q1. Won't cockroaches make me sick if I touch them? Answer here.

Q2. My Hisser is white! What happened to it?! Answer here.

Q3. Why can't I just use dirt from my yard for my roach cage? Answer here.

Q4. My roach just died! What do I do? Answer here.

Q5. I am a vegetarian and I want my pet to be vegetarian, too. Is a Hisser a good choice for me? Answer here.

Q6. Where can I see a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach before I get one? Answer here.

Q7. Can Hissers bite? What if they are really mad? Answer here.

Q8. Are Hissing Cockroaches insects? Answer here.

Q9. What should I do if I have to go on vacation for a few days and leave my roach home? Answer here.

Q10. Is this the same kind of cockroach I saw in Hawaii/Texas/my sink? Answer here.

Do you have a question not answered here? Email us!

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach FAQs

A1. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches

have not been known to spread any

diseases to humans. In fact, some

evidence suggests even "regular"

roaches have been given a bad name

unfairly! In fact, mites on

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches have

been shown to actually decrease

allergens! Learn more about it here.

However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands after handling any pet, including Hissers. We recommend it as part of our Safety Rules at Critters 2 Go.

A2. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches molt as they grow. This means they shed their skin. Underneath, they are very soft and white. It takes a couple hours after molting (or being born!) to harden and darken in color. You can learn more about Hissers and even SEE them molt on the Milestones page. Interestingly, even when they are bright white and soft, their eyes remain dark black.

A3. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are arthropods, which means they are sensitive to insecticides that may be lurking in your soil at home, and often are added to potting soils. That may be great for keeping bugs out of your garden, but when you want those bugs to remain alive and well in an aquarium, that dirt is just not safe. Don't risk it!

A4. First of all, I am so sorry for your loss. If you are grieving, here is an article recommending different ways to mourn your little pal.

However, if you are ready for another Hisser, contact me. If you purchased the dead Hisser from me, I will replace your little guy for free. I know that different roaches have different personalities, so a new roach is not going to be exactly the same as your old one. But caring for your new little friend can help you get over the death of the other. Also, replacing your sick or dead Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is our policy.

A5. Some people that choose

to be vegetarian wish their

pet to be vegetarian, too.

While animals do not have our

same morals, it can make

someone who is vegetarian

uncomfortable to prepare meat

meals for their pet. Despite

what some animal rights

groups (like PETA) proclaim,

veterinary evidence proves it is unhealthy, and in fact, CRUEL to restrict meat-eating animals from eating meat. If you are vegetarian to avoid cruelty to animals, feeding your cat vegan food is a bad choice!

Unlike humans, for which meat is a choice, many animals MUST have meat to be healthy. Some of these animals are dogs, cats, ferrets, hedgehogs, Red Eared Slider turtles, sugar gliders, leopard geckos, and tree frogs. If it is important to you that your pet live a vegetarian lifestyle, it is necessary for you to have a vegetarian animal as a pet. You might pick a rabbit, a chinchilla, a Russian Tortoise... but what about Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches?

While Hissers can eat protein, like dog food, they

are primarily vegetarian. Madagascar Hissing

Cockroaches can be healthily fed purely on plant

matter. So, vegetarians rejoice! Roaches might just

be the perfect pet for you!

A6. Here in Utah, there are a few places you can see a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, though only one where you can usually hold one! Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are on exhibit at Hogle Zoo in their "Tropical Garden" exhibit and occasionally in their temporary "Nature's Nightmares" exhibit. Living Planet Aquarium has their "Animal Superheroes" exhibit, touting the roaches "super" survival, and their supposed ability to live through even a nuclear holocaust! However, if you would like a chance to handle a Hisser, contact us at Critters 2 Go. Instead of looking at these creepy guys behind glass you get to see it, touch it, smell it, hear it... just don't taste it!

A7. Nope. Hissers can NOT bite you. When they feel threatened, they either hide or hiss by forcibly expelling air through breathing pores. The males, females, and older babies produce the most common hiss, which is the disturbance hiss. The males also hiss during courtship and aggressive encounters.

Can they hurt you? Only if handled incorrectly, and even then, not much. Adults have prickly legs that can occasionally poke you a bit if you pick them up too abruptly. Usually this is not really painful even when it does happen. Don't be scared of these creepy crawlies!

A8. Yes, Hissing Cockroaches are insects. Unlike most insects, they are live-bearing (more details about that in Milestones) and they are wingless, unlike most cockroaches. But like other insects they have a head, thorax and abdomen, and six legs. More about their anatomy from the Clermont College at the University of Cincinnati.

A9. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are pretty low maintenance pets. They will not mind at all if you leave them a few days, just add extra food (you might want to use dry dog food or other food that is less likely to spoil than fruits and vegetables) and be sure there is enough water to be sure not all of it is evaporated while you are gone. If all of their food has been eaten by the time you return, just feed them a little extra.

If you are going to be gone for a week or more it

might be a better idea to get a friend to

roach-sit for you. The experience might just make

them want to join The Cockroach Club themselves

and buy a few crawly critters from us here!

If you honestly can't find anyone to roach-sit for

you on a vacation, give us a call. I can probably watch them for a while.

A10. Nope. There are about 30

known species of cockroaches, and

even more insects that look

similar, but are not true roaches.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are