Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

General Information

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 2 to 3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) at maturity. They are native to the island of Madagascar, which is off the African mainland, where they are known to be found inside of rotting logs and decaying leaf litter. It is one of around 20 known species of large hissing cockroaches from Madagascar.

In captivity, these insects have been known to live up to 5 years. They feed primarily on vegetable material. We offer our roaches a variety of fruits and vegetables. 

As the common name suggests, the Madagascar hissing cockroach is characterised by their hissing sound, which is produced when they forcefully expel air through the specially-adapted respiratory openings (spiracles) on the fourth segment of their body. They produce 3 different types of hiss: a disturbance hiss, a fighting hiss and then males produce a female-attracting hiss.