Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Keep the warm end at about 24-29 °C; below about 21 °C they become sluggish, while warmth above 27 °C increases activity and breeding. Use a heat mat at one end on a thermostat to give a gradient.

No UVB is needed; they dislike light, so normal room light and dark hides are enough.

3-5 cm of coco fibre or peat-free soil topped with leaf litter, or simply egg trays and paper for easy cleaning.

Fresh vegetables and fruit (greens, carrot, apple, banana) every few days plus a dry protein such as fish flakes or dog or cat biscuits, for nymphs and adults alike. Remove fresh food before it goes mouldy.

Provide water in a shallow dish with a sponge or water gel to prevent drowning, and mist every other day.

Cork bark, egg trays and branches for climbing and hiding; they are colonial and do well in groups.

Hardy; most problems come from cold, dehydration and falls, which can split the exoskeleton. The small mites often seen on them (Androlaelaps schaeferi) are generally harmless commensals.

Docile and easy to handle; hold it low over a surface, as a fall of about a metre can rupture the exoskeleton. Harmless, with no bite or sting; wash hands after handling.

No licence needed in the UK; it is not CITES-listed or a GB invasive species of special concern. As a non-native animal it must never be released (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 14). Some US states, such as Florida, require a permit.

Sexing: males have large horn-like bumps on the pronotum and thicker, hairier antennae; females have only small bumps. Females carry the egg case internally and give birth to live nymphs, which can reach adult size in about 5-6 months in warm conditions. Keep a single sex to avoid breeding, and smear a band of petroleum jelly around the top of the enclosure to stop climbing escapes.