Health problems of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches

9 min readApr 3, 2022

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are hardy; just like most cockroaches, they don’t have many health issues. However, before you buy your first Madagascar hissing cockroach, read these signs pointing to the insect care quality in pet stores.

Signs of a healthy hissing cockroach

Hissing. If it’s not showing signs of dehydration and it hisses slightly when you first touch it (indicating alertness), then it’s likely a healthy cockroach.
Active and alert.
Body is rounded and full.
Eats regularly. The diet is varied.

Red flags

No pretarsus or even tarsus. They will eat their own Pretarsus and even the whole Tarsus if they don’t get enough protein in their diet.
Bad grip on objects. The stiffness of tarsal pads (Euplantulae) has been found to be affected by the insects’ age. The pads of aged cockroaches were found to be less flexible than those of younger ones, concurrent with a reduced climbing performance. See the study “Effects of aging on behavior and leg kinematics during locomotion in two species of cockroach”.
Bitten antennas. Losing even one antenna can compromise a cockroach. It will be: Disoriented, Easily lost, Prone to running into objects, Vulnerable to predators, Unable to find food, Unable to mate. In laboratory settings, cockroaches with their antennae removed were observed to have a dramatic behavioral change. They became more physically aggressive and rammed themselves into surfaces and items.
Lethargic/sluggishness. WARNING: This may be an indicator of an early molt.
Sores or abrasions.
Weight loss.
Abnormal feces.
Discharge in mouth or eyes.
Dull exoskeleton.

Causes of death

Dehydration. If your pet cockroach looks shriveled or wrinkled, it’s probably not getting enough water. To ensure proper humidity levels, the enclosure should be misted with water every other day. Humidity should be at least 50%. 60–80% works well.
Low temperature. Temperature 70 F (21°C) or lower makes the MHC sluggish and inactive. Do not keep cockroaches at temperatures lower than 65 F (18°C), as this can lead to death.
Pesticides. Roaches should periodically 2–3x a week be fed produce that has been cleaned thoroughly of pesticides or that is organic. Remove the peel from the food before giving it to the cockroach.
Aerosols containing a chemical composition (for example, sprayed perfume).[Need more info]
Hissing Cockroach have a mite (Gromphadorholaelaps schaefer) that resides on the body and feeds on it’s food source. Do not attempt to use a miticide to kill the mites, since this will also kill your pet.
Unsuccessful molting. With insufficient humidity, a cockroach can get out with difficulty or even die. If you think that a cockroach will soon molt, you need to increase the humidity to 80–90%. More about molting.
In some cases, abortion can be fatal. An ootheca cannot fully get out and a female cockroach dies. A stress is a prime culprit in failed hatching. Incorrect diet can also cause ootheca loss. More about breeding.
Mold is a threat to your colony, so best to feed only what they consume in a short while. Remove any fruits or vegetables that haven’t been eaten within one or two days to prevent mold. The uneaten food will start quickly to mold when left in the enclosure.[Need more info]
If you have a colony, the nymphs can drown in a bowl of water. Do not pour water in a bowl without something to soak it up. Make sure this bowl is shallow and have low edges, so cockroaches can easily climb in or out. It would even be better to use a sponge (make sure it does not contain chemicals!) to prevent the small nymphs from drowning in the water bowl.
Nymphs can die because they flipped over on their backs and couldn’t get up. So you need to add more substrate to the edges and corners of the tank.
Don’t use cedar or pine bark as a substrate since it’s toxic to cockroaches. Line the cage with 1–2 inches of organic (fertilizer and pesticide-free) potting soil. A good material for bedding is orchid bark or coco soft, which you can purchase in larger pet stores, specializing in insects and reptiles. More about tanks.
Сan be killed by a fall from a tabletop (or by an unsuspecting human who steps on an escapee).

Warning

Chlorinated water. Clean and non-chlorinated water should be provided in a separate bowl. Use dechlorinated water so you don’t make your cockroach sick. More about water and food.
Poor ventilation. With insufficient air, cockroaches become less active. If you are using a container (not a tank), then make holes on a lid and close them with a mesh.
The escape. Specially padded feet enable MHC to climb any surface, so it is important to make sure the cage is adequately sealed. With any housing option, smear a greasy substance near the top of the container. Madagascar roaches are very skillful climbers: you should spread Vaseline, olive oil or bug stop on the upper 2–3 inches of the container that are closer to the lid to prevent hissers from reaching the top. Use a container that can be fully closed with a lid. There shouldn’t be any holes or cracks in it because roaches can get through them very easily, especially when they’re young. If the cockroach has escaped.
Cucumbers. Some sources say that cucumber can be harmful to cockroaches. Apparently it is because of a chemical, trans-2-nonenal, present in cucumber.[Verification required]. List of foods.
Avoid iceberg lettuce in food. It may contain dangerous levels of Fipronil. Fipronil is a widely used pesticide for its effect on a wide-range of pests. [Verification required]
Rotten food. Use small pieces (one inch square or less) and feed moist food sparingly, since high concentrations of fermentation gases are harmful.
Sharp wood chips can harm cockroaches by irritating their exoskeleton and potentially bruising/stabbing. Use a more suitable substrate.[Verification required]
The lack of shelters can be stressful for cockroaches. Since most insects, including roaches, live under leaf matter and fallen logs, it’s a good idea to add a few hiding spots. One or 2 shelters should be enough.
Incorrect handling. When handling a MHC, pick up the insect very gently around the thorax (the hard section behind the head with the bumps) or simply pick up the container and dump the cockroach onto your hand. Be careful not to jerk the insect, since the feet have sticky pads and hooks that grip tightly. If you pull too hard, you may injure the insect.
Social isolation. Cockroaches are social, so it is recommended to keep several cockroaches. Theoretically, this could extend their lifespan. If you do not want to breed cockroaches, then you can keep at least 2 females, they will not fight among themselves, unlike males.

Stress response

Sometimes cockroaches spit out gut fluid when they are stressed. It can be when you take a cockroach on your hand. There is nothing critical about this.

If you have more facts (“Verification required” tag) and examples/photos (“Need more info” tag), please contact me or comment my Reddit post.

FAQ

What are the symptoms of sick cockroaches?

They are not active (they lie in one place) and do not hiss at touch.

How to identify an old cockroach?

1) Mature age. Hissing cockroaches live on average 2–3 years.
2) Bad grip on objects. The stiffness of tarsal pads (Euplantulae) has been found to be affected by the insects’ age. The pads of aged cockroaches were found to be less flexible than those of younger ones, concurrent with a reduced climbing performance. See the study “Effects of aging on behavior and leg kinematics during locomotion in two species of cockroach”.
3) Lethargic/sluggishness. WARNING: This may be an indicator of an early molt.
4) Poor appetite and/or weight loss.
5) Less loud hissing or no hissing.
6) Dull exoskeleton.

What does the natural death of a cockroach indicate?

1) Mature age. Hissing cockroaches live on average 2–3 years.
2) Lethargic/sluggishness. WARNING: This may be an indicator of an early molt.
3) Poor appetite and/or weight loss.
4) Less loud hissing or no hissing.
5) Dull exoskeleton.
6) Transparent/cloudy eyes.
7) Bad smell.

How can I help a sick cockroach?

I) Repair a small container with decent ventilation (pre-boiled with hot water).

II) Place wet cotton pads/paper towel on the bottom of the container. Spray water around the edges of the container.

III) Put the sick cockroach in the container. Add at least two healthy cockroaches to it. Since cockroaches are social, it is better for them not to be alone.

IV) Put honey right in front of a sick cockroach. Honey can be an excellent sugar substitute and gives a lot of energy. Some also say it has antibiotic properties.

V) Put the container in a warm and dark place.

VI) If you have a her mat, increase the temperature over time.

VII) 1–2 times a day, take a cockroach in your hand and give it warm clean water, because it is dehydrated.

In my experience, with a probability of more than 50%, the cockroach will die. They get sick suddenly and live for a maximum of 3 days.

Reddit: Put her in her own isolated space and give her some honey and a little bit of water on a paper towel piece. Honey can be a great hit of sugar — if she’s eating, that’s a good sign! That energy is vital when they get like this. Some also say it has antibiotic properties, but I can’t vouch for the effects in specific species! (TailspinToon)
Reddit: I usually just move them to the food bowl and they usually chow down. Just keep them as comfy as possible and give’em a hand moving around. (Splinter_Steve)

What should I do after getting a cockroach?

If this cockroach is alone and you don’t have a colony, then put it in a prepared tank. If you already have a colony, then a new cockroach should be quarantined for 1–2 weeks in a separate container to prevent the spread of parasites to others.[Verification required]

Any questions? My Telegram chat

References

Andersen, J. (2021, August 4). How are antennae useful to cockroaches. Cockroach Zone. https://www.cockroachzone.com/cockroach-antennae-function/
Ash, L. (2018, July 24). Madagascar hisser roach colony care. RRF. https://www.readyreptilefeeders.com/madagascar-hisser-roach-colony-care/
Cockroach care sheet. (n.d.). Petco. https://www.petco.com/shop/PetcoContentDisplayView?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&path=/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/cockroach-care-sheet.html
Do roaches pee? (2022, April 26). Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/roaches/comments/uchuul/do_roaches_pee/?utm_source=share
Dust between sclerites. (2023, January 2). Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/roaches/comments/101h3i0/dust_between_sclerites_mhc/?utm_source=share
Galliard, T., Phillips, D., & Reynolds, J. (1976). The formation of cis-3-nonenal, trans-2-nonenal and hexanal from linoleic acid hydroperoxide isomers by a hydroperoxide cleavage enzyme system in cucumber (cucumis sativus) fruits. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) — Lipids and Lipid Metabolism, 441(2), 181–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-2760(76)90161-2
Hall, K. (2019, March 29). How to set up a hissing cockroach house. wikiHow. https://www.wikihow.com/Set-Up-a-Hissing-Cockroach-House
Help! Dying nymph. Info in comments. (2022, April 19). Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/roaches/comments/u6rcfq/comment/i59zuxs/
Hissing cockroach care sheet. (n.d.). Fluker Farms. https://flukerfarms.com/reptile-u/care-sheets/hissing-cockroaches-care-sheet
Lettuce not eat this: Vege 2 fresh brand of iceberg lettuce pulled from malaysian shelves. (2018, October 8). Yahoo News. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/lettuce-not-eat-vege-2-032857999.html
Libal, A. (2020, November 19). What do hissing cockroach egg sacks look like? Pets on mom.com. https://animals.mom.com/reproduction-madagascar-hissing-cockroach-6159.html
Madagascar hisser potentially dying/dead? (2022, April 9). Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/roaches/comments/u02sq9/madagascar_hisser_potentially_dyingdead/
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. (n.d.). LLLReptile. https://www.lllreptile.com/articles/197-madagascar-hissing-cockroach/
McLeod, L. (2022, February 12). Caring for madagascar hissing cockroaches. The Spruce Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/madagascar-hissing-cockroach-1236891
Mulder, P., & Shufran, A. (2017, March 1). Madagascar hissing cockroaches: Information and care. Oklahoma State University. https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/madagascar-hissing-cockroaches-information-and-care.htm
Mysterious white powder. (2018, February 11). Allpet Roaches Forum. https://www.roachforum.com/topic/6880-mysterious-white-powder/
Ridgel, A. L., Ritzmann, R. E., & Schaefer, P. L. (2003). Effects of aging on behavior and leg kinematics during locomotion in two species of cockroach. Journal of Experimental Biology, 206(24), 4453–4465. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00714
Thijs. (2020, August 30). Keeping and caring for a madagascar hissing cockroach colony. Keeping Bugs. https://keepingbugs.com/care-sheet-for-madagascar-hissing-cockroach-colony/
What are signs of old age/near death. (2023, January 30). Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/roaches/comments/10ovje3/what_are_signs_of_old_agenear_death/?utm_source=share
wikiHow. (2019, April 5). How to Breed Hissing Cockroaches. https://www.wikihow.com/Breed-Hissing-Cockroaches

Last update: February 27, 2023