greyhoundmom11 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Yes, as you can tell from my username, I have greyhounds (2)! We also have 2 cats and a mouse. And now for the cockroaches... I had a colony of hissers years ago when I taught early childhood. It proved to be useful in getting some kids(and parents) past the "ICK!" factor. I currently have 4 male Madagascar hissers. How I got them is...interesting. I work in a small pet supply store. We cater mostly to dogs and cats and a few small animal needs. We don't sell any live animals as pets or feeders. Several weeks ago, a woman came in to ask if we'd consider selling hissers as pets. She explained she was helping a friend downsize as the friend had too many to care for. I said we wouldn't be interested but I personally would consider buying a few. She then asked me quite a few questions about their care and keeping while taking notes. I agreed to buy four. We ended with an agreement that she would call me at work before bringing them. (I was concerned some of my coworkers wouldn't be so thrilled to have them there.) The next day she called and arranged to bring me the hissers. She came with four males in pretty good shape except for various levels of broken antennae. One looks really perfect. No mites and all moving well. I bought them. Then she wanted to speak to me away from the counter. She proceeded to explain these were at a family center in the science room. They were in a ten gallon tank of at least two hundred that hadn't been cleaned for at least a year. The smell was so bad that kids didn't want to go in the science room. She had called the local humane society, explained the situation and was told the person sounds like a hoarder of cockroaches. (I'm imagining everyone reading this rolling your eyes!) The person who brought them to me asked someone else at the center for permission to clean the tank. She moved 6 males to a different tank, set aside the four I agreed to and FLUSHED the rest. I was dumbfounded. I truly believe she thought she was doing the best but, had she told me what her plans really were and that they were not really hers to deal with, I would have offered to help the situation. I could have found this forum as a resource(which I am sooooo glad I have found!) and perhaps helped to find a few venues to help slim down the colony. And now...I'm having a great time renewing my interest in these guys! I have learned so much from this forum already and am thinking about a couple of other species I'd like to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likebugs Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Welcome. Poor creatures! :'( I am glad that you were at least able to save a few. I wonder if flushing them will become a problem in the sewers, if they happened to survive? I read something about large amounts of Periplaneta americana living in sewers, and even being able to enter homes through the plumbing. I dont think that the 2 species are anything alike. However, if G. portentosa were to survive those conditions, they would probably get a very bad name. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundmom11 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Welcome. Poor creatures! :'( I am glad that you were at least able to save a few. I wonder if flushing them will become a problem in the sewers, if they happened to survive? I read something about large amounts of Periplaneta americana living in sewers, and even being able to enter homes through the plumbing. I dont think that the 2 species are anything alike. However, if G. portentosa were to survive those conditions, they would probably get a very bad name. :/ I'm thinking our Wisconsin winters are way too harsh for G. portentosa. When I had them years ago, I had new nymphs escape(before I found out about barriers!) The dryness of the houses in winter with the heat on is too dry for any to survive. Either that or I managed to find them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likebugs Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I'm thinking our Wisconsin winters are way too harsh for G. portentosa. When I had them years ago, I had new nymphs escape(before I found out about barriers!) The dryness of the houses in winter with the heat on is too dry for any to survive. Either that or I managed to find them all! That is a good thing, but I feel bad for those flushed roaches. Even here in S. Florida, they probably couldn't survive long indoors. A/C and heat makes the air dry in my home. I heard from a local, that there have been colonies found outdoors, in a couple of locations. I doubt that the flusher even considered the possibility, but they probably didn't know what else to do about the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skullking Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Another fellow wisconite! Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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