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Some of roaches are very inactive for long stretches of time. I'm pretty sure that some of polyphaga roaches here only around once a week when they have all they need. 

What species do you have that shows little activity?

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How long have you had them? I noticed when I first had my hissers (initially a male and two females then three more females after one of the original females died) that they didn't move around much - after an initial day or so "exploring" their cage they tended to stay hidden under their log for long periods especially during the day. This went on for several weeks after I got each group. They are generally more active at night anyway but I wondered whether they perhaps were a bit stressed with moving to a new "home" and therefore stayed hidden as some sort of survival response. Once they had got a bit more used to their surroundings I noticed they all became more active and now they move around quite a lot even during the day. The colony is also now much bigger as the females started to give birth and as roaches are semi-social perhaps also being in a bigger group makes them less stressed and therefore more likely to come out of hiding?

So if you haven't had them long maybe they aren't moving much because they are still getting used to their new surroundings?

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8 hours ago, BlattaAnglicana said:

How long have you had them? I noticed when I first had my hissers (initially a male and two females then three more females after one of the original females died) that they didn't move around much - after an initial day or so "exploring" their cage they tended to stay hidden under their log for long periods especially during the day. This went on for several weeks after I got each group. They are generally more active at night anyway but I wondered whether they perhaps were a bit stressed with moving to a new "home" and therefore stayed hidden as some sort of survival response. Once they had got a bit more used to their surroundings I noticed they all became more active and now they move around quite a lot even during the day. The colony is also now much bigger as the females started to give birth and as roaches are semi-social perhaps also being in a bigger group makes them less stressed and therefore more likely to come out of hiding?

So if you haven't had them long maybe they aren't moving much because they are still getting used to their new surroundings?

I've had them for a couple months....but That makes perfect sense, because I've had to keep moving things because of mold (cleaning) which I'm sure has disturbed them. I'll be sure to leave everything alone for a little while. Thanks for the information

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Do you keep them on a damp substrate? I did that with mine at first and got huge problems with mould. After a while I let the substrate dry out completely and now keep the humidity up instead by spraying the cage for a few seconds twice daily (I bought an automatic mister recently so I didn't have to keep doing it by hand!). A light spray doesn't allow the substrate to get permanently wet and I have noticed a lot less mould as a result (mostly only on soft food such as fruit which I haven't removed quickly enough!) and they don't seem to have had any problems so far being kept dry. So if you're keeping them quite damp it might be worth letting the substrate dry a bit so you can leave them alone for longer?

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Are they adults? I'm also new to roaches, but I've noticed my two adult females are significantly more active than my two sub-adults. One of the adults was literally running circles around their tank last night while the two younger ones stayed hidden. My temp and humidity are roughly in the 80s, and the substrate is dry. I've had the subs longer than the adults, and the former have remained mostly still since I got them.

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I have had hissers for 2 years now, a big colony, and I am always in and out of the hive. It is dry with black buffalo beetles to help maintain cleanliness...they are always in stages of inactivity. They have a constant supply of chicken feed and water crystals but I get the most activity when I toss in over-ripe bananas, salad mix, cole slaw mix, and apples. Males are the most active when it is warmer. They tend to fight over space and females. Nymphs tend to cluster around the feed dish and the females wander in and out of the egg crates.

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Are you referring to inactive during the day or night? Because they are nocturnal so they could be partying it up at night. I like a red bulb. They can't see it at night and gives them a little heat(they aren't very active at room temp) plus lets you see them. When I first got 27 mixed nymphs two years ago it seemed like they never would eat. At first I fed them a few pinches of flake fish because everything else molded to quickly. Now I have 500 or so. I like them except I think I have developed an allergy to them. 

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@Friday

They were around two months old when I got them (what the shop said) so around three months now I guess

@dcfarms

What do u use for heating?

@Matttoadman

I'll try red lamps, where is a good place to get one, and can I just place it on the top, or does it need a full lamp. Can I just replace the bulb in their current lamp? I only use it to see when I replace water.

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mostly they are at room temp. Bedroom with no a/c so it can get up to 85 degrees in there in the summers. Winters all the bugs are by the heating vents. But I also have heating pads under the tanks (ones that you use for reptile tanks).

@Matttoadman

I have definitely developed allergies to my hissers (Madagascar, Halloweens, Wide horns, hybrids). I get hives and respiratory reactions. If I don't wash my hands afterwards and touch my eyes, they swell up and itch for days. I have to use gloves and mask now to handle them. But the Halloweens are still my faves....

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3 hours ago, lbrit17 said:

Would a lamp work? I was thinking about getting the zoomed red heat lamp that's 60w...it's a red light so would that be a good all in one thing to use?

Yes, I use a chicken brooder lamp(just had it lying around) 50-75watt red bulb. But yes the zoomed is fine

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  • 5 years later...

Hey guys, I also got my new female hisser but its having the same problem. it moves but only sometimes. I did provide water food and humidity. Right now its at its final nymph form and im kinda worried. How will i make it more comfortable around its new home? 

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