Hissing cockroaches in Japan

[Allpetroaches]

Posted by Takeshi on 3/17/2006, 12:29 am

mailto:niceguyinny123@AOL.com

Message modified by board administrator 3/19/2006, 2:08 pm

{{{ MADAGASCAR GIANT HISSING COCKROACHES IN JAPAN }}}

The Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina potentosa) has been sold in Japan as one of the many pet insects at department stores. (Most of department stores are equipped with pet insect section, and selling popular pet insects such as Kuwagata (stag beetle) and Kabutomushi (rhinoceros beetle) and their breeding paraphernalia. According to those retailers’ website, Hissers seems have been sold very well and consistently for years in Japan.

Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroach is a common name in America. In Japan, they are commonly called Madagasukaru Hisshing Kokkuroochi (phanatically pronounce in native tongue) or Madagoki. Goki is a short term of gokiburi, which means a cockroach. The word “Madagoki” was used for me to do research on the subject matter in yahoo Japan.

In this article, I want to introduce a few Japanese website produced by individuals with good photographs and articles about Hissers in Japan.

http://www.h5.dion.ne.jp/~vivarium/html/ma.../madagoki1.html

This website features excellent series of photographs about molt of a Hisser in the tank. His articles are full of wits, humor and love for his pet insect. By reading his style and usages of words, I assume he is absolutely an adult (mid 30-40years old). Here is what the pet owner wrote in the box at the end.

“He gazed his cast off skin for about an hour ---

then, he started eating his cast off skin.

I wonder if it is delicious.

It might stuck to my throat (if he gives me to eat it)

He ate it all.

I assume it is good to regain his strength after molt.

EXCELLENT NUTRIENTS FOR THE VIGOROUS VITALITY!!

I should have asked his to give me more (to eat together)

Next morning

When I looked into the tank,

As if there were nothing special happened like, the black Gokitchi (friendly nickname of “roach” by the pet owner) was

“singing a happy song” on the top of the branch quietly

You can not say that you will tell to no souls

After seeing these. Ho ho ho ---- “

I will comment and post when I found any interesting Japanese website to this roach forum more in the future.

Good luck to you and your pet insects!

Takeshi

All the rights reserved by Takeshi Yamada 2006

E-mail: niceguyinny123@aol.com

For more articles about Hissers, please go to http://www.hissingcockroach.50megs.com/tt1.htm

My giant insect taxidermy gaffs are also featured in following website;

http://sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html

[Allpetroaches]

Posted by Takeshi on 3/17/2006, 12:30 am, in reply to "{{{ MADAGASCAR GIANT HISSING COCKROACHES IN JAPAN }}} "

Message modified by board administrator 3/19/2006, 2:08 pm

{{{ DOCTOR AND HISSERS IN JAPAN }}} (PART 1)

Here is another website about Hissers created by a Japanese adult. He is the head of the Shinei Animal Clinic in Japan. His name is Dr. Teruto Konno.

http://www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/shineiah/ma.../madagokip.html

When the link opens, a small box appears in the middle of the screen (in Japanese) saying “Do you really want to see this?” for reminding people that some of the pictures of insects could be uncomfortable to some people. When you click it, you can finally see his website about hissers.

In his website, several different topics were featured with multiple photographs.

Section 1:

General information of “Madagascar hissing roach” with a photo of a pair of hissers. Here are a few of his selected statements.

“This is a very popular cockroach as a pet.”

“They are extremely good-looking insects, as if they wear thick armor.”

“The female gave birth twice within the last four months, resulted in total over 80 babies.”

“Please plan their breeding, otherwise they increase in numbers dramatically.”

“It is easy to bread them, but they require heating during winter.”

“There is a possibility that they could breed at home when escaped. Therefore, only the people who can handle the responsibility should breed Hissers.”

Section 2: It is entitled “Do you like it or hate it?”

He was born in Chiba prefecture (in the main island of Japan) and learned to hate common large black winged cockroaches (Periplaneta fuliginosa) because of their infestation of his home’s kitchen. He explains that his wife was born and raised Hokkaido island (of Japan), thus she does not scream or hate cockroaches. This is due to the fact that there are no common cockroaches live in Hokkaido (except small German cockroaches) due to the very cold temperature there. The common people living in Honshu island hate the cockroaches with such an extreme degree.

“This photograph shows my 3-years old son playing with the “Madagascar hissing roch”. I believe that when you see this, you would understand that people’s fear and hatred toward specific creature is acquired behaviors influenced by their parents and society.”

Section 3: Year of Heisei 14th year, March 5 (14th year of current Emperor’s reigning in Japan. Year of 2002 in western calendar.)

Photo left: a few days old Hisser nymph

Photo right: Hisser mother in the process of protruding ootheca (egg case)

“I witnessed her giving birth to babies in the middle of the December last year. Therefore, I assume she must have been growing new babies in her abdomen for the last 2 and half months.” He was puzzled why Hisser has to protrude the ootheca.

(continue to part 2)

All the rights reserved by Takeshi Yamada 2006

E-mail: niceguyinny123@aol.com

For more articles about Hissers, please go to http://www.hissingcockroach.50megs.com/tt1.htm

My giant insect taxidermy gaffs are also featured in following website;

http://sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html

[Allpetroaches]

Posted by Takeshi on 3/17/2006, 12:34 am, in reply to "{{{ DOCTOR AND HISSERS IN JAPAN }}} -1-"

Message modified by board administrator 3/19/2006, 2:08 pm

{{{ DOCTOR AND HISSERS IN JAPAN }}} (PART 2)

Section 4: dated May 31

Two pictures of subspecies of Hissers are featured here. They are sold by the name “Madagascar Giant Roch” in Japan. They have darker color, and grows up to 7cm. They are actually about 5cm. left is male and right is female.

Section 5: dated July 8

The subspecies of Hissers state above gave birth to babies. A picture of one of them is posted. He realized what he got were both adults. “I was disappointed that they would not become bigger any more.”

Section 6: September 7

“My “yoroimoguragokiburi” (Giant Burrowing cockroach, Macropanesthia rhinoceros) died. The “Giant roch” gave the second birth. It appears that they can give birth about every 2 months just like the common hisser species. The babies born last time has grown already reached the size closer to their parents.” Picture of hisser babies

His “yoroimoguragokiburi” (Giant Burrowing cockroach, Macropanesthia rhinoceros) is featured in his another website page:

http://www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/shineiah/rh...eros/rhino.html

Section 7: Year of Heisei 15th, March 15

“Photograph of male hisser immediately after molt. They do not breed much now and this may due to repeated inbreeding.”

PS. He breeds variety of creatures such as Chinchilla, 12 species of turtles, crickets, snake, salamanders, frog, emperor scorpion, etc. The link of the list of animals is:

http://www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/shineiah/shoukai.html

Final note: There are many website about stag beetles created by people in Japan. This is due to their passion and love for breeding large and beautiful stag beetles. In Japan, stag beetles are also considered as a “black diamond” due to their very expensive price sold at a pet section of many department stores. Breeding pet insects for not a few Japanese is as serious as cats/dogs to Americans.

Good luck to you and your pet insects!

Takeshi

All the rights reserved by Takeshi Yamada 2006

E-mail: niceguyinny123@aol.com

For more articles about Hissers, please go to http://www.hissingcockroach.50megs.com/tt1.htm

My giant insect taxidermy gaffs are also featured in following website;

http://sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html