Space for G. portentosa

[OBJ]

How much space would you recommend as minimum for 7 adult portentosa?

Gender: 2 females and 5 males.

I bought them in a big glas jar and there are some commotion (+ hissing) from time to time.

Would you recommend a terrarium higher than wide because of their climbing abilities?

I have a plastic tube (acryl) intended for a garden bassin for goldfish. Dia = 20 cm (8 in) and H = 50 cm (20 in).

Would that leave too little floorspace (footprint)??

Merry Christmas to all Roaches and all roach lovers!!

[Allpet Roaches]

They generally hang out on a flat plane so hight is of minimal value unless there are stacked, flat spaces as in a roach hut. 8" diameter sounds small for housing a hisser colony.

[Senses-Tingling]

I agree with Orin - too small if you already have adults. It won't be long and you'll have 40-80 nymphs crawling all over the place. I would stick to at least a 5 or 10 gallon container. I started with 10 nymphs a year and half ago - now I have a colony around 200.

[OBJ]

Thanks for the answers.

I have now bought a 28 litres [7.4 gallon] aquarium that I am preparing for them.

In the subforum "Enclosures and Barriers" is a question on barrier, please check...

In the bottom I intend to use 2 inch of dried beech leaves even it might not be necessary (easy access, because there is a forest nearby my home ).

And then some cork bark to climb closer to the light bulb if they feel cold (room temperature is 73.4-75.2 deg.F).

I read an article from June, 2004 by Orin translated to Exotic Insects Magazine here in Denmark, the topic being the hissers, where I understand that moisture is not important, so it should not be necessary to spray the leaves/tank?

[BugmanPrice]

Although I have not read Orin's article I would have to say the moisture IS very important. Although, it seems to me, that hissers seem to like it more on the dry side that some other species they still should have a water dish and/or have cage mistings and fresh fruit and vegetables for water.

I read an article from June, 2004 by Orin translated to Exotic Insects Magazine here in Denmark, the topic being the hissers, where I understand that moisture is not important, so it should not be necessary to spray the leaves/tank?

[OBJ]

... moisture IS very important.

Thanks for this advice.

I will supply moisture!

How do you make a water dish?? With a half Tampax?

[Allpet Roaches]

The article mentions research on hissers' ability to withstand the dry season in nature and lack of moisture in lab experiments. They don't do well with stagnant humidity but even true desert insects require a source of available moisture in captivity.

[OBJ]

... They don't do well with stagnant humidity ...

Oops, I do not hope you got the impression I was going to experiment with low moisture food and no water, because there were no such intention! They have been given juicy apples from the garden together with some beetle jelly - with interest. Just to clarify.

I would like to try using a water dish. How should it be made?

A small cup with a free surface should not be optimal for the nymphs (once they arrive)?

[Zephyr]

Oops, I do not hope you got the impression I was going to experiment with low moisture food and no water, because there were no such intention! They have been given juicy apples from the garden together with some beetle jelly - with interest. Just to clarify.

I would like to try using a water dish. How should it be made?

A small cup with a free surface should not be optimal for the nymphs (once they arrive)?

For the water dish, you can simply use a shallow dish with some pebbles in it. The roaches can drink between the pebbles, and the babies won't drown because there will always be something to grip to climb out.