RecoveryColonies
Hissing cockroaches care guide
Gromphadorhina portentosa
A ventilated bin run as a moisture gradient: one wet end, one dry end, hardwood leaf litter throughout, and cork or bark for surface area.
Terrestrial — floor space first
Hissing cockroaches enclosure size
Terrestrial — floor space first. An adult hissing cockroaches should live in at least 16" L × 11" W × 8" H; we build toward 24" L × 16" W × 12" H (2 × 1.3 × 1 ft, roughly 2.7 sq ft of floor and about a 20-gallon glass equivalent).
A 6–16 qt bin per producing colony; keep a backup bin so one crash never ends the line.
- Starter culture
- 8" L × 6" W × 5" H recommended · min 6" L × 4" W × 4" H
- Establishing
- 14" L × 10" W × 8" H recommended · min 12" L × 8" W × 6" H
- Producing
- 24" L × 16" W × 12" H recommended · min 16" L × 11" W × 8" H
Temperature and heating
Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
- Basking / warm surface
- None — no basking site, no heat lamp
- Warm side (ambient)
- 72–80 °F ambient room temperature
- Cool side (ambient)
- 70–75 °F ambient room temperature
- Night
- Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine
Lighting and UVB
UVB: None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Run lights on a Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 60–70% ambient. Dampen one corner of the substrate every week or two and keep a water dish full — never soak the whole enclosure.
Substrate and depth
Coco fibre and topsoil with hardwood leaf litter and a piece of cork. Depth: 2–3 in.
- Ventilation: One mesh vent plus a partly cracked lid — humid at the wet end, breathing everywhere else.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Hardwood leaf litter and rotten wood
- Cork bark for hiding and surface area
- Cuttlebone / calcium source
- One wet corner kept damp, the rest dry
Build list
- Ventilated plastic bin with a mesh-panel lid — Ventilation prevents the mite and mold blooms that crash colonies.
- Hardwood leaf litter or grain-based feeder chow — Colony output is a direct function of diet quality — this is what your animals eat next.
- Digital thermometer / hygrometer — Inverts are kept at room temperature — you need to know what the room actually does, not guess.
- Long feeding tongs and a catch cup — Every interaction — feeding, water top-ups, rehousing — should happen without your hand near the animal.
Hissing cockroaches FAQ
How big should an adult Hissing cockroaches enclosure be?
At least 16" L × 11" W × 8" H, and we recommend building to 24" L × 16" W × 12" H — about 2 × 1.3 × 1 ft, or a 20-gallon glass equivalent. Terrestrial — floor space first.
What temperatures does a Hissing cockroaches need?
Basking or warm surface None — no basking site, no heat lamp, warm side 72–80 °F ambient room temperature, cool side 70–75 °F ambient room temperature, night Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine. Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
Does a Hissing cockroaches need UVB?
None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Photoperiod: Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun.
What humidity does a Hissing cockroaches need?
60–70% ambient. Dampen one corner of the substrate every week or two and keep a water dish full — never soak the whole enclosure.
What substrate is best for a Hissing cockroaches?
Coco fibre and topsoil with hardwood leaf litter and a piece of cork, at a depth of 2–3 in.
How big does a Hissing cockroaches enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Starter culture: 8" L × 6" W × 5" H recommended, minimum 6" L × 4" W × 4" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
Is there anything to be careful about when keeping a Hissing cockroaches?
Adults climb glass — a petroleum-jelly or tape barrier at the rim keeps them in.
How much ventilation does a Hissing cockroaches enclosure need?
One mesh vent plus a partly cracked lid — humid at the wet end, breathing everywhere else.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own hissing cockroaches record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.