BUGSY & FRIENDS

Hissing Cockroach

Gromphadorhina portentosa

Life expectancy: in captivity--5 years
Habitat: Rotting logs serve as home. Origin: Madagascar Island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa.
Hatched: 1981
Characteristics: Herbivore



Fun Facts About HISSING COCKROACH

  • Also known as the Hissing Cockroach or simply the “Hisser”.
  • Have become popular pets but can be escape artists with an ability to scale smooth surfaces with little difficulty.
  • Just about any television program or movie featuring bugs in it will probably have at least one Hissing Cockroach.
  • Eating a Hissing Cockroach can make you ill as their bodies contain a mild neuro-toxin that numbs the mouth.
  • The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is believed to be the only insect that can hiss.
  • The Hissing Cockroach is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 2-4 inches at maturity.