Hisser pregnancy

[Crazy Bug Lady]

I just bought several female hissers.  One of them is very fat.  I'm worried she is pregnant.  Is there a way I can tell?  Or would one of you be able to tell if I got a picture of her?

My roaches are in critter keepers, so if she gave birth, the nymphs would be able to get out through the ventalation slits.  If she is pregnant, I want to get her into a better enclosure.  I'm pretty worried about this, so thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Hisserdude]

If they are adults, and were in a culture with males, then they are all probably gravid, or they will be soon, as they can store sperm from previous matings for a while. If she seems exceptionally plump, then that's usually a sign of pregnancy, there isn't really any other way to tell, and sometimes they can just be plump from a large meal or certain bacterial infections. 

If you keep her and the other females under 72F, it'll greatly decrease their chances of successful gestation, so that may be something you will want to do, if at all possible.

 

[Crazy Bug Lady]

If they are adults, and were in a culture with males, then they are all probably gravid, or they will be soon, as they can store sperm from previous matings for a while. If she seems exceptionally plump, then that's usually a sign of pregnancy, there isn't really any other way to tell, and sometimes they can just be plump from a large meal or certain bacterial infections. 

If you keep her and the other females under 72F, it'll greatly decrease their chances of successful gestation, so that may be something you will want to do, if at all possible.

I mean, I don't want to hurt her or her nymphs really.  But my apartment is always 70 or lower.  I don't know for sure that she was with males, I could ask the breeder.  She is by far the largest roach of my new ones.  And, thankfully, most of the new females are nymphs.  No way she is a nymph though, she is a really big girl.  But yeah, she's way fatter than the other adult female of the same breed that came with her.

 

[Crazy Bug Lady]

If I get her an enclosed cage and a heating mat do you think she would be alright? And by alright I mean able to successfully give birth.  Is there anything else I can do for her?  Any way to tell how far along she might be?  SOrry for all the questions.

 

[Hisserdude]

I mean, I don't want to hurt her or her nymphs really.  But my apartment is always 70 or lower.  I don't know for sure that she was with males, I could ask the breeder.  She is by far the largest roach of my new ones.  And, thankfully, most of the new females are nymphs.  No way she is a nymph though, she is a really big girl.  But yeah, she's way fatter than the other adult female of the same breed that came with her.

It wouldn't hurt her, the eggs inside of her would just fail to develop properly due to the low temps and she'd abort them, I don't believe that causes any pain. She probably was, most people don't keep each sex separate, they just keep them all together, so she's likely been in contact with a male before. 
 

If I get her an enclosed cage and a heating mat do you think she would be alright? And by alright I mean able to successfully give birth.  Is there anything else I can do for her?  Any way to tell how far along she might be?  SOrry for all the questions.

Yeah, she would, she would likely have a ton of nymphs though, which would then eventually end up with nymphs of their own, so you have to ask yourself if you really want a large colony of them or not. BTW, when they are in a huge colony, nymphs try to get out much more frequently, so you'd have to be real careful about not leaving the top off for too long, a minute is all it takes for several small nymphs to bolt out of the enclosure. 

No good way to tell just how far along she is, they get a little fatter as their pregnancy advances, but that's not really a reliable way of telling how far along they are. 

 

[Crazy Bug Lady]

Update:

There haven't been any nymphs.  My apartment stays below 70F, so I am guessing this is the reason, being that several of my females have to be adults.  I'm very happy none of my girls have given birth, I do not plan to breed them.  Thanks for the temperature tip, Hisserdude.

 

[Hisserdude]

Update:

There haven't been any nymphs.  My apartment stays below 70F, so I am guessing this is the reason, being that several of my females have to be adults.  I'm very happy none of my girls have given birth, I do not plan to breed them.  Thanks for the temperature tip, Hisserdude.

Good, glad she hasn't reproduced! No problem, happy to help!