G. portentosa acting VERY active in their new enclosure

[Blattodea313]

Today I moved my hissers into a new enclosure. It is planted, has cork bark to hide under, leaf litter, and some wood pieces. A few hours after moving them into their new enclosure they started running around everywhere, trying to climb the glass, crawling on the screen top, and moving their antennae very quickly. I'm thinking that they are just exploring the new habitat, but I've never seen them so active. They are all male. I still have the females in the old enclosure.

 

[Keith]

Yup that means they are exploring and enjoying the space. Soon they will settle down and find their favorite spots. If the females go in the males will try to mate right away.

 

[Blattodea313]

Yup that means they are exploring and enjoying the space. Soon they will settle down and find their favorite spots. If the females go in the males will try to mate right away.

Ok thanks. I was really getting worried watching them run around.

 

[Blattodea313]

After checking on my male hissers in their new enclosure I noticed that four of them were laying on their back, but still alive. I moved those four back into their old enclosure, but they don't seem to be moving their legs. The enclosure is slightly dry. I'm not sure if the dryness is what caused it.

Edit: I've kept hissers in exo-terra terrariums before with no health issues. The one they are in right now is a 24x18x12. Their previous one was an 18x18x24. I think I will moisten the soil and increase humidity.

 

[happy1892]

My red runners when put into a container with pesticides they run around for a little bit and then turn over. But their legs keep twitching a bit.

 

[Blattodea313]

I don't think it had to do with pesticides because the other hissers in the same enclosure are fine. After I moved the 4 hissers that were on their back to the other enclosure I waited a few hours then checked on them, and they were walking again. I'm not sure what the problem was... By the way, were you experimenting with red runners or something?

My red runners when put into a container with pesticides they run around for a little bit and then turn over. But their legs keep twitching a bit.

 

[Keith]

I mist daily with water from a spray bottle

 

[Forcep]

My 5 hisser species are kept bone dry; they're all doing well as long as there's a constant water source.

I would suggest there maybe something wrong with the new enclosure. Once I've kept all my hisser containers in a plastic cabinet, end up with finding dead nymphs now and then. After I moved them out I haven't lost any roaches ever.

 

[Blattodea313]

I think the problem was the moss in their enclosure. The moss is very stringy and tough, so the hissers thorny legs would get caught in it. I found 3 this morning that were like the 4 from yesterday, and they had moss on their legs. After I got the moss off of their legs they all started walking again. I removed the majority of the moss from the enclosure. I have water crystals as the water source. I use a mixture of cat food flavors, iguana fruit pellets, and cichlid pellets as a food source, as well as fruits and vegetables every other day.

 

[Blattodea313]

Ok, now I'm just totally confused. I found 2 this morning but they weren't near any moss. There was also this odd substance on the inside glass of the enclosure that I got a wet paper towel and wiped off. Not sure what the problem is...I don't think the plants would be the problem but I have 2 aralias, a dracaena, and english ivy.