Hello

husker

husker

First Instar
Just got 3 hissers one male two female about a week and a half ago , was introduced to them at my kids school, and fell in love with them, had to have some. So I did some research and decided these would be a good fit for me. Can't size down a pic right now to show.

 
There found a resizing app, just lil starter tank for them

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I think so they're so freaking cool, I started out with two baby babies from my daughter's teacher, they died within a day of each other after about four days, got two more from her changed up the cage again after four days they died within a day of each other. I had heaters I know the temperature was good they had food available water available I couldn't figure out what was going on, I figured well their babies maybe they just didn't thrive. Bought a male and female adult bought some coconut fiber substrate, because all I read was that's what majority of people use, A natural sponge to set in their water dish, every day morning and night fresh fruit vegetables cat food for protein, same thing after about four days the female was on her back hissing away when you tried to put her on her legs she would kind of flopped over to one side and then on her back again the next day the male was doing the same thing lethargic, kind of flopping to one side. I said okay one more try got this set of male and two females, moved their tank to a different area of the room now using shredded newspaper substrate same food set up and they're doing great I have a few theories of why the others died but can't be sure what did it. One is their tank was next to a lot of electrical wiring and the router. also their cage was right next to a closet which is a shared wall with a big forced hot water oil burner that supplies the whole building with heat and hot water, so maybe there was just enough fumes coming through that affected them because there pipes coming through the wall. Or my other theory is bad substrate. Whatever it was happily with the move these ones are doing very well so far after a week and a half or so

 
Ditch the sponge, set them up in a smaller tub maybe for humidity. I have my hissers in a 10 gallon or less tub with no air holes, its one of those Sterilite gasket sealed tub (really like these for species that can climb REALLY well such as hissers or the pest species such as Periplaneta spp.) I give them water gel or i mist them and usually condensation will be on the walls for months (with a heat pad).

 
The humidity and heat levels are good in the current tank, have a therm. Mounted inside , plus a separate wire therm I use now and then to check, they won't touch water gel, I'll ditch the sponge tho, I'll try misting now and then also. I read that's not good as promotes mold growth, but I clean the cage often so should be fine.

 
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Water gel will give them the added humidity and some times they will drink it (or would eat it?). Also (personal experience) I always got grain mites with cat and dog food.

 
Humidity is fine, they won't touch water gel at all, I am a lil worried about removing the sponge tho, that's all they ever use the climb on the sponge chew/suck water from it, I have a lil bigger round water dish than in pic now they have the option to drink water directly but always use sponge, all their food gets changed out in the morning and at night.

 
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Sponges can harbor nasty germs that could kill the roaches. That is my biggest worry I guess. I alwayd feed mine watery food like apples and such.

 
Same here, apple slice, orange slice, bit of carrot ect. Change it up every few days. I use the natural sponges because they are naturally resistant to mold/mildew ect. growth, I have a box of them to change out once a week hmm maybe I'll start doing twice a week, as I was concerned about the same thing. Still I'll try taking it out keep an eye on them see if they drink, they are right next to our couch so I can keep an eye on how they are doing. I'll introduce some different forms of proteins also, I thought changing food out twice a day would keep me safe from mites, but I'll try other stuff in case. They LOVE the cat food first thing they chowed down on when I got them. I know they can easily adapt to new foods, it's just I'm used to pets that you can't switch out food as easily. Like pickey ferrets

 
Or cats or dogs :) my dogs get the runs if we change it out to fast. That's one reason I like roaches. The other is that I literally started with less than 100 dubia and today (roughly a year and 2 months) I have well over 5,000!

 
I have used coco fiber for my hissers without any problems, there are no chemicals in it, and it looks good. Whatever works for you is fine! My roaches also love cat/dog food, as well as carrots.

 
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