Halloween Hissing Cockroaches - Elliptorhina javanica

Disclaimer: I can only attest to how the species I keep respond under the conditions I keep them. Even the best care under a certain set of parameters may be met with failure under others.

For any questions or to mention anything I have wrong or have missed, email me at rockinroachesandmore@gmail.com!

Summary

I haven't kept the Halloween hisser as long as my other species, but they're growing well and nearing maturity. In good news, I don't think I've lost a single one! This species is, so far, easy to keep, more akin to Tiger hissers than Wide-Horn. They've grown steadily, and in only around four months, they're nearly full size up from tiny nymphs. Halloween hissers aren't a species that tends to hang out in plain sight, and particularly not as nymphs, but they are extremely beautiful, and colorful! Mine have shown disdain for watering, and don't eat as much as my other hissers, but as a smaller species, this may come with the territory. I highly recommend them as a lovely species to keep, and an easy colony to maintain.

Feeding

The Halloween hisser seems to have a strong preference for fruits over vegetables. Otherwise, their feeding is identical to other hissers. Mine do well on a steady diet of oranges, apples, and cut-up whole carrots, though they often as not leave the carrots in favor of the fruit. I have also successfully fed them watermelon and grapes. They are not a fan of strawberry, either. In addition to a diet composed predominantly of fruits and vegetables, they require some form of protein, given based on the size of the colony and about twice a week. Mine are given cat food, but I imagine any sort of kibble would go over well, as well as fish food. I would not suggest any kind of raw or cooked meat, fish, or shellfish, though only because of the inevitable smell.

Environment

Halloween hissers like it warm. The room I keep mine in is 80°F (26.7°C), with an approx. humidity of 60%. The species reportedly prefers 78°-85°F, but can withstand short experiences above that (as evidenced by an accidental night at 90°F). Any temperature below optimal will cause a decline in growth rate and activity of the colony, and may result in an increase in mortality. Some keepers opt to provide their hissers with secondary heat sources, preferably a weak heat mat stuck to the side of the enclosure, NOT a heat lamp (too much heat, and they dislike the light) or too strong a source.

This species does not enjoy water. They may be watered by the occasional spritzing or by pouring some water into the corner of the tank to soak into the substrate, but the Halloween hissers don't seem to mind at all being left with just the water from their food. Ensuring the colony always has some food with a high water content (oranges, apples, watermelon, grapes, zucchini) will be entirely sufficient, as long as humidity is kept high enough to prevent molting issues (~60%, however, this is based off of a general rule of thumb. I have never kept this species at a lower humidity, and the actual percentage that will affect molting may be different).

Light is a non-issue for this species. They don't require - or want - additional sources beyond a room light, though they don't seem to mind indirect sunlight from a window. Ensure the enclosure is never in direct sunlight!

Enclosure

This is a fairly small species, and a small starter colony of 6-12 roaches can be kept in a regular 10-gallon glass tank until the colony is practically on top of each other adults, depending entirely on the surface area of the hides they are given, as the Halloween hisser is said to breed best when slightly crowded. They may also be kept just as easily in a Rubbermaid bin, or any largeish plastic container of a similar size, though that's not as pretty. A lid is encouraged, but not completely necessary as long as other precautions are taken (a line of petroleum jelly at least an inch thick around the perimeter of the inside lip of the tank, removal of anything in the tank that may be used by the roaches to climb out). As substrate, the options are flexible. If cost is an issue, the roaches will do well on regular outdoors soil, though I strongly suggest laying it out in a 1in thick layer and baking it at around 400°F for 20 minutes, or until totally dry, first, to prevent taking home unwanted hitchhikers or disease. I also strongly suggest you take extreme care to select soil that has not had fertilizer, insecticide, or any strong chemical applied, as the roaches, often detrivores in the wild, will nibble on most anything you put in their tank, including the substrate. Otherwise, coconut coir or (if the only option, for it's unsustainably harvested) peat moss will hold moisture and work well. This is not a burrowing species, an inch or two will be just fine. Just dampen it first, to prevent particulate matter from covering everything (and making you sneeze!) when you put it in the tank

Once you have your substrate, it's on to the décor. Egg flats will work well, if cost is an issue. If it's an option, however, I suggest large flat pieces of bark and sturdy twigs: these keep humidity well in the lower layers, and this species enjoys being able to hide. It doesn't need to be cork bark, just something appropriately sized you find outside and either forget in the back of a closet for a few months to dry out, or send through the oven at the aforementioned 400°F for 20min or so. The more the better, and a 10-gallon tank can hold more than you think.

In addition to the purely utilitarian purpose of giving the roaches a hide, the contents of the tank can make it nice to look at, too. A well-set up roach tank full of handsome little guys is simply nice to look at. To this purpose, I often use plastic fake plants. I get them more than half-off at Michael's seasonally, and they really add something. Before putting them in the tank, always wash them thoroughly. I use Dawn dish soap and warm water, let them soak for a while, then give them a good scrub, let 'em dry, and throw them in the tank to arrange. Additionally, one may add leaflitter. I add some leaflitter (oak, maple, etc.) to all my roach tanks. Only a rare few species ever eat any of it, but it looks good and, most importantly, gives the nymphs somewhere to hide that retains more moisture than the rest of the tank. For this reason, I highly recommend tromping around outside and picking some up, if you can.

Other Information

• Adult size is about 2in.
• Ovoviviparous
• Wingless
• Climb well, even on glass!

A male Halloween hisser.

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