Hissing cockroaches really do hiss! Sometimes they will hiss collectively, as a colony, and individually they may hiss when disturbed or frightened. Males also hiss when fighting with other males and to establish dominance. This loud "ssssssssss" sound is the result of air being exhaled through breathing tubes, called spiracles, along the roach's abdomen.

Where are hissing cockroaches from?
These insects are from the island of Madagascar, where they are found on the forest floor, living among the underbrush. They are nocturnal, hiding from predators during the day and becoming active only at night. They are now also becoming popular as pets in the United States and in other countries, because they are not very aggressive and they do not produce that much odor.

Facts about hissing cockroaches
Hissing cockroaches are much bigger than the roaches you might be unfortunate enough to find in your house. The hissing variety can reach a length of up to four inches (10 cm)! Unlike some other insects, female hissing roaches carry their eggs within the abdomen until they hatch. Once born, juvenile roaches will periodically outgrow their exoskeletons, which they must then shed. This shedding process is called molting. When a roach molts, it will wriggle out of the old exoskeleton, and the new "armor" is whitish and soft. It will take hours to harden. The young will repeat this molting process six times in the five months it takes to become adults, but once mature, they will not molt again. Adults can then live up to two years or more.