This caresheet is likely applicable to a number of Macropanesthia species, as well as the closely related Geoscapheus, Neogeoscapheus, and Parapanesthia, but development rates/species specific quirks may vary.
Housing:
Something like a 6 quart container will work for a group of small nymphs, and an adult pair will do well in a 16 qt tub. Really anything with a surface area of at least 10" x 10" and at least a few inches high will work as a good enclosure, ideally you don't want it too big or complex, as nymphs could have difficulty finding food or water, and yet you don't want to crowd them either.
Half an inch to an inch of substrate should be provided, as while this is a burrowing roach, they are accustomed to living within sturdy, almost cavernous burrows in stable soil. So if you plan on using coconut fiber, *top soil, a 50/50 coconut fiber/top soil mix or a 50/50 coconut fiber/sand mix like most breeders do, a shallow substrate is needed to prevent them from molting while covered in substrate, which usually leads to massive molting deformities that can be fatal.
Alternatively, you could set them up with a deep, clay-like soil and allow them to make their own, permanent burrows to reside and molt in, however it's much easier and safer to use the above setup for close monitoring, as it basically makes the enclosure mimic one of their burrow chambers. Additionally, many types of clay, soil from outside or composts will stick to their legs and mouthparts, which can be stressful and even harmful to the roaches.
On top of the substrate should be a layer of decaying hardwood leaves, which make up an important part of their diet. You can add half logs, "coconut huts", lightweight bark pieces and such for hides, but keep in mind that even a one inch barrier can block them from food and water, they are horrible climbers.
It is suggested that about half the enclosure should be kept moist, while the rest is kept relatively dry. This species can dry out quickly, especially the nymphs, however they don't like an overly humid setup either. They should have a moderate amount of ventilation, as such big invertebrates could quickly suffocate in a poorly ventilated enclosure. Cross and/or lid ventilation both work well.
One breeder, Kyle from Roachcrossing, suggests cutting and screening a roughly 1” x 2” square hole in the lid for a 6 quart enclosure, (or a 2” x 3” hole in the lid for a for 16 quart enclosure). He claims that "this is to mimic the burrow entrance/tunnelway and provides perfect ventilation at one end while allowing the roaches higher humidity at the other end, (in the enclosure I keep one half of the substrate moist and the other half close to the vent hole dry)".
Diet:
Decaying hardwood leaves are very important to their diet and should be present at all times, leaves from Oak, Maple, Elm, Ash, Magnolia, etc. all work fine, just don't use Eucalyptus!!! Most of the commercially available Eucalyptus leaves haven't aged enough or are simply too toxic for Macropanesthia to ingest safely, so don't bother using them to try and provide a "natural" diet, as you will likely kill your roaches in the process.
In addition to leaf litter, they should also be offered the normal roach fare of dog/cat/chick feed, fruits and veggies, at least once a week, (preferably twice a week), with the dog/cat/chick feed being the most important, (they only seem to nibble at most fruits and veggies). They have also been known to nibble at various types of decaying hardwood.
No food bowls should be used, as they are extremely clumsy and are unable to climb, and may not be able to get to the food. Additionally, they may fall on their backs within the food bowl and be unable to get back up, (more than 24 hrs on their back will likely kill them). Food should be placed on the substrate, preferably under a favored hide, as they seldom seek out food if it's out of reach, (nymphs especially).
Temperature:
This species does best when kept from 70-77F°, preferably in the middle of that range. They can survive temps down to 55F°, but temps above 80F° can potentially lead to premature deaths or stunted adults.
Breeding/Life cycle:
Adults can live up to 7 years, but usually don't make it past 5. Females give birth once a year under optimal conditions, with wild females usually giving birth in November, while captive females typically give birth in June-July. In Australia, Summer starts just after November, while in the US and Europe, June-July is early Summer. This appears to show that seasonal cues are what triggers reproduction in this species, as even inside the average human home there is normally a difference in temperature and humidity from season to season.
Females give birth to around two dozen nymphs, which then take 2.75-5 years to mature, typically the longer the development time, the larger the individual. Growth can be sped up with warmer temps, but if that doesn't kill the nymphs, it usually just leads to small, stunted adults.
Females are protective of their young and keep them close when given the opportunity, males however are normally kicked out of the burrows in the wild, as they have a tendency to eat the newborn nymphs. This doesn't always happen, but it can, and as such, males should be removed from the female's enclosures when you are expecting a new brood.
Nymphs can be removed from the females shortly after birth, the maternal care the mothers show for their nymphs appears to be unnecessary in a captive setting, and nymphs can survive, mature and breed just fine after being separated from the mothers from the 1st instar. Just to be safe though, you may want to add some of the adult's frass to the nymph's enclosure at first, to make sure any gut fauna they may be lacking gets passed on.
This species can hiss, much like Gromphadorhina spp., albeit at a much lower volume, and it is not as readily used as a defense.
Overall this species isn't too hard to keep and breed, but some people do have trouble getting their females to give birth every year, the development time is incredibly long, and the breeding rates are extremely slow as well. However it is worth it, as this species is the heaviest of all the roaches, and adults are quite impressive in person! I imagine that actually breeding this species is quite rewarding as well! 😊
*When using top soil, be sure it doesn't have fertilizers in it, which can poison your roaches. Perlite is also an unnecessary additive, (but not outright harmful).
