Madagascar hissing cockroach

The party trick of the list. This wingless, 2 to 3 inch cockroach hisses by forcing air through tiny breathing openings on its body, using the sound as a warning, in disputes between males and in courtship. It is a docile, easy-to-keep plant-eater, nothing like a kitchen pest, and a good animal for anyone who wants to get over a fear of bugs. Care is a simple enclosure, fresh vegetables and somewhere to hide. Females give birth to live young, as many as 60 at a time, so a mixed group soon becomes a colony. Expect up to 5 years in human care.