Incubation

[tsshields]

I will be breeding here in the next 8 months so I want to make sure I have everything ready to go. Im still debating on getting a incubator or should I do my own. If I do my own im worried that i will not be able to get temps and humidity accurately. But maybe I will I dont know. On the other note if i buy a incubator is there any that wont break my wallet. Also this will be my first breeding season ever so i want it to go right. thanks guys for the help

[joepythons]

I will be breeding here in the next 8 months so I want to make sure I have everything ready to go. Im still debating on getting a incubator or should I do my own. If I do my own im worried that i will not be able to get temps and humidity accurately. But maybe I will I dont know. On the other note if i buy a incubator is there any that wont break my wallet. Also this will be my first breeding season ever so i want it to go right. thanks guys for the help

Well i used hovabators my first couple years to incubate my ball python eggs with zero problems.You can buy one at a farm & fleet or other farm supply place for around $45 .They are sold for chicken egg hatching but dont buy the egg turner.

[seeya205]

It is really easy to build an incubator out of a bar fridge. I personally used a wine cooler as it has glass front door. Humidity is not a problem when using egg boxes. Temps are easy too as long as you have enough heat tape and a good thermostat! These can hold a few clutches so it will be useful in the future as well if you decide to breed more than one female!

[Bundu Boy]

I built my own out of a styrofoam cooler box.... i lines the bottom with heat pads, on top of the heat pads i placed bottles of water, then above that the grating that carrioes the eggs containers.

I added 2 PC fans for air circulation and a good quality thermostat and i was good to go. Temps were stable to within 0.2 of degree C. I incubated eggs at 31.1 deg C and the first egg pipped bang on 60 days. Once the first egg pipped i cut the rest.

Thermostat probe i placed in the egg container, I also had a thermometer to monitor temps in the egg container.

To keep humidity close or at 100% I used vermiculite with a plastic grid on top like so


The vermiculite was 100% saturated with water, the grid kept the eggs off the vermiculite and humidity ran at 99% (was most likley 100% but my hygrometer only goes up to 99%)

I cut out two square holes on the lid of the box and put two plastic cd covers in a double glaze setup on each hole so i can see what is happening inside.

Hope this helps....

was quick and easy to make and I can carry 3 medium sized clutches

[don15681]

when building an incubator, remember the incubator controls your temp. the egg box controls your humidity. goggle how to build an incubator and then decide if you want to make one yourself. they are easy to make. just make sure you get a good thermostat for it. and once made, test run it. I had to remove heat tape in mine until I got the temps where I wanted them. mine is made from a coke cooler and will hold somewhere around 20 egg boxes. I used the herpstat nd thermostat and it works great.

[JayCee]

Have your incubator and test it BEFORE you actually start introducing the male to the females. Time goes by fast and before you know it you will have eggs and not have your incubator up yet.

[Bundu Boy]

Have your incubator and test it BEFORE you actually start introducing the male to the females. Time goes by fast and before you know it you will have eggs and not have your incubator up yet.

Wiser words were never spoken

Setup and test long before eggs arrive, last thing you want is to sort out problems with your bator after eggs have been laid....