Should I make or buy an incubator?

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I have always planned on making an incubator out of a broken wine cooler. I'm not planning on having anymore than 8-10 clutches per year for many years, so I don't need anything big. I've been seeing new lines of these small incubators popping up with built in thermostats for $125 to $250. What I'm most worried about when building my own is proper heat throughout the incubator. What are your opinions on my options? Weigh in time v.s. money v.s quality.

[EverEvolvingExotics]

Have any of you tried something like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iPXnA3Z5tA

or one of pre built ones such as this...

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/exo-terra-...ore=bromeliads

[purplemuffin]

I'm not a breeder, but I know they make coolers in a ton of different sizes, and I have seen people use small coolers when incubating gecko eggs and things, so that is always a cheap option, especially if you got a styrofoam cooler. Even a regular cooler you can probably get for free or cheap on craigslist or something. I know the heat thing can be regulated with a small fan!

But I have heard that small incubators are well worth the money and aren't too bad price-wise compared to the larger incubators! So it's really up to you. One is more convenient, one is cheaper.

[snakesRkewl]

I trust my home built incubators over one of those cheap incs any day and if you built your own you'd say the same I believe.

My first inc was a 4 cubic ft mini fridge and with 2 ft of flexwatt and a reptitemp 500R thermostat I had no problems hatching out a sweet group of yellowbelly's.
I don't recommend using an on/off thermostat, trust me it sucks!

A wine cooler with a fan and flexwatt and a good proportional thermostat won't set you back any more than the cheap pre-made incs and you'll have a better more stable incubator too.

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I'm always having trouble finding one big enough worth while to get. I've been searching for awhile with zero luck. How are you searching for them? Craigslist never has them in Tucson for some reason.

[Boanerges]

I would say if you can to build your own also

[purplemuffin]

My craigslist is always full of free coolers of various sizes, but also free mini fridges all the time and those come in a ton of sizes from tiny to pretty decent! Most people don't know you can actually use fridges that are broken as incubators, lol!

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I have found a good amount free fridges but nothing with a glass front besides little wine coolers like this. I think that it would still be too small.

http://tucson.craigslist.org/app/2330663169.html

[snakesRkewl]

How are you searching for them? Craigslist never has them in Tucson for some reason.

wine cooler, true cooler, commercial fridge and mini fridge are a few keywords.

This ad has a 60 bottle wine cooler for $100
http://tucson.craigslist.org/gms/2326807837.html

[Boanerges]

I have found a good amount free fridges but nothing with a glass front besides little wine coolers like this. I think that it would still be too small.

http://tucson.craigslist.org/app/2330663169.html

Buy a mini fridge or full size and cut a hole in the door and cover the hole (the hole is a window) with plexi glass