Setting up an egg box. The K.I.S.S. way.

[Thomas Jones]

SETTING UP AN EGG TUB
Alot of confusion comes about when it is time to set up egg tubs. There is a ton of info out there reguarding incubation and what to use for egg tubs as well as what substrate to use as well. I try to use the K.I.S.S. method in anything i do. In case you are wondering the K.I.S.S. I am refering to is not the KISS that the BIG DOG DADDY AKA THE KING - RALPH DAVIS is a big fan of!
K.I.S.S. simply mean Keep It Simple Stupid.
When I first started breeding snakes I tried to make things harder than it is. Why was that. The internet is a great place for info on anything out there. But I was overwhelmed by all the different ways of incubating eggs. So i will stop all the lip flapping and get to setting up egg boxes the simple way.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?
Remember this is my simple but very effective way of setting up an egg box. This is not the only way.Who am I? I am no big breeder I am someone who finds out what works and the simplest ways to do it. I use 6 quart tubs on most of clutches. For bigger clutches (8 eggs and up) I may use a bigger tub. I use only Perlite I get it from Wal-Mart in the garden section.
Sometimes I use a piece of egg crate (from Lowes in the lighting section) that is cut to fit into the tub. Finally I use a 16 ounce deli cup for water.

HOW TO SET IT UP!

Do not wait till the last minute to do this. I feel better if I have a tub set up a few days in advance.I also place the temp probes inside the eggs tubs, this is where the proper temps are needed most right.Take the tub put in about 1 and one half inch to 2 inches of Perlite. Add one cup to 1 and 1/2 cups of water.
(I use1 of the 16 ounce deli cups filled with water) You do not have to mix it around the idea is to let the water sink to the bottom. If you want add in the piece of egg crate. Most the time i do not even use it. Add the eggs in and push them gently into the perlite. Add the lid and wait patiently(yeah right) for eggs to hatch.
I do not put in any holes into the tubs but I open them once a week to air out. Once it gets closer to hatching time you can open them up daily.

See easier than you thought. Good Luck.

[bigballs]

thats it...? im kinda waiting for the rest of the post here... where are the pics?

[Thomas Jones]

No pics. A 6 quart tubs is a 6 quart tub. 1 1/2 - 2 inches of perilite and 16 ounces of water. Some simple even retarded me can do it. LOL I will try to add in pics for this and the breeding one.

[extensive]

isnt this already a sticky?

[rabernet]

Mine was even simpler! Order Hatchrite, open bag of Hatchrite, pour into tub, add eggs! Sorry - couldn't resist, but truly, that's what I did. I did put Hatchrite in the tub a few days before I expected the clutch and put in the incubator to warm up.

[extensive]

Mine was even simpler! Order Hatchrite, open bag of Hatchrite, pour into tub, add eggs! Sorry - couldn't resist, but truly, that's what I did. I did put Hatchrite in the tub a few days before I expected the clutch and put in the incubator to warm up.

+1

[Thomas Jones]

It is simpler Robin. What does Hatch Rite run a per bag?? I always worry that there could be a hole in the bag of hatch rite letting the water evaporate out over time. With my luck that would be the bags I get. Good luck to everyone this season.

[frankykeno]

I just went the old tried and true method of vermiculite and perlite. Must be something to it. My first year with eggs - 18 eggs laid, 18 eggs hatched, 18 healthy hatchlings crawled out - no mold on the eggs or anything funky like that.

[Tosha_Mc]

Hatchrite runs about $12 something per bag -- will fill one maybe two tubs maybe more -- depending on tub size and how deep you like it -- and yes you run the risk of it being dried out or too wet - and that leaves you where.

IMO - it's just better to know the proper moisture content for your substrate instead of relying on it coming out out of the bag measured perfectly. That way you can spend that $12 on a 4 cubic foot bag of vermiculite and fill what 30 or more tubs. I suppose if you have one or two clutches the Hatchrite would be fine -- but on a bigger scale I cant see why you'd want to use it unless your bottom line is so enormous that you could use that big of a write off in incubation supplies.

[rabernet]

It is simpler Robin. What does Hatch Rite run a per bag?? I always worry that there could be a hole in the bag of hatch rite letting the water evaporate out over time. With my luck that would be the bags I get. Good luck to everyone this season.

If it's too dry, you simply add a little water to each corner of the egg box (about a tablespoon in each corner).

I figure if it's good enough for NERD and BHB to use for their ball pythons exlusively now, it's good enough for me. So yes, for me, it's much easier than mixing perlite or vermiculite.