A New Breeders Budget?

I am really interested in breeding my Ball Pythons. I have a few questions before I do so.

First, I plan to get the Reptibator egg incubator on Amazon.com for $110. Thoughts on this incubator? I can only afford something in that price range.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...5L._SS500_.jpg
Second, I was planning to get the Hatchrite substrate on Amazon.com for $9. Is this a preferred substrate? Should i try the egg crate way?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...4L._SS400_.jpg
Third, I am snake hunting for a male. I was thinking about a Pinstripe or Spider. I have a normal and a pastel female. Which one?

thank you in advance for your consideration and helpfulness.

I would use vermiculite since ive heard hatchrite can dry out easily. Personally i like pins better than spiders but go with whatever you like.

Thanks and just vermiculite no perilite in the mixture? thank you for the input

I used the reptibator along with just vermiculite no perlite . And hatched out my first clutch no problems.

Just cover the 4 little holes on the reptibator and keep a digital thermometer in the container with the eggs and you'll be golden.

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Originally Posted by sookieball

I used the reptibator along with just vermiculite no perlite . And hatched out my first clutch no problems.

Just cover the 4 little holes on the reptibator and keep a digital thermometer in the container with the eggs and you'll be golden.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

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What kind of water mixture do you use with the Vermiculite? is it 2:1 or 1:1?

I use the hatchrite/perlite for all my eggs, in the store and at home, with no problems. I actually like it better, as I check the eggs every week anyway and add water at that point. The vermiculite, in my experience, absorbs a TON (often too much) of water, and for the beginner it can be difficult to gauge how much water to add.

I have used vermiculite as well with success, I just like the hatchrite better these days. :)

LOVE the Reptibator, all the best parts of the less expensive hovabator, but more space inside and it already comes with a thermostat. Super easy to set up and use, great incubator.

-Jen

Can't offer much advice on the Reptibator or vermiculite since I've never done any breeding of my own, but in terms of which male to purchase, it should be whichever you want. If you think that a pastel pin looks cooler than a bumblebee, then get the pin. If you think bees are cooler, get the spider. Check as many breeders' available snakes as you can, and you're likely going to find a pin or spider that really stands out to you.

1, I don't trust anything zoomed when it comes to heating. I had a thermostat from them that melted and I almost lost my first few snakes. For that price you can make your own with a nice thermostat, make sure you get a proportional stat, you don't want an on/off stat for an incubator. There are plenty of homemade bator threads in the DIY section to look at.

2 I use hatchrite in my substrateless tubs right now since I still have some left over. I would go substrateless if I were you, it's one less thing for you to screw up.

3 As far as which male to go with, you need to think about what you want to make in the long run. That's something you should always consider when buying or breeding.

The reptibator worked fairly well for me, except it was too small for anything over a single clutch. Like someone else mentioned close the little holes in it and make sure you get a good thermometer/hygrometer like accurite because the placment of the reptibators temp/hyg probe is up high and close to the heat source, makes it so you will have to set the thermostat higher to good heat on the eggs. I believe mine was like a 5-6 degree difference so it had to be set at 94-95 to put eggs at 89. Good luck to you!

I would not go with pinstripe OR spider. I would go with a pinstripe AND spider in one and get a Spinner.

You could get spinner blasts, spinners, bees, blasts, spiders, pastels, pinstripes & normals.