Buying an incubator

I am starting to look into an incubator. It will be at least one more year before I get one, I am very serious about doing this right. Money will not make or break the deal. I want a good incubator but my first year I will only have 2 maybe (and that is a huge maybe) 3 clutches. I don't feel like I need to get a huge stand up incubator, but I dn't want some cheepy dinky piece of garbage that will just fry my eggs. So if some one has a suggestion for me that would be GREAT. :gj:

Natures Spirit are good medium sized ones..

BIG ones with big money would be Big Apple Herp. They work well.

And then there is building your own. :)

Most people tend to go that way

What are the requirements for building one? What is the best material to use?

Plus I woudld really like one that gives me all the info about it with out opening it such as humidity, temp.... and humidity. ;)

I think that buying one would be how I want to go. I just don't trust my craftsmanship to keep my babies alive. I want one that is advanced but small enough for my snake room the room is about 12x12 and already has a bunch of stuff in it. My snake room (as I call it) is the extra room (as my wife likes to call it).

most people use an old non working fridge for very cheap or free. strip the compressor and all other components(your basicly left wih an insulated box)wich is all you need. install heat tape and a GOOD thermostat. line the bottom with water bottles to stabilize the temps. and for humidity use a hygrometer to measure it:gj:

I guess I could use a mini fridge. I just don't have much room.

I was thinking If I had a small unit I could put it in the closet of my snake/extra room.

One of the forum members, Jake Wallace makes some nice incubators. If you don't feel like building one, you could buy one at www.jwexotics.com

Once you buy one and realize how simple they are you will wonder why you didn't make one. I did! I ended up changing the one I bought as I found it lacking in back ups. It origionally had two wafer type T-stat that I did not like. I changed both of them out for Rancos and then added a third Ranco. Now I have a primary Ranco set at 89 degrees a low temp Ranco that will kick the heat on at 88 degrees if the primary fails then I have an overtemp Ranco that shuts the whole unit off if 91 degrees is reached. Currently looking at adding a piece of flex watt to the back panel and connecting 3 more rancos to it and setting it for something like 88 primary, 87 low, then 90 High that way I have a back up heat source as well! By the way my incubator should hold nine clutches with about six eggs in each clutch.

3 stats huh? Might be a leeeeetle overkill. :)

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Originally Posted by jglass38

One of the forum members, Jake Wallace makes some nice incubators. If you don't feel like building one, you could buy one at www.jwexotics.com

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I've heard good things about his incubators. I ended up with an NS one because they hold up to 12 clutches (which I may get close to this year). But for less clutches, check out the link above. He is great about answering any questions you have.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

3 stats huh? Might be a leeeeetle overkill. :)

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I think it is actually probably the right number I just think a secondary source of heat and a secondary fan would be good additions to make sure our eggs have the best chance of a successful hatching of healthy babies. :gj: