Incubator

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Originally Posted by Het4Something

so without an incubator the eggs dont have a shot? even if i use vermiculite as a substrate in the tank?

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Wrong, the female is more then capable of incubating the eggs. They have been doing it in the wild for many a year, ( and in alot less controlled conditions). All you need to do if you want to let your female incubate the eggs, is give her a nest box,(a rubbermaid tub works good), somthing she can feel safe in and place about 3" of DAMP suphagum moss in the nest box. Keep the temp at about 80 and the humidity at 85-90%. Give her or them that and she can raise and lower the temp and humitity,( just by how tightly coiled she is around them). Then let mothernature do her work. Remeber that BP's are good moms.

Some thoughts on the Hovabator-type (styro) incubators...

1) They work better in a location where temp fluctuations aren't extreme. Keep in mind that styrofoam can only do so much, so if you use one of these incubators it's best to locate it in a spot that isn't subject to extreme temperature fluctuations. Steady, consistent ambient temps are your friend when using one of these incubators!

2) Ditch the standard bottom half of this styro incubator & replace it with a deeper fish-box bottom (i.e. the bottom half of a 17"x17"x9" shipping box). If you're unsure where to find them, call around to your local pet stores - especially fish/aquarium specialty stores - and ask if they have a shipping box or two that they'd be willing to spare. If that doesn't work, you can always find one on Uline.com, but it'll cost you a bit more. A deeper bottom will work just the same & give you more capacity for holding that extra clutch if necessary. And that screen bit that comes standard with these incubators? Forget it.

3) Put eggs in an incubation container inside the incubator. Don't put your eggs & incubation substrate directly into a Hovabator - you'll get better humidity control inside an incubation container. Here's the kicker though - make sure the container is large/deep enough to accommodate enough incubation substrate, whether vermiculite, perlite, or whatever your favorite is. It's better to have a bigger container/more substrate than a smaller container/less substrate, which is why these incubators can cause issues in the first place, by not allowing enough room to truly accommodate eggs, container & substrate as necessary. See above tip on using a larger bottom half for the incubator.

4) Use a good thermostat. If you're paranoid about your eggs, don't rely on the twist-dial wafer thermostats that come standard with these incubators. It's ok to upgrade!

Just a little more food for thought...stuff to take into consideration WELL BEFORE you have eggs on the ground that need to be set up in the incubator!!!

K~

Oh yea, I'm at least a year out from having any eggs. Thanks!