incubating substrate

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Originally Posted by pfan151

I don't have any pics, but mine is basically the same as the other posters but I do not use the pvc and use a little more perilite. I just set the egg crate right on top of the perilite. 99.9% of the time my eggs are stuck together so rolling eggs are not really a problem but even the single eggs seem to get a little flat on the bottom so they don't roll either.

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And again, it seems like its all about personal preference. I just saw how easy it was to mix the vermiculite properly, I can't see see any obvious advantages there are to the no-substrate method. Never tried it personally though, so I'm not knocking it either.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

And again, it seems like its all about personal preference. I just saw how easy it was to mix the vermiculite properly, I can't see see any obvious advantages there are to the no-substrate method. Never tried it personally though, so I'm not knocking it either.

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I agree each is personal preference.

As to the benefit I NEVER have to add additional water to this sytem and I can maintain near 100% humidity with no guess work. For me it removed any chance of mixing the verm incorrectly with too much or too little water and the risk of it drying out over the incubation period.

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

As to the benefit I NEVER have to add additional water to this sytem and I can maintain near 100% humidity with no guess work. For me it removed any chance of mixing the verm incorrectly with too much or too little water and the risk of it drying out over the incubation period.

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For whatever it's worth, in 10+ years of hatching ball python clutches, I've never had to add water with vermiculite either ... nor have I ever mixed vermiculite incorrectly.

Not sure if that helps, I just don't want anyone to get the impression that using vermiculite is "harder" than any other method ... if an idiot like me can do it, anyone can. ;)

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

For whatever it's worth, in 10+ years of hatching ball python clutches, I've never had to add water with vermiculite either ... nor have I ever mixed vermiculite incorrectly.

Not sure if that helps, I just don't want anyone to get the impression that using vermiculite is "harder" than any other method ... if an idiot like me can do it, anyone can. ;)

-adam

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I agree with you and that is why I said "For me" - it is just a choice...when I was researching about incubating I ran across numerous posts from people having to add water or mixing the verm wrong and since I can't tell when a plant needs water (till it is near death) I figured this for me was safer. ;)

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

I agree with you and that is why I said "For me" - it is just a choice...when I was researching about incubating I ran across numerous posts from people having to add water or mixing the verm wrong and since I can't tell when a plant needs water (till it is near death) I figured this for me was safer. ;)

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LOL ... I'm with ya on the plants thing!

If it helps, by using sealed egg boxes, you never have to add water because it never leaves the box ... I never understood why people put holes in their egg boxes??? Just another bad myth out there I guess.

-adam

See, I'd try the vermiculite if it wasn't $8 for a teensy bag of the fine-grain. The no-sub was just easier for me as the materials are readily available. I didn't like calling around to every family-owned garden center to ask if they had vermiculite. Vermi-huh? Whatchoosay?

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

See, I'd try the vermiculite if it wasn't $8 for a teensy bag of the fine-grain. The no-sub was just easier for me as the materials are readily available. I didn't like calling around to every family-owned garden center to ask if they had vermiculite. Vermi-huh? Whatchoosay?

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Wish I could help you Becky ... I get coarse grain in big 35 lb bags locally ... if you have a local Harlan distributer, they might also do vermic? Worth a try at least.

-adam

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

See, I'd try the vermiculite if it wasn't $8 for a teensy bag of the fine-grain. The no-sub was just easier for me as the materials are readily available. I didn't like calling around to every family-owned garden center to ask if they had vermiculite. Vermi-huh? Whatchoosay?

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I got my vermic from a local nursery. Did you check at any local greenhouses or garden stores?

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

LOL ... I'm with ya on the plants thing!

If it helps, by using sealed egg boxes, you never have to add water because it never leaves the box

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This is the one thing I am looking to upgrade next year...now if I can just find some good airtight boxes (eq to the 6QT rubbermaids I use today) .

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... I never understood why people put holes in their egg boxes??? Just another bad myth out there I guess.

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Me either...then you have to make the entire incubator humid...which is much tougher to keep it stable in a large area.

-adam[/QUOTE]

Haha, it's Waco. We have maybe 4 greenhouses and they are all tiny. No one really knew what it was and when I did find the tiny bag I have, it was covered in cobwebs and cost $8+. The perlite is easier to find, $3 for a bigger bag.

Oh, and I did both with the humidity. No holes eggboxes, everything sealed, and i humidified the incubator. Didn't get much condensation at all. Just need a bigger incubator now :)