Incubator question, use the fridge or the freezer?

Ok, so I made an old refrigerator into an incubator. I'm only going to have one clutch of eggs, and I was wondering today if I should move it from the frige section into the freezer section since it's a smaller space. Would that be a good idea, or would it not really make a difference?

I just remembered I need to get that plastic grating to put over the hatchrite.... Where can I get that?

Well It might hold temps better for one clutch in the freezer part for sure and if your using hatchrite there is no need for the light crating.

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Originally Posted by BLong7211

Well It might hold temps better for one clutch in the freezer part for sure and if your using hatchrite there is no need for the light crating.

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That's what I was wondering. Freezer it is!

Do a lot of people put the eggs right onto the hatchrite? I thought most people used the grate. If not, I won't worry about getting the grate.

I just got my first Helix this week, and boy do I love that thing! :gj:

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Originally Posted by Isis

That's what I was wondering. Freezer it is!

Do a lot of people put the eggs right onto the hatchrite? I thought most people used the grate. If not, I won't worry about getting the grate.

I just got my first Helix this week, and boy do I love that thing! :gj:

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Well with the hatchrite its already premixed with water and is perfectly mixed so most ppl that use that don't use the crating. With verm/perilite some ppl such as myself don't feel so confident with the mixture ratio so they use the crating to be safe. The thing about the crating is that you can make the sub however wet you want and it won't hurt the eggs at all cause they never touch the substrate.

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Originally Posted by BLong7211

Well with the hatchrite its already premixed with water and is perfectly mixed so most ppl that use that don't use the crating. With verm/perilite some ppl such as myself don't feel so confident with the mixture ratio so they use the crating to be safe. The thing about the crating is that you can make the sub however wet you want and it won't hurt the eggs at all cause they never touch the substrate.

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Ok, that makes sense! Thank you so much!

No Problem! Good luck and Happy Hatching! LOL

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Originally Posted by BLong7211

No Problem! Good luck and Happy Hatching! LOL

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Thank you and I hope so! This will be my first clutch and I'm thinking I should have eggs some time next week (pastelxnormal). I'm sure I missed her ov, but I really feel like her last shed was her prelay shed :please: She's been stuck to the hot side, coiled, and has been in a terrible mood for the past week. She lines me up every time I even look at her!

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Originally Posted by Isis

Thank you and I hope so! This will be my first clutch and I'm thinking I should have eggs some time next week (pastelxnormal). I'm sure I missed her ov, but I really feel like her last shed was her prelay shed :please: She's been stuck to the hot side, coiled, and has been in a terrible mood for the past week. She lines me up every time I even look at her!

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Yup deff sounds like she is prego! Good luck I got my first clutch march 19th and am waiting on 3 more then I have like 5-6 more females I am hoping ovo and go to lay but we shall see. Was hoping for about 10 clutches and only 4 confirmed prego so far.

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Originally Posted by BLong7211

Yup deff sounds like she is prego! Good luck I got my first clutch march 19th and am waiting on 3 more then I have like 5-6 more females I am hoping ovo and go to lay but we shall see. Was hoping for about 10 clutches and only 4 confirmed prego so far.

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I hope so!!! :bow:

That's awesome you just got your first clutch and you have so many more on the way! Good luck with your girls!!! :gj:

Thanks! Best of luck to you too!

Alright, I went down to check on her while I was converting the incubator and I'm positive I'll have eggs next week!

I picked her up to put some new newspaper in, although, now I'm thinking I should get some aspen in there since all the egg pictures I've seen have been with aspen.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...Isis/017-3.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...Isis/014-4.jpg

You can see her V shape starting! I didn't feel for eggs, because it makes me really nervous. She does feel REALLY full and heavy for not eating since Feb 9th.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...Isis/013-7.jpg

I definitely see some tail sucking there! Goodluck Steph!:cool:

Stephanie - when she starts to lay coiled with her tail inside her coils instead of outside - it's going to be SOON!

I used Hatchrite my first season - no light grate.

I use straight Perlite now - mixed to the same consistency as Hatchrite - no grate. No problems with either method!

In fact, watch your eggs with the Hatchrite - if they start dimpling noticeably in the first 30 days, add a teaspoon of water to two corners of the egg tub.

You want to be able to feel slight moisture on the pack of your hand when you touch the Hatchrite - you can feel it better on the back of your hand, I've found.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Stephanie - when she starts to lay coiled with her tail inside her coils instead of outside - it's going to be SOON!

I used Hatchrite my first season - no light grate.

I use straight Perlite now - mixed to the same consistency as Hatchrite - no grate. No problems with either method!

In fact, watch your eggs with the Hatchrite - if they start dimpling noticeably in the first 30 days, add a teaspoon of water to two corners of the egg tub.

You want to be able to feel slight moisture on the pack of your hand when you touch the Hatchrite - you can feel it better on the back of your hand, I've found.

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Thank Robin! I've been watching for her tail to be in the middle when she's coiled, but so far she's been keeping it on the outside. I can't wait to find her tail in the middle! :banana:

I use straight vermiculite(coarse grade from Uline.com) without the light grate and have never had a problem. In 3 seasons, I've only lost 2 eggs and they may not have been fertile(I didn't candle the eggs in that clutch---7 out of 9 eggs hatched/2 bad). My females also lay fine on news paper. I do have plans to put some or most of my snakes back on aspen though. I finally found the fine shredded aspen at a pet store. Petsmart's aspen has been of a low quality, etc for a couple of years. Their aspen hasn't been the fine shredded stuff that I used to get there.
Best of luck with your clutch!

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Originally Posted by Jason Bowden

I use straight vermiculite(coarse grade from Uline.com) without the light grate and have never had a problem. In 3 seasons, I've only lost 2 eggs and they may not have been fertile(I didn't candle the eggs in that clutch---7 out of 9 eggs hatched/2 bad). My females also lay fine on news paper. I do have plans to put some or most of my snakes back on aspen though. I finally found the fine shredded aspen at a pet store. Petsmart's aspen has been of a low quality, etc for a couple of years. Their aspen hasn't been the fine shredded stuff that I used to get there.
Best of luck with your clutch!

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Thanks for the info. I'm not sure if our pet stores have the fine stuff either. I know I've seen the larger pieces in one of them. Maybe I'll just try newspaper and see what happens.

Stephanie - all mine last year were laid on paper, my first clutch this season was laid on paper as well!

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Stephanie - all mine last year were laid on paper, my first clutch this season was laid on paper as well!

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Oh awesome! I won't bother with aspen then! Thanks again Robin!