Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bcr229
I'm setting up and testing my incubator for the first time this weekend and want to make sure it's working correctly before I start breeding the two pairs who are going to be old/large enough to go this season. The electronics all work (YAY!), but I have a question about the water jugs - do you screw the tops down tightly so they're just thermal mass to help keep the temperature from fluctuating, or do you leave the tops loose so that they help keep the humidity up, and you refill the jugs periodically? This incubator is a converted refrigerator that can hold 8 6-qt tubs with enough room on the bottom for 7 2-liter plastic bottles.
I've never heard of anyone leaving the tops off. Usually it's just for heat retention. I guess it couldn't hurt though, unless they tipped over...
Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
All the bottles in my incubator have lids on tight. Purely used for heat retention. Humidity is all taken care of by the vermiculite mix.
Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
Got it, thanks. Water jugs are thermal mass only. Otherwise incubator seems to be up and running very nicely, test run complete, let the locks begin! :D
Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bigfish1975
All the bottles in my incubator have lids on tight. Purely used for heat retention. Humidity is all taken care of by the vermiculite mix.
x2
Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rascal_rascal_99
Looks like I go the opposite way from most who have responded here already. I don't do water jugs, I keep a huge tub of water on the bottom of the incubator. I keep my overall humidity up with it and it also helps keep them temps stable. I also have a rag hanging from the bottom rack down into the water tub to act like a wick and help keep humidity boosted.
Figure out which way you think works best for you and go with it.
Are your clutches separated into bins?
That would absolutely sketch me out. Water + electricity do not mix, just seems like a bad idea.
If the eggs are in bins there is zero reason to keep the overall humidity up in the actual incubator.
Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SquamishSerpents
Are your clutches separated into bins?
That would absolutely sketch me out. Water + electricity do not mix, just seems like a bad idea.
If the eggs are in bins there is zero reason to keep the overall humidity up in the actual incubator.
Yes I separate all my eggs, I use two layers of light grate on top of a couple of inches of perlite dampened. All of my boxes also have holes in them so the boxes aren't sealed.
I agree about water and electricity not mixing, everything is sealed off nicely with silicone that would have been exposed to humidity, the only thing that would be exposed at all to the environment in my incubator would be the circulation fans.
I also keep more than just bp's, I also have womas, spotted pythons (and soon bhps)...all of which are much more sensitive than bp eggs. They need to be kept in very high humidity, but dry and also seem to do better if the boxes they are in have some air flow through them as opposed to being sealed off. The way I run my incubator is aimed more at the australian pythons I have, but bp eggs still hatch in it just fine also.
Re: Water Jugs in Incubator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SquamishSerpents
Interesting! The Australian python eggs can be incubated at the same temp as BPs?
Yes, mine stays between 88 and 89f. I did not have a lot of bp eggs this past season (and don't really ever plan to hatch huge numbers of them) but hatched all 35 eggs that I had laid, most of mine hatching around day 59-62.
