Incubator. Good enough or not?

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...8/imag3433.jpg

On a recent post a few days ago we were discussing incubators, how to make one, which ones to buy, not to buy, etc. Going based off of the DIY styrofoam cooler incubator, I threw this demo together. I put a good tube heater in the bottom (we discussed them bot being too good if theyre cheap etc) I put a plastic sub-bottom in, lifted over the water that the 6qt egg tub sits on. If I put the eggs on minerals (cant remember the name right now of the mineral rocks), put a lid on the 6qt tub and a lid on the tank with thermometer inside.

All that being said, would this make a decent incubator? If it will work, please give me some tips. If it wont work please let me know. Thank you!

Takes don't hold heat well so I wouldn't trust it to stay a constant temp without the top getting cooler or drafty.

i would get a good thermometer / hydrometer to keep inside the tank and egg tub. If the tube heater is hooked up to a thermostat this might work but definitely insulate the tank with cardboard or Styrofoam to help prevent temperature fluctuations.

Ok. I'll see what I can insulate with. I still have a long way to go before I need it, just want to make sure Im ready when I need it

if I were making an incabator. I would use a cooler with heat tape and a theromstat. That fish tank will not keep your temps constant. It takes to much work and time to get eggs to lose them to a cheap incubator. I'm Not being rude, just trying to help. There are other ways of doing this which will give you better results.

I was actually going to buy one but the one I found everyone is giving bad reviews on. I would prefer to just buy one in hopes of better guaranteeing a good clutch but 1: so far no one has pointed me in the direction of a decent one and 2: if I have everything here already to make one that will work, why buy one... Would you build or buy an incubator if this were your first time breeding?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MontyP2016

I was actually going to buy one but the one I found everyone is giving bad reviews on. I would prefer to just buy one in hopes of better guaranteeing a good clutch but 1: so far no one has pointed me in the direction of a decent one and 2: if I have everything here already to make one that will work, why buy one... Would you build or buy an incubator if this were your first time breeding?

---

Yes been there done that as posted in the other thread. My first season I built a incubator out of a cooler.

All you need is a cheap cooler and again the most important piece of equipment will be a RELIABLE thermostat, for the rest there are great DIY on this forum.

Now if you want to buy a GOOD incubator not one that is so small you cannot even fit a 6 quart tub in it or one with an internal T-Stat that cannot be fully trusted, you will have to invest some money and it will be a lot more pricey than building one, in that case look at Nature Spirit Incubators and Hotbox incubators by C-Serpent

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

I also went with a cooler and would recommend going that direction. Already had a spare Herpstat, UTH, and power cord (for plugging in the UTH inside the cooler). Even a little wire basket to elevate the egg tub was just lying around the house. The little drain thingy is perfect for running wires through. Inexpensive, worked extremely well. Still does, actually :)

Deja vu??? http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...recommendation

Yep, that post actually made me think of using the 10 gallon tank since I have everything here already. If I can insulate it and use what I have, great. But if 9 out of 10 people say I'll have problems with it, I would rather just use a cooler or spend the money on a good one. I am going to check them out now, the C serpant ones.

Ok I was looking at some Herpstats abd I have a question. The Herp4 or 6, is that to control the temps in4 different tanks (or 6) or is it designed to handle more equiptment for 1 tank? Like, if I got the 6 could I control the heat in 5 tanks plus the temp in an incubator all at once?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MontyP2016

Ok I was looking at some Herpstats abd I have a question. The Herp4 or 6, is that to control the temps in4 different tanks (or 6) or is it designed to handle more equiptment for 1 tank? Like, if I got the 6 could I control the heat in 5 tanks plus the temp in an incubator all at once?

---

Yep. Herpstat 4 controls 4 heating/humidity/cooling/lighting devices Herpstat 6 controls 6 devices.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know I must sound like an idiot but I want to be 100% sure before I go buy a $400 herpstat. The herpstat 6 for example, is that made so that I could control the heat in six different snake tanks or is it designed to control 6 different mechanisms in one tank( llight, a heat tape, mister. Etc? Or is it designed so that I could use it either way?

Either/or


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

i would not trust an uninsulated incubator (let alone a glass one) to hatch eggs that takes alotta hardwork to produce. when i begin breeding, imma use tried and true methods and build an incubator out of an old frig, heat tape and quality thermostat.

if u are looking to start small and want something commercial - i know a few peeps who own and swear by the Zoomed Reptibator. it's small, holds a max of 2 BP clutches but has a built-in proportional thermostat, displays for temps and humidity.

Oh wow, I just looked at the reptibator, I like what I see and it definitely has a good price, thank you!

About the easiest and cheapest thing to do is just get a cooler (6-20 bucks depending on the size), thermostat (30+), and some heat tape (clips, wire, aluminum tape and heat tape should be like 15-30 bucks) for the incubator. Toss a couple bottles of water in to hold heat, then a plastic tub, substrate, and press-and-seal. It's pretty common as a setup and works well.

If your female's husbandry is up to par and you don't mind her not eating for an extra 2 months, you can always maternally incubate. It essentially costs a negative amount as you most likely will save on 1+ rats, and a lot of people who do it have good results. Mind that your husbandry needs to be solid to pull it off, but she can control temperature and humidity (increases to both, she can't really decrease it).

The only problem I had with maternal incubation was cleaning related (it can be a pain to clean around her or move her and the eggs to clean)

Because I plan to breed more than just one year, I like the idea of purchasing an incubator, even if it only holds a couple clutches because I can always buy another one next year or later down the road as needed. I liked the cooler idea but since I plan to use it over and over, I think it might just be better to buy one. I've also thought of maternal incubation but I recently saw a post on here where they left 2 eggs under the mother and incubated the other 4, the maternal ones did not make it. (Might have been the other way around with 4 under mom and 2 n the cooker, I'm not sure)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MontyP2016

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...8/imag3433.jpg

On a recent post a few days ago we were discussing incubators, how to make one, which ones to buy, not to buy, etc. Going based off of the DIY styrofoam cooler incubator, I threw this demo together. I put a good tube heater in the bottom (we discussed them bot being too good if theyre cheap etc) I put a plastic sub-bottom in, lifted over the water that the 6qt egg tub sits on. If I put the eggs on minerals (cant remember the name right now of the mineral rocks), put a lid on the 6qt tub and a lid on the tank with thermometer inside.

All that being said, would this make a decent incubator? If it will work, please give me some tips. If it wont work please let me know. Thank you!

---

If you spent 5 dollars on a Styrofoam cooler and simply set that inside it you would be ok. Again, it is not the best option but will work.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MontyP2016

Because I plan to breed more than just one year, I like the idea of purchasing an incubator, even if it only holds a couple clutches because I can always buy another one next year or later down the road as needed. I liked the cooler idea but since I plan to use it over and over, I think it might just be better to buy one. I've also thought of maternal incubation but I recently saw a post on here where they left 2 eggs under the mother and incubated the other 4, the maternal ones did not make it. (Might have been the other way around with 4 under mom and 2 n the cooker, I'm not sure)

---

The cooler setup can be used repeatedly. It will probably gather dust, but otherwise it will be similar to the store purchased ones. Additionally if you bought a relatively large cooler you could have quite a few clutches in it (depends on the size but 4-8 should be possible).

What kind of setup do you have for the mother, what kind of setup did they have for their's? A rack system under proper controling devices should be able to offer the kind of environment necessary for maternal incubation.

All that said, I'm not trying to suggest a MUST situation. Only offering suggestions. The decision is your own to make and easily comes down to six in one hand, half a dozen in the other. Whatever works for your situation and you, works. Because at the moment cooler with controllers and a prebuilt system really just comes down to cost and aesthetics

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psbdf829af.jpg

Its all about what you can handle. I have about $150 in this freezer conversion.

PitOnTheProwl's setup is a bit on the higher end cooler side, like the Refrigerator setups. To do those the body of an old refrigerator, wine cooler, etc can be used, which can often be bought on the cheap.

By far the best, longest lasting, and most expensive investment comes in the form of decent thermostats. Heat sources also do tend to hold up over time, so long as you aren't subjecting them to too much wear and tear (my rack's heat tape hasn't needed replacement in the last 6 years). And the cooler body can last forever as long as you clean it.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...tyle-Incubator

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...bator-Tutorial

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...oler-incubator

Now I think you have been pointed in all the right directions from manufactured to DIY. :gj:

One idea I had was to use this setup but wrap it in Styrofoam including the top. I'm still not 100% sure what I'm going to use but I am leaning more towards purchasing one.

I'm not sure what their setup was like, I saw the post here somewhere. My Pinstripe is in a 40gal rectangular tank right now, 36X18 & 17 high. She has an UTH and a light, hide, and water bowl. I am going to be either building a shelf that holds multiple tanks or building a new enclosure that holds multiple snakes, not like the drawer/rack system, in about 2 weeks. The reason being is that I am going to purchase a herpstat 4/6 or multiple thermostats and possibly switch from UTH's to heat tape. Currently I only have analog therm/hygrom's and my temps sway more than my liking. First I'm going to buy an infrared thermometer gun and check my floor surface temps, hot/cold sides and then go from there.

FYI..... UTH is also heat tape.

The uth's I have are too small

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MontyP2016

I have UTH's made for tanks, I might switch to heat tape which is not built for tanks. Same concept, different things

---

The overpriced heat mats that most box stores sell are basically THG or Flex-A-Watt in a pretty rubberized package.
Both can be used in racks or tanks as long as the are properly regulated. :gj: