how does everyone incubate?

WHat do you use to incubate?

Last year I used my female snake

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Originally Posted by Rapture

Last year I used my female snake

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priceless :8:

I made a small incubator that started as a mini fridge. Worked great :gj:

How about a big closet with a oil filled space heater(electric) ranco thermostat to keep the temps exact.


Works for me.

i usually sit on mine for a couple months...

Use a refrigeratorator

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Originally Posted by Rapture

Use a refrigeratorator

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sometimes a refridge. is not large enought!

That's when it's time for a refrigeratorATOR

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

WHat do you use to incubate?

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I use hovabators for both my ball python eggs and then the corn snake eggs.Once i have the temps set at desired temp i just wait for piping day:) .Of course i ad water for the humidity as needed.

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Originally Posted by joepythons

I use hovabators for both my ball python eggs and then the corn snake eggs.Once i have the temps set at desired temp i just wait for piping day:) .Of course i ad water for the humidity as needed.

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I used the hovators with a good digital thermometer dropped in throught one of the top holes to maintain correct temps. they worked very good.

I used Nature's Spirit incubator last year. It held temps and humidity perfectly. We're going to try to build one out of an old fridge after the holidays. Wish us luck!

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Originally Posted by Rapture

Last year I used my female snake

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Just wondered - does anybody here let their females sit with their eggs? I saw a post a while back on a UK forum of somebody's BP wrapped around her eggs and thought, well, it is the natural thing to do. I haven't started breeding yet but hope to in a year or two.

I built a big ole fridge bator this year, im trying to talk pepsi (locally) out of a big glass front drink cooler (like in stores) that doesnt work:cool:.

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Originally Posted by Razaiel

Just wondered - does anybody here let their females sit with their eggs? I saw a post a while back on a UK forum of somebody's BP wrapped around her eggs and thought, well, it is the natural thing to do. I haven't started breeding yet but hope to in a year or two.

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Do a search for Maternal Incubation. One person did it successfully but most will agree that it isn't the right way to go.

I have a hoverbator for now. I've been incubated the leo eggs in the empty slot in my ball python rack. It's 82 degrees on the cool side :P

I would like to get one of the nature's spirit incubators in the future, but I think I may have to make the first ball python egg season go with a hovabator.

Boaphile caging put a big dent in expenses.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Do a search for Maternal Incubation. One person did it successfully but most will agree that it isn't the right way to go.

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Actually, another guy posted a thread with his albino hatchlings... he also left them with the female ball for maternal incubation and had success.

I'm also building a bator out of a mini fridge for now.

Natures Spirit for the BP's, Hovabator for the kings and rats.

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Originally Posted by Rapture

Actually, another guy posted a thread with his albino hatchlings... he also left them with the female ball for maternal incubation and had success.

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I never said it couldn't be done successfully. :P

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Originally Posted by Rapture

Last year I used my female snake

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How's your female doing? Has she gained alot of the weight back?

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Originally Posted by Schlyne

I would like to get one of the nature's spirit incubators in the future, but I think I may have to make the first ball python egg season go with a hovabator.

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Try looking at local shows for used incubators. I got a used Nature's Spirit at a show for almost half of what a new one would've cost me!

Hovabator here. Although, my first and only BP clutch went bad last year; I am not blaming the incubator, only fate and genetics on that. I am using the HB this year as well; going to hopefully need a second one.

Are one of these the incubators you all are using?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile_...bators_33.html

just a thought I was having. People make incubators out of old refridgerators because of the insulation. Has anyone made one out of a spare cooler. They have insulation as well and don't take up as much room for those without the space.

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Originally Posted by viper94bite

just a thought I was having. People make incubators out of old refridgerators because of the insulation. Has anyone made one out of a spare cooler. They have insulation as well and don't take up as much room for those without the space.

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You mean like this:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...cubatortop.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3.../insidepic.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...inishedpic.jpg


;)

What's in the bottle's Bill?

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Originally Posted by tropheusfreak

What's in the bottle's Bill?

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I filled them with aquarium gravel to help retain heat.

I just made one out of a cooler, where i put water at the bottom, submersable aquarium heaters, a box of vermiculite on bricks, to keep it out of the water and a thermostat.



- wild bill,
and are they partially open? Where did ya get that crate by the way??i gotta find one.

~mike

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Originally Posted by wildlifewarrior

- wild bill,
What are the bottles filled with, vermiculite?? and are they partially open? Where did ya get that crate by the way??i gotta find one.

~mike

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Aquarium gravel

no, they are sealed shut. The crate material is made for flourescent light fixtures as covers. I bought mine at Menards in the commercial lighting area.

Sometimes it is by the drop ceiling panels. ;)

Sorry slow on that edit,


thanks for the help on locating that stuff

~mike

Is there water in the bottles too?

hey so i could do that then. Now why do i see so many bp incubators with fans in them. I'd swear I read somewhere that bp eggs don't need a fan moving the air and that it could actually harm them. Someone please explain that to me.

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Originally Posted by viper94bite

hey so i could do that then. Now why do i see so many bp incubators with fans in them. I'd swear I read somewhere that bp eggs don't need a fan moving the air and that it could actually harm them. Someone please explain that to me.

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The fans are needed to evenly distribute the warm air created by the heating element(s) in order to prevent temperature stratification.

-adam

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Originally Posted by tropheusfreak

Is there water in the bottles too?

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No water in the bottles, it just has a little condensation from rinsing the rock before putting in the bottles.

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

The fans are needed to evenly distribute the warm air created by the heating element(s) in order to prevent temperature stratification.

-adam

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Just to add to what Adam said, the eggs are also sealed in their own tub that contains the humidity. So the fan moves air that does not come in direct contact with the eggs.

ah I got ya. So on another note do you have the fan wired with the flexwatt or on its own cord.

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Originally Posted by viper94bite

ah I got ya. So on another note do you have the fan wired with the flexwatt or on its own cord.

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I had it wired seperately to a rheostat so I could control the fan speed.

Just a side note, the cooler incubator also works great as a animal transporter in colder weather. All you need is a power inverter and you can run this in your car. ;)

You're a genius Bill! Now all those truckers can incubate their BP eggs while on the road!:P

-Jason

How about temperature uniformity in a Hovabator? I can't think of a way to install a fan since the space inside is limited, but I am afraid of stratification now.. any ideas?

Dont worry about the fan, the fan can work against you. more important to use a good digital thermometer with the hovabator. I have had great success over the years with the hovabators and would not hesitate to use them again.

There are many different ways to do this, these are my opinions. ;)

I know of a guy that hatched eggs without even trying. He found a batch of fox snake eggs behind his house and took them and put them in a towel in a shoebox. He stuffed the box in the back bottom of his closet and accidently forgot about them. If you havn't already guessed whats gonna happen next... THEY HACTHED. There was so much old clothes and stuff in the closet that it kept the eggs warm enough to incubate and hatch. Wife opened the closet one morning and had about 3 snakes chilling in the bottom of the closet.

... but i would go with a hovabator... :)

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Originally Posted by ECLARK

I have had great success over the years with the hovabators and would not hesitate to use them again.

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ECLARK, is one of these the hovabator you've used?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile...ubators_33.html

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

How about temperature uniformity in a Hovabator? I can't think of a way to install a fan since the space inside is limited, but I am afraid of stratification now.. any ideas?

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A hovabator isn't big enough to worry about.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Chase13

I know of a guy that hatched eggs without even trying. He found a batch of fox snake eggs behind his house and took them and put them in a towel in a shoebox. He stuffed the box in the back bottom of his closet and accidently forgot about them. If you havn't already guessed whats gonna happen next... THEY HACTHED. There was so much old clothes and stuff in the closet that it kept the eggs warm enough to incubate and hatch. Wife opened the closet one morning and had about 3 snakes chilling in the bottom of the closet.

... but i would go with a hovabator... :)

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Ball python eggs are a whole different ball game. Lots of north american snake species have eggs that can be incubated at room temperature.

-adam

Thanks Ad :)
I incubated our recent clutch of yellow rat eggs at room temp, and they did take awhile, but they hatched today; still waiting on a few. I believe the lay date was sept. 16th.