incubator vs. incubator

nsreptiles or hovabator?

the reason i ask, not so much in the varying price, but im terrified that i will misplace something and kill eggs (should i be lucky enough to get any this year).

the hovabator thermal air mentions being able to monitor humidity, which the nsr doesnt? so im a bit torn because in all the threads i searched (though i didnt search as many as i would have liked) said nothing but praise for the nsr incubator. i googled up the hovabator, and other than being popular with pultry breeders, i saw several reptile breeders say they enjoyed it but also a few posts about it needing some sort of chip replaced often, usually in the second season of use.

sorry if this has been posted before, i tired to do a search here for the hovabator... prehaps i just have terrible search skills.

also.. snap i need to update my siggy, as i sold most everything i have and am now accumulating albinos...

I've heard very good things about NS. I believe Alice hatched out quite a few clutches with her NS this season. I also believe Hovabator is made for chicken eggs, but meets the requirements for ball python eggs.

If you want to measure humidity, get an 11 dollar acurite and put it in the incubator.

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

If you want to measure humidity, get an 11 dollar acurite and put it in the incubator.

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Yes but its the putting together all the pieces as compared to the hova having all the parts assembled is the only reason i'm looking at it. i think once i can get things figured out i'd feel better about putting all the parts together. idk. maybe im over worrying :3

The biggest issue with the Hovabators are the wafer thermostats. These are prone to stick open (when in the presence of high humidity) and cook your snake eggs. Poultry eggs don't require the high humidity so it isn't an issue for what they were designed for but when you increase the humidity 10x you can run into issues.


If you do a search you will find several posting from people who have lost eggs (or you noticed wild temp fluctuations) when using them.

Personally I would build one (which is what I did) - out of a pop cooler would be ideal but a ice chest will work just as well. (Giving you all the benefits of the NS but less expensive)

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

Personally I would build one (which is what I did) - out of a pop cooler would be ideal but a ice chest will work just as well. (Giving you all the benefits of the NS but less expensive)

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Like the type with the glass top, water below etc?

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Originally Posted by shhhli

Like the type with the glass top, water below etc?

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Not really sure what you mean by this...but here is a link on how to build one. I don't have a write up on mine but if you have any questions just let me know and I will help if I can.


http://www.familyzoo.us/incubator_assembly.htm

I used the NS incubator this year and every good egg that I placed in there hatched fine. I really don't think you can even compare them with Hovobators. I have heard some people complain that the fan in the NS incubator is too stong, but I use totally sealed egg boxes so it does not really matter for me. As a previous poster said, you can make a very similar incubator with a drink cooler if you can find one cheap, but for me it was just easier to get the NS incubator and be done with it. IMO for the price you can't beat the NS incubator.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

Not really sure what you mean by this...but here is a link on how to build one. I don't have a write up on mine but if you have any questions just let me know and I will help if I can.


http://www.familyzoo.us/incubator_assembly.htm

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Oh that is very interesting. When i looked up how-to's that was along the lines of what i was looking for but found GlassReptile's how-to that involved water & a glass top. That is what i ment, sorry about the confusion.

Thanks for the link.

pfan151
I think i will follow in your path and get one of the NSreptile's incubators & be done with it. Dont feel like chancing the Hova now.

Thanks for the comments guys.

IMO there is no comparison between NSreptiles incubators and hovabators. NS brings both babies into the world and a good nights sleep.

:)

I'm with the masses here I don't think there is even an comparison between the two. Everything I've hear about Hovabators has been less than steller unless of course your breeding chickens.

I will never use a hovabator again, but the failure mine had could have probably been prevented. I had one going on its thermostat, and we had a power outage, and the hova went back on and the temps skyrocketed past 105 degrees. All 8 eggs inside went bad.
I hear all good things about NS incubators, though I have never used one.
I made my own incubator out of a styro cooler, flexwatt, a great Helix thermostat, and a few soda bottles, adding egg boxes and thermometer of course. It worked like a champ and I will never use anything else! Your incubator is only as good as is thermostat.