Another of Robin's Obsessive Question

OK - so Tim Bailey and I were talking this evening and there's a good chance that Pandora will be laying in the next day or two (btw Tim, tail is on the inside of the coil now).

Anywhooo, I actually expected her to go last of my three, but I was out of town for a week the third week of March, so I likely missed her ovulation and Echo's.

So - using Justin's old incubator - the thermostat probe goes into the back of the incubator and is free inside the incubator (not inside an egg box).

The AccuRite is also inside the incubator and probe isn't in the eggbox yet (I forgot and press and sealed the box). SOOO, when I have three clutches in there - the incubator is slap FULL, because I'm using 12 quart Rubbermaid locking lid tubs, rather than six quart.

Here's the question:

Do I let the thermostat probe hand behind the egg boxes? (the flexwatt is on the door of the fridge, the thermostat probe comes in the back of the fridge through the same small hole that the flexwatt and fan cords come out of).

Do I put the thermostat probe on the lip of the second tub on the side of the incubator so it's equal distance from the front and back of the incubator?

I don't want hot spots in the front if the egg boxes are blocking the heat from reaching the probe, but there is a fan circulating air, and there is space under the egg boxes to fill with water bottles (the first egg box sits on a shelf and the other two stack on top).

I do have three six quart shoebox tubs I can switch to if these are too monster. My largest clutch should be six eggs.

Step 1: Place head between legs and take a few breaths.

:O

Step 2: Are you putting separate temp gauges in each egg box? That will be your real cue for maneuvering the 'stat probe. You just need to find the area and spacing that gives you the most even temps throughout.


Cheers,
Kat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by janeothejungle

Step 1: Place head between legs and take a few breaths.

:O

Step 2: Are you putting separate temp gauges in each egg box? That will be your real cue for maneuvering the 'stat probe. You just need to find the area and spacing that gives you the most even temps throughout.


Cheers,
Kat

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I'm going to pick up the small digital fish thermometers Tim posted on another thread to have one for each box. I have the AcuRite mounted inside the incubator and planned to put the probe of it in the middle egg box - but I'm definitely going to get more.

Robin, It will be ok! and congrats on the upcoming clutch :)

I'm having a hard time picturing what egg boxes you are using, but is it possible to hang the probe down in the middle between them? That's what I always did.

Kat's idea was good, it will let you mess with it until its right. I don't think you would really go wrong though if you put the probe in the front or back. The fan should take care of you.

Justin

Haha Justin! I just PM'd you - I'll snap a picture really quick!

cool. I use sterile shoebox tubs for anything up to like 8 eggs. For the bigger clutches I use the 6 quart rubbermaids or whatever I have on hand that will fit the eggs comfortably

JUstin

OK - here's how I'm currently set-up:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ubator/Inc.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...r/9eca0b4c.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...bator/Inc3.jpg

With the third tub in there:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...bator/Inc4.jpg

Where I'd put probe on side:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...r/460d36c9.jpg

I don't think putting it on the side like you have pictured is a bad idea, but id only be afraid that it would get knocked off to somewhere you didn't want it. I also think its better to have it hanging somehow so its measuring air temp not the temp of the plastic its touching.

Is it too late to switch to a smaller container? Are you sure that you will have all three clutches in the incubator at the same time?

Justin

Not too late to switch to smaller at all - I have the six quart Sterilite shoebox tubs (three of them) as well.

There's no way for the probe to be knocked off the side (no gap between the egg box and the side).

And yes - very likely all three clutches will be in at the same time, although the third will be about 30 - 45 days after the second clutch (she just ovulated earlier this past week).

What do you call that incubator, Pandora's Box?

Also - I could use some aluminum tape and tape the probe (right behind the probe itself) to the side of the incubator right there beside where it is sitting on the second tub.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

What do you call that incubator, Pandora's Box?

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Hahaha! It will be Pandora's box when she lays - I have a feeling I'm going to sit up all night watching her! LOL

She happens to be in a tub that's right beside the computer so I'm staring obsessively at her already!

Woohoo Robin! Big congrats!!! Although if you get eggs I'll be jealous.:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jknudson

Woohoo Robin! Big congrats!!! Although if you get eggs I'll be jealous.:D

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That's ok - I'm ready for someone to be jealous rather than me being jealous of everyone else! :P

Thanks for the congrats! :D

I think your best course is to use some smaller tubs. You can go ahead and put your first clutch in the big tub and then put the next two in shoeboxes.

I'll snap a pic of my incubator with the tubs today...

Justin

Thanks Justin! No eggs yet - but I did pick up three of these thermometers today and have hooked two to the two tubs with substrate in them and laid the probes on top of the substrate - I'm going to see if this will work - as I've been told by some that think deeper tubs are better - if I don't get consistent temps, I'll downsize!

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...0&postcount=20

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jkobylka

cool. I use sterile shoebox tubs for anything up to like 8 eggs. For the bigger clutches I use the 6 quart rubbermaids or whatever I have on hand that will fit the eggs comfortably

JUstin

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Justin - those six quart Sterilite Shoebox tubs will hold eight eggs? That's what I have - but two things bother me about them.

1) they seem small
2) the lid doesn't really snap on well - although the press & seal should help.

I did what you suggested last night and put in two smaller tubs - not sure that I'm crazy about them right now - but I'm trying to make sure everything is good to go before the eggs arrive.

hey robin, may i ask why you dont place the thermostat probe inside an actual egg box? im also in the process of readying my incubators and my probe is placed in an egg box but if it would help to place it outside then im all for it.

sweet incubator by the way!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigballs

hey robin, may i ask why you dont place the thermostat probe inside an actual egg box? im also in the process of readying my incubators and my probe is placed in an egg box but if it would help to place it outside then im all for it.

sweet incubator by the way!

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Julian - I'm just following the advice of those that have come before me! LOL

I got the incubator from Justin, and he didn't put the thermostat probe inside the egg boxes - so I'm having fun with the "heat rises" part of this with the top large tub (if I stay with three of those) being 5 degrees warmer than the bottom one. But then, I also measured with the Acurite probe with no incubation substrate - not sure if that makes a difference.

I've also filled the bottom section of the fridge with 20 water bottles to help keep temps stable when opening the incubator (yes, they all fit!) LOL

sounds bomb! good luck with everything!

i think you should do a test with the incubation substrate in the egg boxes because it may have a different effect on your temps. the incubation substrate may have an insulating effect and keep the temps a little better. or who knows? but when i tested with the substrate i had positive results, temp and humidity wise.

Ok Robin, here's a pic of my setup with the sterilites and a few rubbermaids mixed in. I'm using the zero-substrate method... completely soaking the vermiculite and then putting a plastic crate over it so the eggs don't touch the wet. Any humidity that is lost through the sterilite lid is a non-factor. Most clutches will fit in the sterilites, particularly if you catch the clutch soon after its laid and can pull the bunch of eggs apart a bit.

I hope this is helpful?

Justin

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../incubator.jpg

Yes Justin - that does help! It still looks so small! :P