ReptiPro 5000? has anyone used this incubator???

[greg_in_ca]

Just curious ive seen this on the market..looks good...seems safe..but has anyone used it at all??? or heard anything about it?

thanks
Greg

[WingedWolfPsion]

It's a ThinkGeek.com mini fridge/warmer that's been doctored up for use as a reptile incubator--which process apparently caused the price to be doctored up to 150 bucks more than the fridge/warmer.

I wouldn't have any issue with this at all if they were selling it for the same price, but at least change the case a little bit if you're going to slap a new label on an existing product and re-purpose it--and don't insult our intelligence by doubling the price just for putting the buttons in a slightly different place, and slapping a logo on it.

The mini-fridges reportedly hold temperatures great, by the way.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/6ad2/

It is small. It will probably hold 2 or 3 ball clutches.

[ColdBloodedCarnival]

Haha - nice catch with the mini fridge. So, I have to ask then, do you think that mini fridge would work as a good, albeit small, incubator? I wouldn't mind having an extra incubator that I could plug into the car if my power went out - and when the eggs hatched I could use it as a fridge until the next season!

-Ross

[anendeloflorien]

Haha - nice catch with the mini fridge. So, I have to ask then, do you think that mini fridge would work as a good, albeit small, incubator? I wouldn't mind having an extra incubator that I could plug into the car if my power went out - and when the eggs hatched I could use it as a fridge until the next season!

-Ross

They seem like they'd work ok. The only problem is that the thermostat is only good for +/- 2 degrees. Not a problem if you're keeping beer in there but if it's babies I tend to think that a 4 degree window is a bit extreme. Also the temperature can fluxuate another +/- 2 degrees from top to bottom. So you're looking at a potential 8 degree difference (if my math is correct). That just would not work for me.

Also if you look at the interior dimensions you can't even fit a 6qt tub in there so good luck if you get a big clutch!

[jgjulander]

Just got one they have at LLL for some gecko eggs. I have to have a thermometer inside to tell me the real temps. I have it set at 89 to keep the eggs around 83, so I get worried if the room heats up, so will the inside temp of the incubator, so I have to keep an eye on it. Not the best, but not the worst, either.
Justin

[WingedWolfPsion]

Is the thermostat in the ReptiPro exactly the same as the one in the mini-fridge? (IE, same temperature ranging). If they actually improved it, that might make the price difference justifiable. If not...my ripoff alert is clanging. <lol>

Anyone try setting the thermostat on the incubator to max, and then using a proportional thermostat to control it? I know some devices shut down under those circumstances--it could solve the problem with it, though.

[anendeloflorien]

Is the thermostat in the ReptiPro exactly the same as the one in the mini-fridge? (IE, same temperature ranging). If they actually improved it, that might make the price difference justifiable. If not...my ripoff alert is clanging. <lol>

Anyone try setting the thermostat on the incubator to max, and then using a proportional thermostat to control it? I know some devices shut down under those circumstances--it could solve the problem with it, though.

Those numbers I quoted are from the "manual" that Reptipro put up http://www.reptipro.com/supplies/inc...iHzkToHYwxQa7b . I PM'd Chris (the guy that owns Reptipro) a little while back on Fauna asking him what the differences were between his product and the Think Geek fridge. For some reason he never got back to me lol. He was looking to trade one of them for some corns that I had up, thankfully someone on another forum linked me to that thinkgeek fridge

[pythontricker]

The mini-fridges reportedly hold temperatures great, by the way.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/6ad2/

It is small. It will probably hold 2 or 3 ball clutches.

Holy crap! haha thanks for posting this Ive been looking for a fridge that warms things. Im buying this like right now! lol