incubating temps?

[Jessb]

So we had our first clutch ever laid this morning (yay)! Our incubator is staying around 88, but it fluctuates a few degrees both ways. Is this ok? Will it affect the eggs?

[Annarose15]

Depends on how many is a "few". I would try to figure out what is causing the instability. What thermostat are you using? What incubator setup? Etc.

[Jessb]

its a repti-pro 6000. it goes down to around 86.5 and up to around 89-90. i'm not sure whats causing the fluctuations, other than the incubator itself...

[cschneider]

Don't know much about that model but it shouldn't be fluctuating more than a degree. My herpstats stay within a degree.


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[MrLang]

I think consensus is that temp swings are bad and high temps are especially bad. I'd probably set it a degree lower if it's doing that and hope for the best. I'd say anything swinging at or over 90 is to be avoided.

Then again, I'd probably say you should be using a more precise thermostat on the incubator... but a little late for that post-eggs.

[Annarose15]

The thermostat isn't necessarily the issue, with no info on what the incubator is made of or how it is set up. That's not to day it isn't a factor, either. Do the temps swing based on the time of day? Just when you open the incubator? How long until they return to normal?

[snakesRkewl]

Many on/off thermostats will swing 3-4 degrees or more which is why most are not good for incubating with.
If the incubator is very well insulated and is kept in a room where the ambient temperature stays pretty consistent, then an on/off thermostat will work.
If the rooms ambient temperature isn't stable you will have fluctuations.

[FireStorm]

I would feel uncomfortable with that much of a swing.

[Jessb]

i really am lost... we have the incubator set at 89, and we have 2 thermometers inside the incubator with the eggs, all 3 are reading different temps at different times. the ones inside usually read at around 87-89. The thermomstat is set at 89.
I really hope i just didn't buy a crappy incubator..

[FireStorm]

What kind of thermostat are you using, and what heat source?