Substrateless Incubation???

[The Mad Baller]

I'am contemplating using substateless incubation method this year. I was hoping some of you'll with experience with this can chime in and give some pointers as to how to set your egg boxes, past experiences, pros and cons, etc. Thanks any info will be greatly appreciated.

[Freakie_frog]

I've used a semi substrate-less method, I just vermiculite and egg crate mesh. the up side is that you can never get the medium to wet, which means perfect humidity in fact I've used the same egg box for two clutches in a row with no problems.

The down side is that smaller clutches or eggs that aren't stuck together can roll around. Where normally you nestle them into the substrate they have nothing to really keep them from rolling around..Also the egg crate is rough on fresh hatched bellies. So I've started putting the clutch in shed box after everyone pips and let them emerge in the box with damp substrate. Thats just whats worked for me so far the last couple of seasons..

[The Mad Baller]

Freakie Frog, thanks for the great info! Do you use press N seal and no holes in your egg box or no press n seal and do you put any holes in egg box? What size boxes do you normally use 6qt,12qt,15? Thanks alot.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I use it every season



You will need for clutches up to 6/7 eggs

6 or 7 quarts tub (can be found at walmart, target etc)
Eggcrate (can be found at lowes or homedepot)
Vermiculite or perlite (can be found at your local feed store)
and water

My recipe

I put 3 to 4 cups of vermiculite in a 6 or 7 quarts tub, I add 1 and a half to 2 cups of water, I mix everything up, I then place a piece of eggcrate (cut to the dimension of my 6 quart tub) on the top of the substrate, place the eggs on the eggcrate and close the lid.

Note: I do not use any glad press & seal, I just use the lead

For larger clutches I use 15 quarts tubs and obviously the measurements are different as well.

[Freakie_frog]

Freakie Frog, thanks for the great info! Do you use press N seal and no holes in your egg box or no press n seal and do you put any holes in egg box? What size boxes do you normally use 6qt,12qt,15? Thanks alot.

Press-n-seal no holes and the size of the egg box depends on the size of the clutch. Big 11+ egg clutch I use a bigger box and for smaller 4-5 egg depending on how they are laid I'll use a 12qt pretty typically.

I like to have some air room around the eggs, not sure if it helps or hurts but it's just what I like to see.

[The Mad Baller]

Deborah and Freakie Frog, again thanks alot. Due to you'lls great post of info and pics I'am definitely going to go this route this season. Can't wait to get it all going. Greatly appreciated.

[jsmorphs2]

Last season we used the substrate-less method (just like the others posted). I had a few issues though. One, the egg crate (or drop lighting diffuser) would sink into the wet vermiculite causing the water to touch the eggs. I ended up using a mixture of 50/50 vermiculite/perlite. That way the egg crate didn't sink at all. Second, some eggs would roll around so I used clothes pins clamped to the egg crate (next to the eggs) to keep them in place.

Other wise, it worked perfectly!

[Bill Buchman]

I have used the same methods as mentioned. I have gone to using 100% perlite -- conducts humidity much better than vermiculite and is dry at its surface where it might touch the egg. I use sterlite six qrt. and use 2 of them for clutches over 8 eggs. Also, I don't breathe my boxes at all until day 45. Around that day I take press n seal half-off until they hatch. Easy method and you will sleep well.