Incubator

[GraftonChic]

I saw a post on how to make an incubator out of a foam box. Can the person that made it , pm with how I can do it
Thanks

[Lonsdale]

http://www.ultimatereptiles.com.au//html/incubator.html

Hope that helps

[Glider]

I had a look at that link and made something similar.

I only have one egg to incubate at the moment so I didnt need much space.

I got a 6-pack sized styrofoam esky and a 15 w heatcord. I made holes in the end of the esky with a screwdriver and threaded the heatcord through it so long strands were inside the long walls and floor of the esky. I then poked a hole in the lid for a thermostat probe, and another hole for the thermometer probe. I cut up a small takeaway container to make a litte raised shelf to keep the egg container off the floor of the incubator so it didnt contact any of the heatcord strands. I turned the incubator on for a day to set the temp and make sure it would hold ok.
I put the egg in a small click-clack style container with vermiculite and popped it into my little incubator, and a few weeks on it seems to be working ok.

Small styrofoam esky = $4
4m 15w heatcord = $25
Digital thermomoter = $8
Microclimate B2 thermostat = $120


I think next season I'll have more eggs to incubate so I'm going to use a similar setup but in a larger esky, and I'll need a longer heatcord and a better thermometer.

[mrdestiny]

That incubator plan doesn't seem to allow for any water along the bottom that would provide the required humidity.

[MrBredli]

The egg would be placed in a click clack containing vermiculite + water. This container would then be placed into the temperature contolled esky.

[buck]

Originally Posted by mrdestiny

That incubator plan doesn't seem to allow for any water along the bottom that would provide the required humidity.

Required humidity can be achieved by placing the eggs on a mix of 50/50 weight ratio of vermiculite and water in a sealed container, then placed in the incubator.

Mick

[andyh]

try this.

[Glider]

MrDestiny: Yes the egg is in a sealed container of 1:1 vermiculite : water by weight. Once a week I open the container to check the egg, exchange air and make sure no condensation will fall on the egg.

Andyh - That looks great, that's what mine will look like next year. This years was a bit half-****d because of late notice and little requirement, but should do the job. I bought a proper hard plastic esky and tried to superglue the heatcord to it but not even superglue would hold it on, even before I heated it up! So back to Bunnings with that.

[mrdestiny]

Ok, mine has a plastic tray of water on the base, then some mesh over that with the moistened vermiculite sitting on that.

[andyh]

you can also use a tub with water and an aquarium heater and then sit your containers with water/vermiculite in that. A mate of mine just succesfully hatched ackies and water dragons with it.

[shamous1]

When I get time (and remember) I will take some pics of an old foam box (Chrisco) incubator I have. Heat cord is wrapped throughout and thermostat used. As basic as but has successfully hatched dragon eggs many times.