incubators

[Morelia_man]

well i looked everywhere and i couldn't find a thread in the archieves to do with incubators. i was just wondering what everyone uses to incubate all of there reptile eggs. up here in the NT i have heard of people using bird incubators but they are not the best because you can only put the temp up but not turn it down. i have also heard about the reptile incubators but i was told that they can cost up to $6000.
just wondering what everyone uses either homemade or commercial.

thanks
charles

[junglesrus]

I use converted 90 litre coleman esky with great sucess.
Also have small 60 litre.

Not only do they keep things cold they Keep them warm as well.

Just waiting for my custom made cuboard to be made 1200 long X 1000 high X 600 deep.
Will line if with insilation and put the same set up as in the eskies give or take a few extra lights and fans.

Have also heard and seen people incubate lizard eggs by placing the container inside a standard reptile enclosure.

Darin

[Brodie]

Hi,
Just wondering, why cant you just let them hatch the natural way-under the python?

[junglesrus]

It is not impossible.But that is a big risk.

As it is hard to recreat mother nature in the way of humidity and moisture in a standard enclosure.

Also it takes it toll on the the mother as she will not eat or leave the eggs till they hatch which can be up to 60 days after she has laid.
In the wild they chioce the best spot to lay. in an enclosure they have no chioce but to lay or re-absorb the eggs and if the the condition are wrong the eggs will die.
In the wild it can take years to recover there condition from mating to the eggs hatching..

My thoughts.

Darin

I just use an old fridge with the original 4 galvanised steel shelves in it.For heat I run heat tape along the bottom and 1/2 way up the rear wall with a light globe at the very top,both controlled by a thermostat.

I will be making more incubators from maple laminated melamine,but this is just my personal choice, as it'll match my furniture and snake enclosures etc.I will insulate the cupboard and run the same heat sources as I have in the fridge and I may also run an old computer fan to help circulate air.

[Morelia_man]

willl they be for sale cc??

and as artie said, it will take its toll on the mother as she will loose a whole heap of weight due to not eating and guarding her eggs.

thanks
charles

[Morelia_man]

are these any good? has anyone had experiance with these??
the top one... http://www.reptilebarn.com.au/?p=incubators

M&M,
They will be for my own use,however if people are interested,I could make them for the sole purpose of selling.

[sobrien]

Go here MM
This guy knows what he's doing. (I'm not saying everyone else doesn't)
http://www.smuggled.com/egg1.htm
Cheers Simon

[NoOne]

I also use large eskies. A couple of blue light bulbs either side of a small fan. They work perfectly, i also use a small bar fridge with one bulb and a small fan. I'm yet to loose an egg in the bar fridge and i have only lost 1 or 2 beardie eggs in the eskies.

I still think homemade incubators work alot better than any that you'll find in the shops and they work out alot cheaper.

[africancichlidau]

You're right Sobby, one could do a lot worse than listen to Brian

[junglesrus]

The incubators from the reptile Barn.
I have seen used to hatch a clutch of childreni eggs last year that where placed in a chinese container with glad rap over the top. and also 2 clutches of Beady eggs.

I think they sell for $100 or $199 cant remmeber.

Darin

I was wondering if anyone has suggestions about insulating an incubator.I was going to go with foam but I'd prefer something more aesthetically pleasing such as felt.Any ideas guys & gals?

[junglesrus]

I have only ever used 2.5cm foam to line all wall securing it with wood glue.

One worry with felt and other covers is absorbtion.

But just a minute a bell just went of in my head!!!!

I suppose you could cover the foam with colored plastic contact
(like the stuff kids use to cover there school books)

before placing it in the incubator,would look good and be easy to wipe over.

[Magpie]

I made a small incubator out of a foam esky and a light globe. It worked great, I had 44 of 45 beardie eggs hatch and the 45th one was deformed so was never gonna be viable. This year, I'm planning to buy one from the reptile barn or similar when my female water pythons are gravid (also if they are!) I think I may split the eggs between the old and new incubators just to be safe, but may put them all in the new one, not sure yet. I just thought for the sake of $200, I might just buy one and save the hassles.