Incubating in this hot weather

[beknluke]

Hi Guys
Just wanted to know what everyone here does to avoid cooking their eggs in this hot weather.
ie, if you have eggs that need to be at 30degrees or less - which room do you keep the incubator in? Do you have an air conditioner in that room? Do you have a cooling device hooked up to your incubator? etc etc
Reason being, it's 38degrees out here at the moment and there isn't an air conditioner in this house and I was wanting ideas as to what to do with the incubator.
Cheers
Bex

 

[TrueBlue]

Wrap an ice pack in a tea towel or thin pillow case and put in bottom of incubator, fan will circulate cool air once temp drops and incubator will start working as if in cooler temp.

 

[Splitmore]

Best thing to do is feeze water in ice cream containers and have them on stand by. Apparently sunday is supposed to get to 42 degrees so could come in handy. If you freeze them in one solid block they last for 8 hours or so, just sit them in the incubator and it will keep things nice and cool in there. Put the ice away from the eggs and the thermostat probe but it works quite well.

 

[beknluke]

Thanks guys - much appreciated!
It's meant to be 42 here tomorrow :? Ick! I hate the hot weather!!
Thanks so very ,much - I will start freezing things now
Bex

 

[peterjohnson64]

I asked similar questions of my mate who is an air conditioning & fridge mechanic. I was thinking of keeping my incubator fridge in the shed where it gets way above 40 degrees. He reckons that it won't affect the fridge temperature and that fridges are very insulated. It is the average temperature that has more of an effect and that should still be below 30 degrees in Sunbury. However, if you are still greatly concerned make sure that your incubator is in a room with a southerley aspect. That should be the coolest in the house.

I know that the ice etc is a great idea but sometimes you just aren't around.

 

[Magpie]

Cheap portable aircon.

 

[Barney]

Ive been lucky my incubator only spiked to 32.6 but cools down of a afternoon / night to norm was concidering putting mine the laundry sitting directly on the concret as its rather cool .

Or another idea for those who have raised houses pending on size of incubator of course . As it is rather alot cooler under there . just a matter of getting power .

Will also have my freezer blocks on hand for the extreme weather this wkend

 

[beknluke]

We have a raised house - but the space under the house is not tall enough to fit the current incubator. I have been looking in the trading post and on eBay for small waist high type fridge or freezer coz that would fit under there - but i don't see em managing to pick something up between now and tomorrow morning :?
And my incubator has spiked higher than 32.6 today alone. I was looking forward to not having to stress about it in a fortnight as the last of the eggs were dur to hatch - but I have just found another QLD beardie who's gravid, and NO, I havn't even considered putting her with a male. Looks like this is her own doing.
Thanks again guys - and any other suggestions are welcome
Bex

 

[JandC_Reptiles]

I have a 2.5kw portable aircon that I use for the Herp room when needed.

 

[zen]

:arrow:

 

[zen]

I've just moved my barfridge incubator under the house where the dogs go in a heatwave. Nice & cool down there 8) .
Luckily a bar fridge is reasonably portable.
I just ran an extension lead to it for power.

I found that the temps were going too high when it was in the shed, as there's nothing to cool it down, just warm it up.

:idea: I'll have the ice blocks on standby for Sunday's heatwave. 43 C expected ! Crikey!
I thought today was hot and we're expecting 37 tomorrow! :roll:

 

[Barney]

looks like great minds think alike re using the spoace under the house to regulate there incubator . I also will do as suggested have freezer blocks on hand .

Shame Beknluke re space

my last clutch of beardies laid on Christmas day clutch 18 All doing well so far but hope to have some diamond eggs soon .

 

[Saz]

I bought a portable air conditioner from Bunnings for the gecko room which is set at 28 degrees. Keeps the ambient temp at 28, but right next to the air conditioner is 23 - 26 gradient, which is great for the species that need milder temps.

Hope you manage to get through the heat wave all eggs intact. I'd suggest spending the money on a portable air conditioner. It's so worth it!!

:0)

 

[spongebob]

Hi,
Lost a few to the heat at times.............
Inland desert species seem to cope OK, its the temperate stuff like rain forest dragons that you really need to worry about. If they do hatch then its at short incubation times and then when its still too hot leading to high morality. Desided to try to slow the whole incubation process down for the local species i keep, this year.
Buried a small eskie,under some trees with mulch on top. Works a treat. Stock standard 22degrees on the min max thermometre. Only problem was after a storm a few weeks back. I found the eggs in their tubs floating on 14 cm of water! However this water no doubt also helped to keep the temp constant. I've now put an up ended tub over top to keep the storm water off. Only check it when it's cool which is great fun with the mossies.
I think in future years I'll try to develop the bunker mentality more........