Ball python incubator temp question

Originally Posted by scratchypen

In the past I have used hovabators and had the probe inside the tub with the eggs, along with a thermometer in there with them, and a thermometer outside. Our setup is different this year since we are currently using the freezer part of a fridge. Since there are holes drilled in the fridge for the probes to go through and not a lot of cord, we have a helix probe sticking in one side, a big apple stat probe in the other. The helix is plugged into the big apple as fail safe. We went out and bought a remote digital thermometer to give us an idea of temp in the bator since it is out in a shed like area and I also have thermometers all around in various parts of the bator. I dont have a single thermometer in the tub this year. Good idea for a hovabator, I just dont feel it is needed with this setup as everything is sealed well and I have 6 thermometers all around in there. But, this is my first year doing it this way so it may not work, we will see. So far everything seems to be going okay though. I will let you know in about 30 days if my eggs hatch or not. Lol.

awesome thanks!!

Originally Posted by Fede59

what type of hygrometer do you reccomend?

Personally, I don't measure humidity with anything. I just mix the vermiculite (my preference - never had much luck with perlite) so it's damp enough to clump when squeezed but no water drips out. Then I just keep an eye on the eggs, and as long as they don't look like they are drying out I leave them be. If they start to dimple early I add a little water. I also never put the tstat probe in the egg box (only a thermometer probe). My theory is I want the tstat to cut the power before the temps inside the egg box rise too much. I'd also recommend using 2 thermostats if you're not already. Having a backup in case something goes haywire with the first one will save you tons of heartache.

I did 88.7 background incubator temp for years. This year I'm trying 86.2. Someone posted that wild ball python eggs incubate at 30 Celsius which is 86 Fahrenheit and cooler incubation is one of several rumors regarding avoiding kinks in caramels (which I have a long shot for this year). Anyone had bad results at 86? I have my doubts about it actually helping the kinking but thought I’d try something.

Originally Posted by CornNut

I did 88.7 background incubator temp for years. This year I'm trying 86.2. Someone posted that wild ball python eggs incubate at 30 Celsius which is 86 Fahrenheit and cooler incubation is one of several rumors regarding avoiding kinks in caramels (which I have a long shot for this year). Anyone had bad results at 86? I have my doubts about it actually helping the kinking but thought I’d try something.

We incubated between 86 and 87 last year. We didn't notice any negative results...just had to wait a bit longer for the eggs to hatch (previously I cut at day 55, but I waited until at least day 60 with the lower temps). We are using the lower temps again this year. I feel better about it, since it seems like it give more of a margin of safety if something goes wrong - less chance of cooking eggs.

A friend of mine incubates at 86 with all of his clutches. He never has kinking issues with his caramel albinos (5 or 6 clutches of them). As others have said, it just adds to the waiting time. But it's well worth waiting an extra 5-10 days to not have kinked babies.

I've also been told that low humidity and not cooler incubation is the checker for avoiding kinks in caramels. Both ideas have been around for years. I'm not convinced 100% on either. Thinking it might be a 3rd unexpected factor that allows some keepers to have long strings with no kinks and they just started out dry or cool and have now attributed the success to that so why experiment to prove that really is the cause. But with the lack of any other info bet I’ll be mixing dry and incubating cool just in case, lol.