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Home made incubator??

mizztaztic7

mizztaztic7

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I was wondering what the best kind of incubator is to use to hatch ball python eggs? Preferably something cheap but also very effective. If there is anyone out there that makes their own how do you do it? I saw the Hovabator, but I don't know how well it works.
 
Personally I would not use a hovabator for BP eggs, just too small IMHO (I've heard some people use them with success, I just prefer more space). I built one pretty inexpensively using instruction from Clay Davenport from this website :

http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/incubator.shtml

There are also ways to build ones using plastic or styrofoam coolers, although I've never built one of those, I hear they do work great! I'm sure someone can chime in here to give links to their favorite design.
 
I used an old SS catering hot box/proof box with a glass door. It's got plenty of room in it, and holds temps nice and steady. Got it for free, too. :D
 
Post an Add on craigslist in your city. Ask for a broken newer style upright freezer for Free that you will pick up.
Once you aquire the freezer buy some big apple heat rope. Get the longest one they sell. Run it up and down the sides and back and keep the spacing over an inch apart so you dont get hot spots. Use a good temp controll and your set. You should be able to do the whole thing for under 100 bucks.
 
Hi Michael -

My original homemade incubator was made out of a big igloo cooler, but I wanted more visibility. So, I went to a local place that sells used fixtures, appliances, etc... Something just short of a junkyard. I quickly found a drink cooler (like they sell cokes out of by the express lanes at Wal Mart). It wasn't working, which was perfect. Picked it up for 25 bucks. I sanded the outside and put a coat of black paint on it. Cleaned the inside really well and repainted the shelves. I also gutted the motor and anything else I could, which cut WAY DOWN on the weight. I drilled an appropriate hole to run wiring through. I ran 11" Flexwatt on the bottom and partway up the back. In the pic, you can see I have a shoebox with water sitting on the tape. This creates an ambient humidity of about 90%. I actually have my temp probe running through the door to create a slight gap. The insulation is so good on this thing that you really don't have to use much heat. You can see a computer fan sitting inside - well, I don't use it as it raises the temp anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 degrees. I use a Helix basic thermostat that I picked up used. All told, my total man-hours were probably 5 or 6 and total materials were about $65.

If you aren't cooking more than a couple clutches of ball python eggs I would think this would work very well for you. Much more than that and I'd go to a full size. This thing holds temps very steady and the humidity was more than I expected. I also like the visibility. Good luck!

picture.php
 
I use hovabators for my small quantity of gecko eggs, would not recommend for BPs at all. It's not big enough on the inside. I have a mini fridge/warmer that I got almost identical to that reptipro ? incubator. It was about $100 bucks and I can fit about 15 or so eggs in there. It is working very well. If you're handy like WJS, you could try making one of those fancy ones he has.
 
Very nice examples of what a little ingenuity can do. I plan on building an incubator out of a mini-fridge for next spring. Now that my corns and ball pythons are big enough I can't wait to see the little heads pipping out of the eggs!

Dan
 
Thanks everyone....I found a mini fridge on campus that I gutted and all I need to do is put heat tape in it....Plenty of help
 
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