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homemade incubators

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surfrkidts

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i've been poking around at some homemade incubators and have come to the conclusion that the aquarium heater method will work best for me. i liked the method shown at http://www.dreamgecko.com/breeding but got some conflicting information on whether or not the container should be in the water or above it. I'd prefer to have it in the water so that i don't have to make a lid for the aquarium (as said in the New Leo Maual), but will do what works best. i'd get a hovabator, but i don't need any gadgets until i have more than a few geckos. i have the right temp info and everything else, but help on the actual incobator will be helpful. thanks!
 
Do you already have all the materials for the aquarium incubator? Submersible heater and all? I'll submit that you'll have a much better experience and hatch rate with the hovabator, making it worth every penny of the approximate $40 price tag. If you are just toying around with breeding and sex isn't important (I don't know how accurate those aquarium ones are anyway), you could incubate in a closet in your house. To do this, prepare the eggs like normal, but check for some stable temps in the upper 70s into the 80s in the closets of your house. Sometimes it'll be on the top shelf. I incubated some fattails a few years ago in a closet on top of a water heater and it worked great. Both turned out males, too. (Some people have had difficulty getting males, especially with amels, through temp sexing).

Because there were few Internet resources back then, I incubated my very first eggs in an open-topped rubbermaid shoebox full of moist vermiculite with a desk clamp/lamp overtop w/a 25w red bulb in it. Again, it worked fine, but was difficult to keep the temps steady...good hatch rate, though, and no deformities as I remember.

My point is, they aren't too difficult to incubate, like some reptiles. If they're fertile, they'll usually do well.

I've thought about trying the modified aquarium incubator with one of the huge sterilite tubs to incubate a ton of eggs, but never got around to it and I think my biggest season was around 50 hatchlings, so didn't really need it.

Good luck with whatever method you choose and let us know how it goes. :)
 
well the only reason i even stopped to look at the aquarium incubator, was because i also breed fish and have alot of heaters on hand. As far as the hovabator, would i have to buy two if i wanted to incubate snake eggs in it at the same time? or is there a two compartment hovabator on the market?
 
I'm not totally against the aquarium one, especially if you have all the supplies. Heck, I'd probably try it out. But, I didn't have the supplies to make it and figured if I were to buy anything, I'd just buy the incubator.

If they take the same temps, you should be able to incubate the snake eggs in with the gecko eggs, if they'll fit. Most people don't fill the entire hovabator w/incubation medium (perlite or vermiculite), but rather use smaller deli cups w/perlite or vermiculite in them and eggs in the container.

If you go the aquarium route, I think I remember someone mentioning humidity levels, so make sure you keep an eye on them.
 
ok thanks for the help, im gonna do a little more research on the hovabator and then see where it leads me. Also, if I were to breed, are leopard geckos of enough demand that I (most likely) wouldn't have to ship when selling the hatchlings? I've shipped with snakes and its really stressful but i don't know how many people are in the leopard gecko trade yet. I just don't want to have to give them to some petstore to sell that won't pay me for them or take good care of them.
 
I've shipped with snakes and its really stressful but i don't know how many people are in the leopard gecko trade yet. I just don't want to have to give them to some petstore to sell that won't pay me for them or take good care of them.
Click to expand...

Excellent observations for a relative newcomer! :cool:
 
I use a styrofoam box. I use a Tronic 50 watt heater which are very reliable and thermostatically controlled. I have actuall had steadier temps than my friend who has a hovabator. I think the key is to get a good heater. I have had about 12 years experience with fish before getting into reptiles, about 8 in saltwater, and have found tronics to be great heaters. Go to www.bigalsonline.com for good heater prices. If you don't mind spending the money the hagen titanium heaters are great for larger set ups. I just have a large box I made out of egg crate (electrical egg crate) that I set the deli cups on, about 1 inch above the water. I have had 100% hatch rate since I started this method last season. Works for me!
 
Also, if your just breeding a few a year, its not too hard to get rid of them locally. Don't expect much out of them though. I used to trade a lot, for playstations or DVDs and things like that, especially around X-mas. In CA it shouldn't be too tough either I wouldn't think. Seems to have a much larger herp community than here. Thank you,

Roger
Infinte Scales
 
who are you?

surfrkidts, it would be great to know who you are! Click on the User CP tab at the top of the page, and there's a place to enter you enter your full name in your signature. If one of the moderators finds you posting without your name, they'll issue warnings and points.
 
Sorry, i didn't mean to be anonymous. Anyways, i couldn't find the signature thing unless I fixed it on accident, but my name is Tyler Smith and I am located in Newport Beach, CA.
 
Golden Gate Geckos said:
If one of the moderators finds you posting without
your name, they'll issue warnings and points.
Click to expand...
Isn't this only true for the BOI?
 
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