Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In the egg box like I here a lot say or the middle of the incubator.

If in the egg box doesn't that throw things off when the eggs start generating their own heat? Especially when you have eggs at different stages of development.

If the incubator is a walk in do you still stick it in the tub? How do you stick it in the tub and keep it air tight?

i here the pro's don't STICK IT in the tubs just in the incubator center and get great results.

opinions???????
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billy jean king
BugBusters

1st...If you're using only one egg box, then definitely put the probe in the egg box. If you have more than one egg box going, then its probably best to put the probe in the center of the incubator. If you're using a "walk-in" incubator, and using the very large "egg boxes" (Barkers use trash cans, others use styro shipping inserts), then the probe in the middle of the room is fine.

Keep in mind that eggs start to generate quite a bit of heat in the last week and a half or so...If the probe is outside of the egg box and the thermostat is set on say 89, it could be quite a bit higher inside the egg box (I've heard as many as 6-8 degrees or more). I'm a firm believer that this is the number one reason for the "full term dead in egg" syndrome that some folks have experienced from time to time.

On another note...you mentioned the probe making the egg box "not air tight". That's actually a bonus. Egg boxes should not be air tight. They should have a snug fitting lid, but should not be 100% sealed off from the outside air...

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billy jean king
BugBusters

>>In the egg box like I here a lot say or the middle of the incubator.

I put my probe inside the egg box. Towards the end of incubation, (I've heard) eggs generate more heat. (How much more, I don't know and never really checked. This might be interesting to know.) I don't worry too much about eggs at different stages. Temps are not absolute or set in stone. I set my temp to 91 (interestingly enough, they do not hatch any earlier than if I used 89). Once one egg box begins to pip, I move the probe to the next egg box. I have had no issues with overheating and my incubators are fairly consistent throughout.

I do not keep my egg boxes air tight. I also open each box once every 10-14 days and air out the egg box. I never put the probe in the air in the middle of the incubator. Air heats and cools at a much different rate than things like eggs and substrate.

>>i here the pro's don't STICK IT in the tubs just in the incubator center and get great results.

Kind of hard to put the probe in with the eggs when you have 200 clutches.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles