Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm working on building my own incubator out of an old wine cooler. anyone have any ideas as far as heating? i have a few small incubators, not sure if i could incorporate their heating elements into it or not. I've heard some use heat tape. Any suggestions?

I use them to brumate snakes in the winter then to incubate the eggs in summer. I just used a small section of heat tape under a shoebox full of water. The water keeps humidity up and also provides a heatsink. I don't think you need to use a fan in a winecooler as its small enough to keep an even temp.

Hope this helps.

the inside dimensions of this one are 22x24x33. i was hoping to avoid using heat tape, but if i have to i am not sure what width and length would be good in accordance to the size.

I think the incubation temps would dictate the Size/amount of heat-tape to use. I think heat-tape would work better but I know people have used lightbulbs mounted inside coolers to create the temps needed.

Nate

Be sure you even need heat, you might not. I would definitely have a fan to circulate the humid air. I believe stagnate air is an egg killer. Makes mold. Some wine coolers have a light bulb that you might be able to modify to provide the heat you need, or a place to wire some heat tape. I think you could get by with about a four inch piece of heat tape in a typical mini cooler. It doesn't take much to heat a little insulated box. You do not want to over do it. Post some pics though!

I always thought the fan was to keep the temps even in large fridge incubators? In the case of the fan wouldn't it just recycle the stagnent air already in the cooler? I realize its harder for mold to grow in circulating air but circulating drys eggs out? I have only hatched one clutch in that incubator, all others were left in a warm environment. Sphagnum moss is always good to keep mold down.
The above reasons are why I didn't use a fan and still had 100% hatch, it would be hard for me to switch.

Nate