Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I am making one out of a mini-fridge. My question is...how important is the fan?
I used a meat cooler with heat tape last season and hatched 2 clutches with no problems. I was just wondering how "necessary" a fan was in an incubator.

Thanks in advance.
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

Chief:

I'm probably going to get some opposition on this, but I have never used a fan in my incubators and have been successfully hatching snakes eggs for about 15 years.

I think most people would say that having a fan helps to minimize the variation of temperature found in every incubator.

Good luck with your season.

Brian
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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

I have to agree with you. I have a fridge incubator and the variation from top to bottom isn't even a degree so I didn't put a fan in. It has stayed very consistant and I haven't had any problems.

A fan is only important if you are finding a significant variation in temperatures. I generally like to use them when building an incubator, but if you find that the variation between the opposite sides of your incubator is minimal you may elect not to use a fan.

One or two small PC fans inside the top of the fridge are cheap enough, easy to fit with a small transformer and can be used if you find that the temp is higher at the inside top of the fridge. The fan(s) will keep the warm air circulating and can be fitted inside the top of plastic piping fitted down the back corners, to ensure that the air is directed to the bottom of the incubator and not just displaced.