Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Back when I got my beardie last summer, the breeder was hatching the eggs inside a styrafoam cooler. I remember she had
a water heater like one found in a fish tank in a litre of water and she was using styrofoam egg cartons to house the eggs. Does anyone have more indepth directions as to how to set one of these up? You suggestions/help is much appreciated.

Personally, I don't think it's worth fooling around with home made incubators when manufactured ones are available so cheap. Here is the one I use.

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Hovabator-Incubators;jsessionid=0a0101421f439aa15d2fb83b4affac8ec6023b7d10ed.e3eSc3iSaN0Le34Pa38Ta38Pbxf0?sc=2&category=28

Don't get the turbofan one. They are also available from lllreptile (where I got mine) at possibly less, but their site is down for maintenance this am.

just Google Styrofoam incubator and you will find many DIY sites explaining how to set one up. To be honest, by the time you buy all the things you need, it is not any cheaper than buying a hova bator. Only real time its better to make your own incubator is if you need room for many clutches, then building a fridge size incubator or large cooler is good.

Another thing to consider is Styrofoam is bad for developing leaks, so having water in the bottom of it is bound to result in a leak (I have bought Styrofoam coolers for camping and had them leak all over the place due to improperly formed foam or something). But really, any appropriately sized (to your needs) container, a heater, thermostat and a spot to put eggs (shelves to set the containers in) which holds humility well, will work for an incubator. Could make one out of a plastic storage bin, heat cord (less likely to get too hot, and can be controlled with a simple simmer switch or rheostat setup) a metal tub of water (ie aluminum loaf tray) and some plastic mesh setup as shelves, will work. Course a storage tray be better if its more insulated but you can buy a roll of aluminum insulating wrap, or line with the dense foam sheets used for insulation or packaging.
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PHLdyPayne

If you are only breeding one female, a havobator or two would probably be fine.

If you are breeding more dragons it is pretty easy to build one out of an old fridge/freezer. Gut it, hook up a heat source(heat tape, red light, ceramic heat emitter, etc), and a thermostat and you are set.