Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been wanting to get a good incubator for my cornsnake eggs and leopard gecko eggs. I have found two that look identical, that I like. I was wondering if anyone uses one of these and if so how they liked it. I would also like to know what incubators everyone uses and what they think is the best one? I would appreciate any feedback.

Here are the two I found:

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/reptile-incubators/-/lllreptile-pro-mr148-incubator/

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Accu-Temp-6000-Reptile-Incubator-Digital-Reptile-Incubator
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.2 Colombian Redtails
0.1 Striped Colombian Redtail
1.0 Hypo Colombian Redtail
0.1 Hogg Island Redtail
1.3.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa
1.1 Mexican Rosy Boas
2.0 Ball Pythons
0.0.1 Banded kingsnake
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
3.0 Bearded Dragons
3.0 Leopard Geckos
0.2 Snow Leopard Geckos
0.0.5 Sulcatas
and lots of fish

I stopped using an incubator a couple of years ago, but.. the 2 units you posted both seem fine. Although, i think they are a little bit small (one of them is 13x15x19) and that's outside measurements! That really does not leave you much room inside?? I would go with something bigger?

~ Mike Russo

Mike-- how are you getting your eggs to hatch without an incubator? What kind of set up do you use? Just curious. --Tom

I used to incubate at 82 degrees, just like the books tell you to do.. But mostly through suggestions from friends, i lowered my temps a few degrees every year and each year and my hatch rates increased... So, a few of years ago i decided to not use an incubator with a few of my clutches and things went very well, so now i don't bother using an incubator any longer.

My herp room stays at about 72-74 degrees, and i just keep my egg boxes up on a shelf.. Although Incubating at lower temp has increased my incubation time about 10 to 12 days (and sometimes longer) , my hatch rates are much better, i get larger hatchlings right out of the egg, and overall i am seeing less kinks and deformed babies as well.

~ Mike Russo

Mike - wow, that's amazing. I would have thought that 72-74 F was too cool for successful incubation. But your results prove that notion to be wrong! Perhaps the lowered metabolic rates at those temps are responsible for a greater proportion of the energy resources in the egg going into actually "building" the embryo. Have you ever come across any scientific papers based on field monitoring of the the temperatures in natural nesting sites selected by wild king snakes? -- Tom

I am sure there are papers on this subject, but have not come across any personally..
I lowered my temps a little bit each season on the suggestion of friends..

~ Mike Russo

Tom,.......

But keep in mind though, he is likely using a very high shelf to put the egg containers on(as many do). The temperature gets higher even in an air conditioned room the higher you go, and vice-versa. Many people use different rack elevations for specific snakes they have too depending on their optimum needs. The temp between the floor and the ceiling is a substantial difference.

This same line of thought can be used for breeding males in a warmer than optimum room too. To help ensure the viability of sperm, it isn't a bad idea to place males lower to the ground if this is a concern because of the warmer temps some are kept in(a warm garage for example).

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Mike,Are you noticing any change as far as male/female ratios since dropping to the lower temps?

My ratios are about the same..

~ Mike Russo

Guys,

I keep my herp room at 76-77degrees... NOT 72!!

Sorry about the typo!!!!

~ Mike Russo

Thanks, Mike. That's more like it. I had read about corn snake eggs being incubated at 72, which resulted in long hatch times and weak hatchlings that had trouble emerging from the eggs. I do know some folks who set their incubators at 78-80 rather than 82-83. -- Tom

Whatever Mike says, do.

before you buy one of those do a search here in the forums and read some of the horror stories. Also read how many here dont use them and have great results.
Years ago I went over to my snake buddys house and he showed me his setup.It was a 5 gallon bucket with some damp dirt in it and a few clutches of eggs.I think he had it covered with a piece of wood or a book.This guy has been doing this for 30 years with fine results. Think about it , they dont have incubator in the field.His temps were mid 70s so they took longer to hatch but were bigger. Bigger hatchlings mean easier to feed
Good Luck
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wake me when its april

Doug L