Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have instructions for a homemade incubator? I did a search on yahoo and nothing really simple it was of fridges or complicated wiring. I can only do a ks search in old forums and pics and links dont work. I remember seeing instructions posted before for styrofoam fish box and I actually went and got one from pet store and still have it, I just cant find those instructions.

I don't have the instructions but I bet you'll find them on the net if you google "Aquarium Incubator"

You make it with an aquarium, some bricks and submersible aquarium heaters

However unless you have that stuff sitting around you're better off just getting a hovabator, thy are only $35-$40 or so. Get the still air model, not the turbo fan model. I have two, bought them both on eBay (new)
-----
Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

Or if you don't want to get on Ebay go to

www.lllreptile.com

I bought mine from there and it was only like $38.
-----
3.4.0 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
----------------------------------

Actually my first one was from there, but I got it from them on eBay for less than the price on their site
-----
Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

Building an Incubator
=====================

Copyright by Valerie Haecky. This document may be freely
distributed for non-profit use, provided this notice is
included.

Every year when it is the time of year when eggs are laid, people
ask for incubation methods. Here is what I use for my corn snake eggs.
I would use the same incubator for other reptile eggs, with the
appropriate adjustments for temperature. The humidity in this
incubator is almost 100%.

Ingredients:
5 or 10 gallon aquarium
Glass cover or other other air-proof cover for aquarium
Aquarium heater with thermostat
One or two bricks
Plastic shoebox (with lid) that fits into the aquarium
Bag of Vermiculite (TM)
Aquarium thermometer

Setup:
Put aquarium in a safe and undisturbed place.
Arrange bricks in aqurium to make pedestal for shoebox.
Add water to level of brick tops.
Install aquarium heater into aquarium.
Fill shoe box about halfway with a mixture of 1:10 or Water:Vermiculite;
blend well. Err on the dry side, not the wet side. You can always
add a bit more water.
Make small holes into the lid of the box.
Put thermometer into shoebox on top of Vermiculite.
Add eggs.
Close lid.
Place shoebox on bricks and cover the tank.
Turn on heater.
Adjust aquarium heater until desired temperature in the shoebox is
maintained.
Wait.

Just before hatching:
(Assuming it is summer and the room where the incubator is is at least
at room temperature.)
Turn heater off and remove heater and bricks.
Drain water.
Place newspaper at bottom and shoebox on top and a shallow water bowl next
to it.
Close up setup and wait for the miracle to happen.
Hatchlings can and will crawl out of the shoebox onto the newspaper.
Check box every few hours for hatchlings that need help.
Once all eggs have hatched, I remove the shoebox, add a hide place and
a heating pad (under 1/3 of the tank), and the nursery is complete.

Hints and Tricks:
* Check eggs every few days; this also ensures that there is enough
air.
* I put the lid on the shoebox slightly propped, so that if there
should be water drops, they will collect at one end of the box
where I don't put any eggs.
* I use filtered water to moisten the Vermiculite.
* I make a small square whole into the box so I can see the
thermometer without opening the lid.
* Note that you must keep the same side up at all times for turtle
eggs, or the eggs will die. Snake eggs can be turned.
* Handle eggs as little as possible to keep your germs away
from them.
* When removing the lid, be careful not to drip water on the eggs.
* When adjusting the temperature, check during the hottest time of
day. It is ok to err on the cool side! Eggs will just take a bit
longer to hatch.
* This incubator is also ant-proof!
* Instead of a lid on the shoebox, you can use Saran Wrap (TM) and
leave a small airgap on one side. That way you can see the eggs.
Make sure it is on tightly. If it sags and touches the eggs,
water will collect there and the eggs might get hurt.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Go To: Turtle Care Home Page
Page created by: cuora@pacbell.net
Changes last made on: Fri Dec 6 19:56:19 1996