Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A freind from work lent me a hovabator type incubator to use for my blackrat eggs.Has anyone in here ever used one before?Are there any specifics I should know about.Should I put water in the resorvoir at the bottom or would the moist vermiculite be sufficiant moisture?
I also have the option of buying the hovabator for only $20.It's new in the box with all hardware and has a nice full size viewing window on the top.I figure at $20 it's well worth it right?

I've used hovabators with pretty good success. You shouldn't need to put water in the bottom of the incubator. I usually put 1 or 2 pvc pipe caps (like 17 cents at home depot) filled w/ water in the egg container to keep the humidity up.
It's important to stabalize the temp in your hovabator before adding the eggs. Once it's set it seems to be pretty consistant but you'll want a digital thermometer to be able to easily check the temps. Make sure that the hovabator you're buying isn't the model w/ a fan...that one seems to dry eggs out. $20 is a very good price for a new one in the box.
I live in central FL so this year I'm just going to try incubating my colubrid eggs at room temp in a closet. Depending on the temps where you live, you might not have that luxury.
Good luck,
Chris

I have. I now use a Little Giant incubator. A little roomier because its' square, my Hovabator was round. Wish I lived in a warm enough place to put them on a shelf!