Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wandering what was the easiest way to make an incubator. Also is it too late to start breeding box turtles?

thanks

Styrofoam cooler from Walmart. $1.99
Aquarium heater from Petsmart $11.99
critter keeper from Walmart $4.00
Schultz vermiculite from nursery $3.99

Results in 64 days.....PRICELESS

I have used this homemade incubator for two years, this summer being the third, and it has worked so well that I don't even think about buying a professional incubator anymore.

I use a styrofoam cooler, put water in it (enough to cover whatever aquarium heater you have, I bought a submersible one this year so I wouldn't have to have the water level as high). I put the container holding the eggs(partially buried in vermiculite in critter keeper) on bricks and I make sure the egg container is above the water level (so it doesn't float). Put the aquarium heater in the water and start measuring the water temp. I usually keep a meat thermometer stuck in the vermiculite of one of the egg containers. I used to keep saran wrap over the egg containers, but this method keeps the humidity high enough that you don't really need to. I think I took it off last year after the eggs had been in awhile. I've still got in on the eggs I've gotten so far because, they were laid last week and I haven't gotten the incubator completely set up yet, so they're at about 75 degrees in my wet bar right now. Many people do incubate at room temperature without an incubator, but you've got to have an area in your house that stays at least in the mid 70s and you really have to make sure the eggs stay humid enough.

Is it too late to breed? I really don't know. If you have a pair, put them together and see what happens. Mine have laid as late as July and its usually 2-4 weeks after mating, so I would think it is possible.

the most simple way is to buy a hovabator (the simple basic model, not the turbofan), set it up for a few days to adjust the temperature properly, then put the eggs in deli cups with vermiculite and lids (cups have holes in them) and keep the vermiculite moist (the cups keep the incubator from drying out the vermiculite and eggs).

You can incubate them without an incubator, however. This will be my first year with an incubator for box turtles, (hovabator was about 30 bucks). In previous years I have done one of two things:

1) filled a large plant pot with soil, moved eggs from nests into the soil of the pot in same position as nests, left it outdoors near where the nests were laid, close to hatching time (or when first one surfaces) I move it inside. Keep a screen or chickenwire lid on it to protect that first hatchling.

2) get lots of small gladware containers, put in several inches of moistened vermiculite, half bury the eggs in it, set on top of fridge and moisten every few days. Set house thermostat to about 78, making temp on top of fridge about 80.

And as per your other question... box turtles will often mate out of season if they are moved and stressed about and then penned in a large outdoor pen set up comfortably. I'd guess they are releaved to have a healthy new environment and the boys just get the urges. Most often this won't result in eggs soon, but the fertilization will have the same effect for spring laying. Occasionally they will lay eggs out of season, though.