Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I built this in 1998 and it's been going strong ever since. I made one change to the way the heat type is mounted but other than that it's kept a perfect temperature 24 hours a day and has never failed me.
Parts:
* 1 melamine cabinet from home depot. If you can cut your own wood you'll save a bunch of money.
* flex watt heat tape. I think I used about 8 feet.
* styrofoam insulation (optional)
* wooden board to wrap heat tape around
* thermostat of your choice. I used a helix dbs-1000

Wrap the heat tape or cord around the wood as shown and mount under the shelf at an angle. Cut a 2 inch gap off the back of the shelf to allow the heat to raise behind it.Insulate the inside of the box with styrofoam. plug the heat tape into the thermostat and set the temp. I tested this from 75 degrees to 100 degrees and it keeps a perfect temp every step of the way. I use the main area for my python eggs and the drawer on top stays warm enough for my colubrid eggs. You can use wire shelving if you want to add different levels. The way pictured works fine for me. Once its been on for a while the shelf doesn't heat up more that the set temp so I've never had a problem cooking eggs.

pic of inside

heat source

Interesting design. Though I can't see how it would function any better than a hovabator, aside from being larger that is. It's basically just a box with a heat source. I'd sooner use my kid's Easy-Bake Oven. It would probably work as well, plus you can bake some mean brownies in that thing...

Ask anyone who has produced a lot of eggs which one they would rather use. Hovabators use a wafer thermostat that is constantly out of adjustment requiring turns of a screw to calibrate it. Turn too much or too little or in the wrong direction and you may have poached eggs. Also, the heat source in a hovabator is way to close to the eggs. I have used one and hatched some bearded dragon eggs in it, but I was always calibrating it. Others I know had the same problem. If you have a large incubator the heat isn't as direct and with a digital pulse proportional thermostat you never have to worry about the temps. It doesn't heat up and turn off and heat up again. Its always on sending pulses of electricity to keep a constant temp without fluctuations. Set a helix once and you're done. Even if you unplug it for a couple years it's still set right where you left it. If I had a clutch of diamond eggs I wouldn't trust a $40 chicken egg incubator hoping to hatch several thousands of dollars in eggs.

Thanks Joe, I was trying to find some negatives with the hova-bators, I knew they were out there somewhere. I lost my first clutch of 20 last year, and I made me sick. Beginners Bad Luck. Anyways, it wont happen again, you gave me some really good ideas. Just one question, concerning humidity, how do you regulate it? Any special techniques? Or just a cup of water? Thanks again, Brad

If you add enough water to the vermiculite or perlite in the beginning and you're using a covered plastic shoebox with small air holes in it that you may only need to add a little water half way through incubating. If you put the eggs on dry vermicuite and put that box in another closed box that has an inch or two of water than you're fine all the way through. I've never had to keep a bowl of water in the incubator. I'm no pro, I just ask a lot of questions. Feel free to email me if you need any help.