Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm in need of a incubator because I've been seeing alot of breeding from my pasetl. Instead of buying one I'd like to build one out of a cooler or something of the sort. Does anyone know of a site with instructions on building one out of a cooler or really anything?
Thanks for the help,
Blake Deffenbaugh

Req'd items: ice chest, plastic hardware cloth, 20oz water bottles, flexwatt, thermostat, silicone caulk, duct tape.

1. Line the bottom of the cooler with flexwatt, and drill a hole for the power cord and thermostat probe to pass thru, seal opening with silicone caulk.

2. Cut the plastic hardware cloth to size, and cover the entire bottom to protect the heat tape.

3. Line the hardware cloth with filled water bottles (stored heat energy) laid on their side. Tape the thermostat probe securely to a bottle near the center of the cooler.

4. Place another layer of hardware cloth on top of the bottles. This surface is the new floor of the incubator. Now you can put your eggs in rubbermaids and place them here.

Hope that helps.
-----
0.1 CB 2005 Normal Ball Python @ 24"/255g

Thanks I might use that one actually. Seems easy to make. Whats the "plastic hardware cloth" thow? I'm not sure what that is. Thanks alot for the instructions again.

Blake Deffenbaugh

this is what i meant by hardware cloth

http://www.kingsnake.com/salceies/400/Incubators/fans_installed_2.jpg
-----
0.1 CB 2005 Normal Ball Python @ 24"/255g

Your gonna get condensation building up on the inside of that ice chest and by lining the bottom of the ice chest with flexwatt, wouldn't it be laying IN the water when that condensation drains down the sides of the chest to pool on the bottom? The plastic hardware cloth wouldn't keep water out. Wouldn't it short out then? I think you would want to drill some holes for a way that the water can drain away instead of collecting on the bottom of the ice chest? And maybe raise the heat tape off the bottom slightly in case the holes get plugged?

Mark

>>Req'd items: ice chest, plastic hardware cloth, 20oz water bottles, flexwatt, thermostat, silicone caulk, duct tape.
>>
>>1. Line the bottom of the cooler with flexwatt, and drill a hole for the power cord and thermostat probe to pass thru, seal opening with silicone caulk.
>>
>>2. Cut the plastic hardware cloth to size, and cover the entire bottom to protect the heat tape.
>>
>>3. Line the hardware cloth with filled water bottles (stored heat energy) laid on their side. Tape the thermostat probe securely to a bottle near the center of the cooler.
>>
>>4. Place another layer of hardware cloth on top of the bottles. This surface is the new floor of the incubator. Now you can put your eggs in rubbermaids and place them here.
>>
>>Hope that helps.
>>-----
>>0.1 CB 2005 Normal Ball Python @ 24"/255g

Here is a link to one I plan to build in the next couple weeks. I've not built it yet~ so I can't say if it's easy or not~ but doesn't look that difficult~
Icechest Incubator

-----
Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

Cool I'll have to go threw and read that too. Its long and its getin late lol got work in the mornin.
Thanks alot,
Blake Deffenbaugh

Nice link Cheryl, thanks for posting it. I'll have to try making one of those too. Looks like a nice unit.

Mark

>>Here is a link to one I plan to build in the next couple weeks. I've not built it yet~ so I can't say if it's easy or not~ but doesn't look that difficult~
>>Icechest Incubator
>>
>>-----
>>Cheryl Marchek
>>AKA JM
>>Check out my website at:
>> The Red Dragons Den

I saw this site and the steps to build a frig incubator. Seems like a good set up, but i havent tried it. Anyone have or have any opinions on it, for future ref?

http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/incubator.shtml
Link

-----
1.1 Normal Bps
1. 100% Het Albino
.1 Lemon Pastel

i dont have a site, but i saw one that seemed to work well last spring. it was built from a large rubbermaid storage bin. the person had lined the interior with styrofoam insulation, he had a 40 watt lightbulb inside set on a thermostat. on a ppiece of wood in the middle.
i am planning on doing a variation of this design, i got a styrofoam box from a grocery store, and i plan in running a heat tape on the inside, set on a thermostat.
basicaly your only concerns are heat and temperature regulation.
both are easily overcome.

i dont like the lightbulb idea because there is danger of electrical shock, or breaking the bulbs when you mist the incubator.
if you are only doing a small breeding project, hovabator incubators go for about 30$ from lll reptile, it would be less hassel.
if you are planning on a larger incubator, converting an old fridge might be the way to go. this would also provide for some handy racks for the eggs.
you would want to bring it in to a repair center, and ask them if they can reverse the flow on the pump so it heats the inside, basically the same idea as a heat pump., or you can just use the same principal as before, a heat source attached to a thermostat inside.

How well does the melamine insulate?
-----
Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

Thanks alot for everyones posts. I think the one I will end up useing for the time is this one http://www.familyzoo.us/how_to_build_an_incubator.htm it seems good. Then I'll probably end up makeing a big one but for this season I think it will work fine sence I'll only be haveing around 5 clutches of eggs. Let me know what you think about it or where it can be improved.

Thanks alot guys,
Blake Deffenbaugh