Pics of homemade incubator

[Serpwidgets]

For those who are thinking of building their own incubators based on the heated water design. The other example is an aquarium with a couple of bricks. Here's my incarnation.

As you can see on the price tag, the plastic main house cost only $5. The submersible aquarium heater was $14. The little submersible water pump was about $5. The Radio Shack thermometer was about $15, but I don't just use it for the incubator... and everyone should have a decent thermometer.

 

[Simon]

nice and cheap!
But then I just got myself an incubator a month ago...........haha but the stupid thing is that....I don't have any eggs at all.....infact no breeding yet....
hahaa

Good luck and Happy Herping!

 

[Kevin M]

Thanks for the pics Serp. Up untill this year my 3 hovabators were good enough but I'm quickly finding out that this year i just need, well, more. With instructions and a decent pic to go by I should be able to remedy that problem quickfast this year.

One question though. I do noticwe that you use a deep tub. Is this for any reason? Sure seems like alot of dead height space. Could I get the same results using a comparable sized container, Just with a lower height?

Thanks,
-Kev

 

[Serpwidgets]

One question though. I do noticwe that you use a deep tub. Is this for any reason? Sure seems like alot of dead height space. Could I get the same results using a comparable sized container, Just with a lower height?

I can fit 4 clutches in this one, which is how many females I have. I should probably get smaller containers cuz they're way bigger than the clutches.

I've noticed that it's a few degrees warmer on the bottom than the top. Last year when I had more than two clutches at a time, I rotated the clutches twice a day. I'm thinking of putting in a small DC fan (like the kind inside PCs) to better circulate the air inside and even out the temps so I can be lazy this year.

 

[Kevin M]

4 clutches? Hmm. Maybe I pack my eggs to close together because I can get 3 sometimes 4 clutches of corns in a hovabator? I somehow thought your incubator would hold more?
Either way Id rather make my own than use a hovabator

I've noticed that it's a few degrees warmer on the bottom than the top. Last year when I had more than two clutches at a time, I rotated the clutches twice a day. I'm thinking of putting in a small DC fan (like the kind inside PCs) to better circulate the air inside and even out the temps so I can be lazy this year.

Warmer on the bottom rather than the top? Well there's a reversal of scientific reasoning. heh.

Thanks again Serp. I'll experiment a bit with some lower containers and let you know how it goes.

-Kev

 

[andys999]

Lids on tubs

Hi Serp

In my hovabator I use lids on the tubs to keep up the humidity in with the eggs.

Obviously with your method you don't need lids on the tubs because the humidity is so high anyway - correct??

Also - Do you use a seperate themostat to control temps or do you rely on the aquarium heater / stat to keep it steady?

btw what are the white plastic things you are using to stand the eggs on? are they some sort of plant pot?

Andy

 

[Serpwidgets]

A few more things:

1. The first one I built I used the box SerpenCo had shipped in. The styrofoam box was so well insulated that the temps got way over 120F because the water would hold so much energy that would then overheat the air. I went to this design because the heat could escape through the plastic sides easier, so I needed less circulation to keep the temps within range.
2. I use lids set loosely on top of the eggboxes so that water condensation on the lid doesn't drip directly into the eggboxes when I open up the incubator.
3. When adding water, which has to be done a couple times a week because of evaporation, your temps will fluctuate if you add hot or cold water. Hot water will obviously be worse, especially since it can be extremely hot coming from the tap. I used to sit there with the thermometer probe getting it to 82 degrees out of the tap, but "not hot and not cold" works totally fine.
4. I should probably get another aquarium heater, but the one seems to do just fine. I only use that as the controlling factor. Since it is slow to heat everything, it would take 2 or 3 days to get up to the "dangerous" temperature ranges. That's probably the best reason I shouldn't get two...what if they both malfunction?
5. I may have mentioned this before, but I tested floating the egg containers directly on the water. Apart from the paranoia that they'd magically sink, I also discovered that the heat transfers WAY too efficiently from the water into the container (especially if it has a lid) since the water was 84 degrees and the container was a scorching 125 inside!
6. The little white plastic things--which the egg containers are resting on top of--were bought for $79 or something for each 4-pack. They were in the office supplies type section in my local BigLots (cheapo outlet store) which is where I also got the tupperware. Bricks, plastic, screen, whatever keeps the eggs off the surface of the water.
7. Last year I also experimented with a large piece of styrofoam that covered all but the edges of the container. This lowered the temperature gradient between the upper and lower eggboxes because the heat had to come up around the sides and disperse from there, instead of mostly being sucked up by the boxes on the bottom.
8. Also check the new thread I'm going to post about an incubator incident. I think it deserves a separate thread so that people using all kinds of incubators will be aware of it.

 

[Hurley]

Re: A few more things:

...water was 84 degrees and the container was a scorching 125 inside!

Whoa. That's a bit of a difference. I wonder if it'd work utilizing a screen-type lid to let off the excess heat.

[*]The little white plastic things were bought for $79 or something for each 4-pack.

Man, I hope that was supposed to be $0.79 or something.

 

[Serpwidgets]

79 cents? Yeah, that too.

 

[andys999]

Seperate thermostat

I've never tried this type of incubator before - but will probably need to do so in the next few weeks if things go to plan as I have several aquarium heaters lying around doing nothing that could be put to good use.

I do recall reading somewhere about a similar setup but using a seperate thermostat (mat stat or pulse stat or similar).

In this method the sensor was placed inside the egg tub and was supposed to be very efficient.

Anyone ever tried this method??

Andy

 

[Matt L]

What about the pump?

Serp,

I assume the pump circulates the water for even temp distribution.
Where did you find it? FYI: The local Walmart had a nice selection of digital therm. I found one that reads both temp and humidity.

 

[Serpwidgets]

Re: What about the pump?

I assume the pump circulates the water for even temp distribution.

Precisely. I got it at PetSmart, I think.

 

[CowBoyWay]

Ebo Jager submersible aquarium heaters

This heater is the most durable and accurate heater on the market.
I've read in newsgroups of decades of steady relable use and they haven't failed yet type stories with this accurate "incubator heater".

Minute adjustments to temperature are possible with these highly refined instruments.
The heaters do not vary more than 1° F. , actually less, = a very accurate consistent heat source.

Boasts 2 mm thick shock-resistant glass. All Ebo-Jager aquarium heaters have a 6' double insulated cord. Overbuilt to last.
Ebo Jager has over 50 years of experience manufacturing high quality aquarium heaters.
They (ebo-Jager) has sold millions and millions of these over the years and many long term aquarum fanciers wouldn't consider using any other brand = many Loyal Customers, myself included.

I use these for a reliable heating source for "double boiler" type, tub in a tub, "Baby birdie Brooder boxes" for the hand fed baby pacific parrotlets that I raise.
Brooder = Incubator
The tubs are twistie wire tied together to snug up the tubs , as to have the water run up the side walls of the inside tub as to radiate heat and provide a even ambient temperature.
Top off water daily or as needed.
I use a thick beach towel tossed over the lid top and sides of the tubs to provide a insulation factor to help in providing a consistent bottom to top, toe to beak, overall ambient temperature in the brooder box.

An Insulated ice chest with a suitably sized plastic tub insert should work dandy.
A Styrofoam chest would keep it inexpensive.
An angled drip shield and/or covered egg incubation tubs with side ventilatilation/humidity control (holes) could be used to prevent condensation droplets from dropping on eggs, if that's a problem in ones design.

Two lesser wattage heaters,
(a couple of 25's or fifty watters,even hundred watters depending on size of incubator, tubs)
could be used to make your system double redundant, fail safe...one at each end and eliminating (or not) the water circulation pump would simplify design slightly and probably lower the cost of assembly.
Submersible low end water pumps start about $20U.S. on up real fast where I've shopped. Submersible pumps can generate heat from the friction of their motors running and may possibly be the cause of the high temps. in the above original post if its not a defective submersible heater.

I paid about 12-13 dollars U.S. last year for little 25 watt units, 50 watters were under 18- 20 bucks or so delivered, if I remember right.

When you absolutely, positively, have to have a reliable submersible heat source for your homemade "Corn Snake egg incubator" I highly recommend that one uses an Ebo-Jager submersible heater.
I've used these for years and have never had one fail yet.

They can sometimes be hard to find in stores, but I've found them/ordered them in at a great discounted price, 30-40 % off retail, over at yahoo shopping.

 

[pipatic]

i use a 3ft x15x15 viv,
with heat mat on the bottom,connected to themostate,
an old fridge shelf bent to shape to lift the egg layin box/tubs of the heatmat by 2inches,
then an in /out themonitor with the sensor placed inside one of the egg tubs ,
and a small tub of water is kept in the viv to aid humidity

 

[CornCrazy]

i use a 3ft x15x15 viv,
with heat mat on the bottom,connected to themostate,
an old fridge shelf bent to shape to lift the egg layin box/tubs of the heatmat by 2inches,
then an in /out themonitor with the sensor placed inside one of the egg tubs ,
and a small tub of water is kept in the viv to aid humidity

Is is a glass viv? What kind of lid do you use on it to keep the humidity in?

 

[pipatic]

hi ya corncrazy
its a wood viv with glass door,