exo-terra incubator sucks -- update on the clutch

[Seeco]

my set up is one container first rack, one container second rack, large cup of room temp water on the bottom. ive monitored my temps for the last couple days now steadily, and its been consisitant. no spikes or drops.


the heat/cool one is the model i have. it works fine, just like all the other reviews ive read too, the temp stat is off.

Dude the incubator may very well be busted but even if you get a new one it must be full of water containers or wet material to stabilize the temperature. Not a cup of water. Additionally there is a gradient in these things so it may be warmer at the top and cooler at the bottom

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

Dude the incubator may very well be busted but even if you get a new one it must be full of water containers or wet material to stabilize the temperature. Not a cup of water. Additionally there is a gradient in these things so it may be warmer at the top and cooler at the bottom

ill go look through the warranty tomorrow.

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

in the meantime, i have put 4 more large cup of warm water in the incubator. thank you for the tip seeco, i have never seen that before but it's worth a try. it wont hurt im sure

 

[allencg101]

seeing that heat is about to be turned on again in apartments if you live in one just put the temp to that and do the closet process just make sure its that temp inside and like figg does way the containers once a month and add water ass needed in them till they get back to the weight it was when you first put them in there thats what i'm going to do when i get eggs again i can't waite!!!

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

oh allen, if it were only that reason. man, i wouldnt have spend 250$ if the closet method was available to me. heat or no heat, its impossible to do that here. i live with really stingy energy saving roomates... (parents)

 

[kinyonga]

I live in Ontario too and for over 20 years now I've used a people's heating pad (the kind with three heat settings) with a wooden and screen frame over it with shoebox sized tupperware type containers half full of coarse slightly moist vermiculite in them. Cost me about $50. to set up I would guess. I've hatched turtles/tortoises, coneheads, several species of geckos, quite a few species of chameleons, water dragons, etc., etc. using this set up. Temperatures fluctuate a couple of degrees with the room during the day and night....but I think they might do that in nature anyway.

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

thats a really cool DYI idea, thats great that it worked well so many times with you. as i agree, "nature's way knows best". but i have to state once again, that my house isnt insullated, litterally. that definitely takes a toll.

it's really no worries to me though guys, (as i am not too impressed with the incubator) i wanted to mate and incubate at least once for the experience. if it really came to it though, i would honestly be bitter-sweet if i lost the eggs.

not to mention, much has changed since kiwi got busy, also to the point where i am forced and have been downsizing my herps.
though it would be an amazing experience, and a blessing to have the neos hatch, it just seems that as it draws nearer and nearer, it becomes more of an overwhelming spot for me to be in.

maybe i just have the baby-blues guys

but either way, this is my one and only attempt of breeding for a very long time. few years at least. so the incubators going one way or another.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

How do you deal when your house temperature fluctuates?? Closet in winter = cold, closet in summer gets hot...???

In summer months my incubation containers go under a bed where temps stay in the 70-74 deg range.

In early November I move all my containers to an inner closet that isnt near any outside walls. All the containers go to a top shelf near the ceiling. Where temps stay in the 73-75 deg range.

Ive done alot of temp checking in these locations with digital thermometers to make sure of my temp ranges. The temps fluctuate a cpl of degrees but they would do so in nature also. I got better than 90% hatch rates out of three clutches this yr using this method.

I have a question for everyone using incubators. Do you see any reductions in incubation time? Or are you strictly using the incubator to control temps?
Also is it possible thru temps during incubation to manipulate sexes. (ie warmer temps = more males, cooler temps = more females)

 

[KatiLemons]

I live in Ontario too and for over 20 years now I've used a people's heating pad (the kind with three heat settings) with a wooden and screen frame over it with shoebox sized tupperware type containers half full of coarse slightly moist vermiculite in them. Cost me about $50. to set up I would guess. I've hatched turtles/tortoises, coneheads, several species of geckos, quite a few species of chameleons, water dragons, etc., etc. using this set up. Temperatures fluctuate a couple of degrees with the room during the day and night....but I think they might do that in nature anyway.

you should post a blog or thread on your DIY incubator. I am interested to see your setup.

 

[hbskeet]

I have been using the LLL incubator for awhile. Its pretty much the same thing as the exo-terra. I really havent had any problems. Yes, the temps it reads is never the exact temp. I keep a digital and analog thermometer on each level inside the incubator. My incubator seems to be off by about 2-3 degrees from the reading which is fine. Everytime I walk by I always take a glance at the temps just to make sure.

 

[Psi]

oh allen, if it were only that reason. man, i wouldnt have spend 250$ if the closet method was available to me. heat or no heat, its impossible to do that here. i live with really stingy energy saving roomates... (parents)

40$ Canadian tire space heater.
100$ Thermostat

Close Closet door.
yay babies