? on hovabator

[reptileguy]

I recently bought a hovabator from someone, but it didn't come with any instructions....can anyone help me out with the details on it...it has a small fan on it too if that helps... i think my cham is going to lay her eggs this week and I wanted to make sure everything is good to go by testing it out. So i pretty much need the help on how to use it, it came with 2 big bags of hatchrite and the some dishes to put the eggs into...thanks for the help

 

[Dean Pulcini]

Plug it in and monitor to the temperature for several days and make sure it stays where you want it to be. I don't use the one with the fan they say it drys out the substrate faster. You adjust the temp buy turning the key at the top. Once you reach the temp you want tighten the wing nut.

 

[reptileguy]

thanks and will give that a try.....is that hatchrite alright to use or should i use something else/?

 

[reptileguy]

also what should the temp and the humidity stay at??

 

[Dean Pulcini]

Put the eggs in the plastic cup's with two to three inches of substrate that will take care of the humidity, if the hatch right is still wet. I incubate my panther eggs at 75 if the temp drops at night do worry about it.

 

[SoCaliSon]

I was told with my hatchrite that you did not have to add moisture, My humidity stayed high, But I lost 43 out of 46 eggs over 3 months, they dried up, collapsed on themselves, and molded over after about 2 weeks of being collapsed. I was told after this that moisture should still be added when incubating Cham eggs. I have heard great things about Hatchrite... I am just yet to experiene these great things myself.

Granted there could be other factors that affected the eggs other than the Hatchrite. I have a feeling my male was not as fertile as he could have been as he passed 2 months after the mating.

 

[KCcham]

Put the eggs in the plastic cup's with two to three inches of substrate that will take care of the humidity, if the hatch right is still wet. I incubate my panther eggs at 75 if the temp drops at night do worry about it.

Did you mean do NOT worry about it if it drops at night? Or does it need to stay at 75 all the time?

 

[reptileguy]

yea that was my question too, also, I do or do not keep the substrate moist.....even though i put water in the bottom of the hovabator in the reservoirs.

 

[HarleyGirl]

what about humidity? what should that be at?

 

[millionsofchameleons]

dont worry about humidity. the hatchrite will provide the proper amount, make sure that there is only one hole in ur deli cup other wise the hatchrite will dry out , which it can and will. the hatchrite says you dont have to add water but that doesnt account for long incubation times. the hatchrite has little water crystals that hold the water, if you cant see them then they are dried up and you will need to add water to it.

 

[Dean Pulcini]

I use coarse grade vermiculite and during the incubation process I have to add water once or twice until they hatch. Even with the incubator you might get a temperature drop if the house gets cold I don't worry about that as long as its not a huge drop. Also the same thing will happen if it gets hot the temp will rise in the incubator so you have to check it once in awhile. I use a digital thermometer and put the prob in one of the holes this way I don't have to keep opening the top. Adding water to the bottom of the incubator itself is useless because the eggs are in plastic cups.

 

[HarleyGirl]

dont worry about humidity. the hatchrite will provide the proper amount, make sure that there is only one hole in ur deli cup other wise the hatchrite will dry out , which it can and will. the hatchrite says you dont have to add water but that doesnt account for long incubation times. the hatchrite has little water crystals that hold the water, if you cant see them then they are dried up and you will need to add water to it.

i was told to use vermiculite. what are the instructions if i use that? does it have to be as deep as 2 to 3 inches? or can it be more like 1 to 2 inches?

 

[HarleyGirl]

dont worry about humidity. the hatchrite will provide the proper amount, make sure that there is only one hole in ur deli cup other wise the hatchrite will dry out , which it can and will. the hatchrite says you dont have to add water but that doesnt account for long incubation times. the hatchrite has little water crystals that hold the water, if you cant see them then they are dried up and you will need to add water to it.

i thought you are not suppose to add water near the eggs at all or you might get them wet?

 

[reptileguy]

also, i cant get the temp of the hovabator to go below 80-85.....will that be alright for veilds

 

[Brad Ramsey]

That is too high.
Personally, I would ditch the incubator and put the eggs in a plastic shoebox in the closet.
temps ranging from 67 to 76 degrees would be ideal and some fluctuation within those temperatures is fine.
Temperatures closer to the 76 degree mark during the last few months would (in my opinion) be beneficial.

-Brad

 

[BigBlue]

Brad has hit the nail on the head, ditch the incubator you don't need it unless your hatching geckos. I place the deli cups on a top shelf in my reptile room and have had 100% hatch rate (30/30) on my last batch. I used moistened vermiculite and found that I didn't have to add any water the entire time.

 

[ciafardo 4]

hey dean you are so rite about the fan i removed mine not because it dryed them out but it kept bringing the temp up to high as far as shoe box in a closet winter time its way to cold in the closet if you live in the northeast

 

[millionsofchameleons]

i thought you are not suppose to add water near the eggs at all or you might get them wet?

you can add water to the surrounding areas. just dont let water touch eggs.

http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=111

heres info about eggs and fixing dehydrated eggs.

 

[reptileguy]

yea i probably will just put them in a container on the shelf....i have been fidgiting with this incubator for a week now, and just can't get it where I want it to be......i have some old country crock tubs I can use.....so vermiculite...not hatchrite....or would hatchrite be alright to use??