do any of you use a Hovabator

[ColleenT]

i am thinking of getting one if they work well. i have a very dry house(forced hot air/heat pump), and i am worried if i have eggs to care for they might dry out quickly, and i would feel better if i had an incubator that would help me regulate the temp and humidity. but i also don't want to spend the money if they don't work very well.

[reverendsterlin]

they are ok, need some tweeking for repitles but do well anyway

[Invictus]

Hovabators are usually designed for chicken eggs, which incubate at 95 degrees. I was going to rent one from a hatchery here in Alberta, and the guy was able to get it down to 84 without a problem. I don't know if their advantages outweigh the huge price tag on them though....

[reverendsterlin]

$65USD is a huge price tag?

[Invictus]

The ones I was looking at were $200 CDN, Rev.

[Youkai]

Holy crap...

I got mine in Edmonton for around $80.
There are two kinds. One is more expensive, and you can look through the whole top. But it has a fan that can dry out gecko eggs. I cut the wire to it, and the incubator works fine. I also have another one (the one I got for $80) I can get both quite low (78°F ish) and they have always worked well for me.

[ColleenT]

i was hoping they would get the nightime temps down to like 69 is that asking too much? do you think it would work for that? i would be willing to spend the $65 US funds if they actually work.

[Youkai]

They can only go as low as your room temperature. But if you were planning on incubating that low, you wouldn't need a hovabator...

[Wuntu Menny]

Hovabators are usually designed for chicken eggs

Nuff said!!

Why spend the $$ on something you're going to have to modify right away? You can easily build your own gecko incubator for the same price or less. Humidity is maintained constantly without having to replace water, and by cycling the heater off for a period at night, you can provide the night drop you desire.

WM

[ColleenT]

so would you please tell me how to do this? i have no idea how to make an incubator...

[Wuntu Menny]

I've got a file describing the setup I use, I'll see if I can attach it to a PM or email to you. At the last show we displayed at, we had a cutaway model showing the entire construction and printed handouts of the materials list and instructions. Some people actually took pix of the model to take with the handouts. It turned out to be a very popular display.

WM

[AnthonyC]

Put them on a shelf in your reptile room and be done with it. Here's my incubator...it cost about $1 and holds humidity great. lol

http://reptiles.drivennewmedia.com/geckos/crested_eggs_november03.jpg

[Wuntu Menny]

Man, you people that get away with shelf incubation drive me nuts! If I hear one more person say "I just put 'em in the kitchen cupboard and they hatch", I think I'm gonna hurl.

Don't get me wrong, more power to you. We just don't enjoy the same stability of climate to allow for this method.

WM

[chamitch]

there is a brand of hovabotor for reptiles. it has a switch to ajust teh temp. it is a bit mroe then the ones that are at a constant temp but not much. PM if u want one