# Incubator set-up help



## ZEROPILOT (Mar 20, 2015)

I'm getting a little ahead of myself here with NO eggs and all...But I have a styrofoam "chicken egg" incubator with a window on top and an adjustable thermostat. I'd like to use it some day. It has a digital thermometer with a probe. I will ad a digital humidity gauge. would I use vermaculite ?(spelling) How to situate the eggs and what heat and humidity? 
Redfoot tortoises.


----------



## HLogic (Mar 20, 2015)

Vermiculite:water in a 1:1 ratio by weight. 85 - 86° F for ~120 days = tortlettes. Allow your incubator to stabilize for several days before putting eggs in it.


----------



## ZEROPILOT (Mar 20, 2015)

1 to 1 is a lot of water. Do I need to add as the humidity drops?


----------



## HLogic (Mar 20, 2015)

I keep mine in closed containers so I don't add water because there is no loss.


----------



## Tom (Mar 20, 2015)

ZEROPILOT said:


> 1 to 1 is a lot of water. Do I need to add as the humidity drops?



1 to 1 by weight. Not volume. So 300 grams of vermiculite to 300 grams of water. Its actually very little water since water is so heavy compared to vermiculite.


----------



## ZEROPILOT (Mar 20, 2015)

Thanks for the clarification.


----------



## allegraf (Mar 26, 2015)

I incubate at 84-85F and get a range of sexes. The torts take a bit longer to hatch but it is worth avoiding any potential split scutes. Many incubate at higher temps with no problem. I spray the eggs every few days, I am a bit less strict with the whole process, I use the little windows to gauge whether there is enough moisture in the incubator. If I can see the condensation on the little windows, then there is enough humidity. It is all a painful exercise in patience, you can't wait for them to hatch and then it seems like they all start hatching at one time!


----------

