Anybody ever used this for their incubator? I like how it ca be and incubator/hibernation fridge at the same time!!! Sounds freaking awesome to me... Was going to build a new incubator but I'm like this a lot but can't seem to find any reviews...
Digital Exo-Terra Reptile Egg Thermoelectric Breeding Incubator LED Indicator
- Thread starter Jlant85
- Start date
I had one similar to that (I can't remember the brand name), and I didn't like it. I never could get the inside temperature to match the digital reading on the outside of it.
Ugg...Thanks @Yvonne G for the input. My already homemade (Styrofoam box, 75watt bulb and a hydrofarm for temperature control) incubator works totally fine but i wanted something a little nicer. Was going to build another incubator using a wine fridge and since I initially planned to go all out, I wanted to use the herpstat1 by Spyder Robotic... after doing all the research, its going to cost me a total of $175... the temp control is whats killing me... When i saw this, i figure why build it if i can just purchase this one for about the same price.... ug so many options to think about...
@Yvonne G if you dont mind me asking, what product number did you get? I see that they came out w/ a new one hence the reason i kinda wanted to get one... The newer model came out last year product number PT2445....
Funny, I'm using an Exoterra thermoelectric to cook a batch of eggs Lady Gino laid sixteen days back. I've never particularly cared for my hovabator, given the limited space. That and I've been rather lazy about assembling my own homemade incubator. So anyway, as for the exoterra, it's okay. Yvonne is right. The temp inside the incubator never reads the same as it does on the digital readout. When I was testing it a month back, it always was two degrees off average with any digital thermometer I used. It was always three to five degrees off whenever I used the temp gun, but I figure this is due to the temperature change that occurs when I open the door to the thing. So, if it's two degrees off on most of the digital thermometers I've used, then a two or three degree drop at the opening of the door feels right to me. I'm kind of obsessed with temperature and humidity, and I always distrust thermometers, treating them like history books (i.e. if you read enough of 'em, you'll figure out the truth).
The fan on the thing seems to be less powerful than a computer cooling fan, given that the top of the incubator is always three degrees warmer than the bottom. But I don't know. When I've built my fridge incubator, I'll let you know if this is inevitable regardless of design. Given that I've only had the thing for a month, I can't tell you if it is reliable over the long term. However, one thing that did disappoint me was how small it is. I certainly couldn't brumate any of my gigantic margies in this little box, and if I brumated my Graecus in it, the box would have to be of such a size as to prevent him from turning around. So I think I'll stick with the full size fridge for any cooling related purposes. I honestly can't speak to the cooling feature, as I've not used it, but if it's anything like the other features on this thing, it probably wouldn't add up to much.
Ultimately, it isn't a big improvement on the hovabator, honestly. Though it does cost four times as much. The water tray in the bottom is totally worthless. I use one of those plastic blue containers used to sell mushrooms in the grocery store as my water container. Keeps the humidity right around ninety percent and doesn't suffer from significant evaporative loss for weeks. If you want my advice, don't waste your money, especially if you're getting good results from your homemade. Instead, invest that money in a bigger, better, more productive homemade.
T.G.
The fan on the thing seems to be less powerful than a computer cooling fan, given that the top of the incubator is always three degrees warmer than the bottom. But I don't know. When I've built my fridge incubator, I'll let you know if this is inevitable regardless of design. Given that I've only had the thing for a month, I can't tell you if it is reliable over the long term. However, one thing that did disappoint me was how small it is. I certainly couldn't brumate any of my gigantic margies in this little box, and if I brumated my Graecus in it, the box would have to be of such a size as to prevent him from turning around. So I think I'll stick with the full size fridge for any cooling related purposes. I honestly can't speak to the cooling feature, as I've not used it, but if it's anything like the other features on this thing, it probably wouldn't add up to much.
Ultimately, it isn't a big improvement on the hovabator, honestly. Though it does cost four times as much. The water tray in the bottom is totally worthless. I use one of those plastic blue containers used to sell mushrooms in the grocery store as my water container. Keeps the humidity right around ninety percent and doesn't suffer from significant evaporative loss for weeks. If you want my advice, don't waste your money, especially if you're getting good results from your homemade. Instead, invest that money in a bigger, better, more productive homemade.
T.G.
But hey, isn't it always the way? I swear, the overwhelming majority of reptile consumer products are still inferior to the ingenuity of the keepers. You'd figure that after all these years, some entrepreneur would actually try selling and patenting a competitive product. But I guess selling some junk will always be more profitable than manufacturing something that would actually go above and beyond expectation at a reasonable price.
T.G.
T.G.
@tglazie yeah i've decided to just make one. I'll stick w/ the method i've used before... Once i get some extra cash... ill buy the herpstat 1 for a more regulated temperature. I know its expensive but i really would love to have an incubator that is stable. The thermostat plays a huge part i believe. I was very successful w/ the hydrofarm thermostat but I want something more reliable. Im bout to purchase a wine fridge in a couple of days and the heat mat =)
