Incubation

[DoubleD1996!]

I have a hovabator my parents bought me when I was in highschool for Christmas. It works great, but I wanted something better. Then I remembered this old fridge we had. I know I can gut it out and put in heat tape, but could I simply remove the compressor and plug the fridge into a thermostat?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

There are a few DIY videos I remember seeing on YOUTUBE.
I suggest giving them a look.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

I have a fridge with heat tape in it for my incubator. It works well though I find heat tap a bit of a pain and my incubator shocks me now and then because of it. I recently took a look at a friends incubator and he had radiant Heat panels top and bottom. Its was really slick and he said it has served him well. My next incubator will be with heat panels not heat tabs for sure.
Not sure I understand your question about removing the compressor and plugging it in. I’m not a refrigerant expert by any means but I cant see how removing the compressor would make it heat the fridge you will need to add a heater of some kind.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I have a fridge with heat tape in it for my incubator. It works well though I find heat tap a bit of a pain and my incubator shocks me now and then because of it. I recently took a look at a friends incubator and he had radiant Heat panels top and bottom. Its was really slick and he said it has served him well. My next incubator will be with heat panels not heat tabs for sure.
Not sure I understand your question about removing the compressor and plugging it in. I’m not a refrigerant expert by any means but I cant see how removing the compressor would make it heat the fridge you will need to add a heater of some kind.

That actually gives me and even better idea. I'm going to use heat cable, used for heating pipes in the winter and tape it to the edges with foil tape. Thanks

 

[Tom]

The Hovabator is a great way to go for smaller numbers of eggs.

Removing the compressor is not necessary, but I usually do it to save weight.

I've got no experience with heat cable, so I can't comment there, but I've never liked the heat tape and like NorCal tortoise guy, I've been shocked by it too. No thank you.

One thing that is a must is a digital proportional thermostat to control it. Standard $30 reptile thermostats will not maintain stable enough temperatures. I use the Helix brand and a friend of mine is using the Herpstat brand, which I will be trying next.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Yeah, I was simply going to get this and plug the fridge in it. Will this do?

 

[Tom]

Yeah, I was simply going to get this and plug the fridge in it. Will this do?

That is exactly the type that WON'T work. You'd have discovered this on your own when you set it up and tested it. Its an on/off switch. Fine for some applications, but much too coarse for incubation.

Helix DBS 1000 has been working perfectly for me for years, but I want the programmability of the Herpstat. The Herpstat allows you to program a different temp for day vs. night, and also program in how long you want it to take to reach those two different temps. Looking at the research and experimentation done by @Markw84 and seeing my own results from implementing the things I've learned from him, I think this is the way of the future.

Some species do just fine with one constant incubation temperature. Sulcatas, platynota, etc... Other species seem to have higher hatch rates if we simulate what happens in their wild nests and have a day to night drop of a few degrees every day throughout incubation.

I have another mentor who is an accomplished bird breeder, medical doctor, student of egg embryology, and highly accomplished tortoise breeder that has been demonstrating the benefits of different incubation temps at different times in development to get more males or more females. Ground temps in the wild fluctuate over the course of incubation for all species. It makes sense that this would be beneficial in at least some cases. Species with notoriously low hatch rates seem to be doing better with these day to night differentials, and I've also been experimenting with diapause temps and duration for those species that need it. Much to learn, and we are learning it, slowly but surely.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

That is exactly the type that WON'T work. You'd have discovered this on your own when you set it up and tested it. Its an on/off switch. Fine for some applications, but much too coarse for incubation.

Helix DBS 1000 has been working perfectly for me for years, but I want the programmability of the Herpstat. The Herpstat allows you to program a different temp for day vs. night, and also program in how long you want it to take to reach those two different temps. Looking at the research and experimentation done by @Markw84 and seeing my own results from implementing the things I've learned from him, I think this is the way of the future.

Some species do just fine with one constant incubation temperature. Sulcatas, platynota, etc... Other species seem to have higher hatch rates if we simulate what happens in their wild nests and have a day to night drop of a few degrees every day throughout incubation.

I have another mentor who is an accomplished bird breeder, medical doctor, student of egg embryology, and highly accomplished tortoise breeder that has been demonstrating the benefits of different incubation temps at different times in development to get more males or more females. Ground temps in the wild fluctuate over the course of incubation for all species. It makes sense that this would be beneficial in at least some cases. Species with notoriously low hatch rates seem to be doing better with these day to night differentials, and I've also been experimenting with diapause temps and duration for those species that need it. Much to learn, and we are learning it, slowly but surely.

And I just learned a lot myself. So could I plug the fridge into the Helix DBS 1000 or Herpstat and get the same results? Also could you send me a link to this research so I could read it?

 

[Tom]

And I just learned a lot myself. So could I plug the fridge into the Helix DBS 1000 or Herpstat and get the same results? Also could you send me a link to this research so I could read it?

You'd plug your heating elements into the Helix or Herpstat, set the probe in the right place inside the incubator, and the stat will maintain the correct temps. I recommend a small computer fan inside the incubator to circulate the air and prevent any "hot" or "cold" spots. None of that is needed with the Hovabator. The only mod I do with the Hovabator is put squares of electrical tape over all the vent holes to keep humidity up.

There is no link to the tortoise incubation research. Just tortoise guys talking tortoises. Although... we are writing a book on it all...

 

[DoubleD1996!]

You'd plug your heating elements into the Helix or Herpstat, set the probe in the right place inside the incubator, and the stat will maintain the correct temps. I recommend a small computer fan inside the incubator to circulate the air and prevent any "hot" or "cold" spots. None of that is needed with the Hovabator. The only mod I do with the Hovabator is put squares of electrical tape over all the vent holes to keep humidity up.

There is no link to the tortoise incubation research. Just tortoise guys talking tortoises. Although... we are writing a book on it all...

Thanks, and sounds like a good read.