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DIY incubator (fairly pic heavy)

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Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן

United Kingdom
8173 Posts

Posted - 10/02/2010 : 00:19:02

Although I have made this very quickly and roughly for my duck eggs, it would be simple enough to adapt for snakes/other reptiles.

I shall leave it in this section for now as it's not really snake DIY, yet it also wouldn't fit in any of the other sections. Cherry Valley ducks are exotic.

Anyway, I started with an old fridge freezer that a neighbour was gonna throw out:

You have to remove the entire compressor unit from the back, being careful not to de-pressurise it, although it's not a toxic gas in the systems, they're still supposed to be depressurised properly.

I then hacked out all of the innards as well and cut a hole between the top section and the bottom section with a jigsaw. It's untidy, but I'm not into aesthetics, I own a beard.

The section where the power came through for the fridge light makes a handy hole for cables for power supply to heat source and stat.

I would expect most people to use correctly insulated wire if they're gonna do this, but like I said, I own a beard.

I have the stat sat on the shelf where the eggs are going to be, although at the time of taking this photo there's only a shelf there I haven't yet covered it.

This is what you can see when you open the 'freezer' door:

The light heats up the interior of the viv perfectly, although can drop fairly quickly if the door is open for to long.

And this is what the 'fridge' now looks like with the door open:

I have just a standard light fitting (that I found in my garage) with a 100w reflector lamp installed.
It will keep the heat inside the incubator of whatever I set it at, as fridges/freezers are very well insulated and aside from a couple small screw holes for fittings, there are no extra gaps that heat can be lost from.

I have also added an old cctv camera inside so that I can watch any chickies hatching without opening the door and disturbing the heat to much, they're gonna get enough disturbance as it is because duck eggs need to be rotated regularly unlike reptile eggs.

It's now sat at a temp that's fluctuating between 38.5 and 39c so I'm happy with that.

I shall start adding eggs tomorrow.

Like I said, this could be adapted for use as a reptile incubator, but I'm not sure how such a bright light would affect developing embryos for reptiles, maybe use an infrared, or a colour tinted lamp for reptiles.

The total cost for me to make this was nothing.
I had all the odds n sods I needed spare and got given the fridge/freezer.

I next plan to make a co2 chamber without any cost, when/if I do, I shall post piccys and info on that as well.
Although the cost to make might be nothing, the cost of the co2 will still be there.

/quick edit
Forgot to add, that although not shown in these photos, I wasn't guessing at the temps, I took the photos Monday night and only poted them here now, I've got a digi-therm in there, with the probe next to the stat so I know what temp will be where the eggs are.

-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon

Edited by - Kehhlyr on 10/02/2010 00:27:14

a33272
our battery charger

United Kingdom
3063 Posts

Posted - 10/02/2010 : 09:03:44

could u not cut a small section out the fridge door and put purspex each side so it has an unsulating air gap so you have a inspection hole

0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper

Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן

United Kingdom
8173 Posts

Posted - 10/02/2010 : 09:53:59

quote:
Originally posted by a33272

could u not cut a small section out the fridge door and put purspex each side so it has an unsulating air gap so you have a inspection hole

You can do yes, That's what my original plan was gonna be, but because I have the fridge in the conservatory it gets VERY cold at night so the removal of a chunk of insulation from the door was out of the question for me this time.
I shall end up doing that as the summer approaches so will add the info on then, as well as an air circulator.

-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon

HannahB
The Corn Snake Moderator

United Kingdom
5491 Posts

Posted - 10/02/2010 : 10:26:55

thats pretty cool..look forwards to seeing pics of all the eggs in there and them hatching

2.0 Normal Royal Pythons - Q and Little One
1.0 Chihauhaun Mountain Kingsnake - Simba

Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן

United Kingdom
8173 Posts

Posted - 12/02/2010 : 15:10:32

Couple of additional piccys.

Here we have the lovely settled temps, I still have not measured the dimensions of the test-tube that needs to be replaced Lee, but I will soon, I promise.

These things need temps of around 38c to successfully incubate, and here we have the first 4 days worth of eggs that my girls have laid. As it stands I don't know if all or any of them were fertilised by the male duck, I can only assume he has done his job properly for now. I shall candle them in a few days and see if they've started developing.

-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon

Jennet
Hatchling

United Kingdom
305 Posts

Posted - 28/02/2010 : 19:02:32

Hey chuckie duckie... how's things goin with the new incubator??... anythin quackin' yet??

www.thecornsake.co.uk
www.thehognosesnake.co.uk
www.theamphibian.co.uk

Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן

United Kingdom
8173 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 13:54:24

I have 24 eggs in there that are all due to hatch on the 27th of this month.

Righty then, any takers on what one is gonna hatch first??

We have 24 eggs to pick. The person that guesses correctly will get a brand new Air Guitar from me.

so, here we go, pick a number between 1 and 24 inclusive to try to guess.

01 - zandefloss
02 - mozacchio
03 - Skorps
04 - Budaholic
05 - gmac
06 - DazB
07 - Tizzy, Kellog
09 - Mom2mysononly
10 - BTD
11 - Dykie
12 - egg80
13 - Lee2308
14 - lessthanjase
15 - Dannybrown91
16 - Devilsmistress
17 - Atreyu
18 - Punkasf82
19 - HannahB
20 - Twi
21 - james200789
22 - Lewy
23 - Eeji
24 -Tinamiles

-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon

Edited by - Kehhlyr on 26/03/2010 22:01:13

n/a
deleted

480 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 14:07:26

can i have number 9 please? thanks lol

1.0.0 Amel, Steve

WISH LIST: blue tongue skink.

lee2308
The Corn Snake Moderator

United Kingdom
3348 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 14:37:37

i'll have 13

DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
3070 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 14:41:14

Dibs on 15

0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky

0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha

Location: Liverpool

n/a
deleted

876 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 16:11:26

NUmber 3 for me Please!!
xXx

Slinky-Tallulah-Fairy-Bell

"My Heart has joined The Thousand for my friend stopped running today"

mozacchio
Sub Adult

Greece
1135 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 16:19:59

I'll pick 2!
My fav number..!

What's the winning price?

Tizzy
The Corn Snake Moderator

United Kingdom
1202 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 16:27:45

Number 7 please

3.2.0 corns 0.3.1 Leopard Geckos, 0.1.0 Mad Staffys 1.0.0 Moggie. 1.2.0. Devils in training.

HannahB
The Corn Snake Moderator

United Kingdom
5491 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 16:51:45

il go with 9..

2.0 Normal Royal Pythons - Q and Little One
1.0 Chihauhaun Mountain Kingsnake - Simba

Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן

United Kingdom
8173 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 17:07:41

quote:
Originally posted by HannahB

il go with 9..

9 has already been claimed, I don't see anything wrong with going for the same number someone else has, but it'd be more fun if everyone is egging on their own number to win.

-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon

n/a
deleted

286 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 18:20:27

14 please my good man

corns
0.1 Maizy, carolina 05
0.1 violet, anery 09
1.0 Smithy, amel 07
0.1 Nessa,amel 07
0.1 Lois normal/hypo motley 02
1.0 Dr Heinz Doofenshmirtz anery 00
1.0 Fry normal 08
0.1 Dora amel aztec 09
1.0 Red bloodred 08
0.0.1 Conker kastanie 10
house bunny
1.0 rex, 09
kittys
2.1 tom,jerry 09 Mittens 10
kids
3.1 Charlie-jane 98, ethan 99,coby 06,adam 07

eeji
The Morph Master

United Kingdom
4335 Posts

Posted - 22/03/2010 : 18:31:39

23 please :D

i could do with winning an air guitar, it would go great with my air drums! :D