If you have a specific spot for your incubator in mind, it should be as simple as measuring the space you've got, and cutting up styrofoam insulative sheets to create a perfectly-sized box. If you are DIY handy, and the concept of making a 6-sided box doesn't seem daunting, this method does carry the added benefit of being able to build it to specific dimensions which suit your needs. Making your own incubation container is a little more time consuming than the other options, and may not be for everyone. Unless you are working with a re-purposed fridge or freezer, no wiring will be necessary, other than plugging the heat source into a thermostat, and the thermostat into a wall.ĭIY Styro Insulation Container Price: $20-60 (Depending on size) | Size: Small to Large | Durability: Low | Difficulty: Medium If we had used a styrofoam container, we'd have been fine just using a knife for the same purpose, making the job even easier. Since our refrigerator example is made of steel, we needed a drill & bit to plumb the heat cable & probes inside. We suggest using a container material that you are comfortable working with. The container itself is usually the least expensive part of the project, so building yours a little bigger than you'll probably need won't cost much more (if at all) than building one on the smaller-side. This really depends on the space you'll need, so we recommend planning ahead by imagining how many eggs you expect to be incubating at the most during breeding season. We've seen clients use food/drink coolers, styrofoam boxes, insulated food shipping containers, wine coolers, and even DIY foam boxes made out of sheets of home insulation boards.
We used a craigslist-sourced commercial glass-door refrigerator in this example, but nearly any well-insulated container can be modified to become an incubator.
In the example shown, we're using a small commercial refrigerator as the incubation container, but any well insulated container will function equally well at a considerably lower cost.
Reptile incubators how to#
In this article, we'll describe how to build your own incubator from start to finish, and discuss the benefits & disadvantages of using certain tools, parts, and techniques. The expense of buying multiple incubators (either for more space or multiple temperatures/species) can add up quickly, and building your own can help keep overhead costs down for a hobbyist or breeder. Running short on space is another common issue, since the two most popular commercial reptile incubators aren't very large.
For example, some hobbyists working with more than one species of animal may require an incubator that can maintain two different temperatures. There are a couple commercially available hobby-specific incubators available, but building your own isn't difficult, and can even offer a few benefits over the store-bought alternatives. When it comes to breeding Reptiles & Amphibians, a good performing incubator is often one of the most important tools for the process.
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