EXOTERRA incubator

[im faster]

Does anyone use?
do you record the digital display fluctuating +/-3 degrees
have you ever had deformed hatchlings.?

 

[Owens]

i am using the exoterra now but this is my first breeding season so not sure how it will work out. My temp is within 1 degree of its setting, I have it set to 80 and it is usually showing right on, few times i checked it and it read 81 but thats it.

 

[im faster]

is that internal or digital display?

 

[Owens]

digital display, I will place one internally now and watch it closely for the next few days. that sucks about your little guy, hope its just a fluke and nothing to do with the incubator

 

[Thorgecko707]

I'm on my second. Temps are +/- 10F of what the digital display reads but customer service says it varies with each one. Get internal thermometer and adjust a few times each day if needed.

 

[Owens]

guess a digital therm is the way to go to have inside.

 

[JordanAng420]

I'm on my second. Temps are +/- 10F of what the digital display reads but customer service says it varies with each one. Get internal thermometer and adjust a few times each day if needed.

I would agree. I tried to incubate for both males & females last year with this incubator ( no thermostat ) at 85 degrees, and ended up with all 11 babies turning out female, so I'm anticipating temps were much much lower. I guess this year lll be smart & try to hook up my helix to it.

Oh and as far as deformed hatchlings, I had 2. One that had no lower jaw, and another that was just "off" looking.

 

[andrew5859]

Just my 2 cents on incubation temperatures, I have noticed that as said above the incubator temp display is off. Shortly after I got my incubator ( same one as Dennis) I measured the temps and used a digital thermometer and placed the probe on the top, middle, and bottom.

Then ended up setting it at 88 degrees for 82.5 on the top, 81 on the middle, and 80 on the bottom. After I recently had eggs laid and placed my container in the incubator I put the probe in the container on the perlite and it was reading at around 83 and I ended up turning it down a degree to 87.

I also checked temps for males just in case I decided I wanted to use this incubator instead of my other and ended up setting it at 94 degrees to get 89 on the top, 87 on the middle, and 86 on the bottom. Keep in mind this was just the probe resting on the plastic shelves and that heat rises so without the probe being on the perlite the temps would be different to a degree or two.

Good luck with it Dennis!

 

[TranceZ]

For the price of these you would think the temp gauge would be more accurate so you get your money's worth.

 

[im faster]

OKay what i have noticed.

The digital display IS NOT then internal temp.
it is the temp that the heating element is producing to steady the temps in side.
inside temps have been at 83+/-.8 degrees over the past 2 days

 

[Owens]

yea i have my digital display set to 83 degrees and the internal temp is 80 degrees.

 

[LBsLeos]

If anybody has one of these mini fridge style incubators that they don't need working or not please let me know. I would like to find one for a project.

I had one of these incubators for 1 season before it crapped out and the temps were a constant battle. I did have 3 deformed babies. I am now using custom made incubator and working on another.

 

[Shadraak]

No matter what incubators you use. Te external display is a guide. Always have a probe in your egg boxes. And test it out a few weeks in advance so you know what temp display = what temps in container

 

[LBsLeos]

No matter what incubators you use. Te external display is a guide. Always have a probe in your egg boxes. And test it out a few weeks in advance so you know what temp display = what temps in container

I agree. I had a digital probe from an external thermometer so I could accurately monitor temps. Problem is the unit would not hold temps well at all so even when you found the proper temp and got it dialed in it would never hold it and would fluctuate by 3 or 4 degrees.

 

[Shadraak]

Everything will flux that much 3-4 degrees isn't going to cause problems

 

[zachandjess2904]

I have an exo terra and had the same problem . I contacted them direct because mine was odd +- 8 deg they told be the digital display reads the heating elements temp , why I have no idea , makes no sense to me . But once I got it set with my own therm it stays right on , there is still a two degree difference from top to bottom tho. This year I am trying out the new repti temp 6000 and so far this thing is great . The digital readout reads higher than I set it at but works like your household therm and whatever I set it at it stays at . The big difference is the internal fan stays on all the time wich makes the top and bottom shelves the same temp . I am very pleased with this incu and now wish I would have never orderd the exo terra . Hope this helps