Fluctuating Temps

[Mack Leo Boy]

I have built an incubator of my own out of a styrofoam cooler and and have a pickle jar inside filled with water. I have an adjustable fish tank heater in the jar. I just started incubation some eggs from my female super hypo dorsal stripe. The incubator fluctuates from 82.5 to 84.5. Will this cause deformities in the baby leopard geckos? Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mel&Keith]

A 2 degree fluctuation shouldn't cause harm. It's usually really high temperature spikes that are the suspected cause of some deformities. Placing your incubator in a spot in the house that has fairly consistent temperatures will help stabilize incubator temps. Good luck with them!

 

[GroovyGeckos.com]

Should not be a problem, most hovabators have at least that much fluctuation.

I think that if the heater is just inside a jar in there, that it may not be the same temp throughout. Incubators made with fish tank heaters, usually have all of the water, in the bottom, and a raised platform. So the warmed water gives off heat more evenly, up above. That way you would probably have more a consistant temp. Just a guess tho`.

 

[Mack Leo Boy]

Thanks for the info. I have two probes in the servin saver that the eggs are in and thats what the temperature reads.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

fish tank heaters are not the best, try heat tape and a thermostat. That shoudl solve your home made incubator problems.

 

[GroovyGeckos.com]

Oh, OK sounds good. The temps in the egg chamber, would stay more even, than the rest of the space in the cooler. I did not really think about that. Just make sure to keep the container in the same position in there.