Igloo Incubator

[ssscales]

I set up this Igloo 120qt incubator in about an hour. I've been checking the temps making sure everything is working as it should. So far it's 100% throughout the cooler from top to bottom and side to side. I set it up for a few snake clutches, but I'm sure you could fit quite a few Leo clutches in their no matter what egg chambers you use.

The incubator itself with everything was about $100 w/out the Helix. You can buy everything at Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Radio Shack.

 

[Mack Leo Boy]

Sweet incubator!!!

 

[Michelle]

That looks great!

 

[ssscales]

Thanks, it works great! Still holding a steady 89.9-90F throughout the incubator. Another great thing is, you can add an additional 2 coolers to to the same Helix and incubate 12 egg chambers for an extra $200 (cost of cooler and materials) since you don't need to spend the $$$ on another thermostat. I'm using these for Ball python clutches that will have between 4-12 eggs per clutch. But, you could probably fit quite a few Gecko clutches in one of these as well.

If I were to use these for Gecko clutches, I would probably lay it on it's back and build a wire shelf system like those sold for closet organizers. You could probably fit 2, maybe 3 rows comfortably and each row could hold maybe 25-30 of those small rubbermaid tubs like these. I'd guesstimate you could incubate 50-90 of these tubs in one of these 120qt coolers.

Another thing I like is the fact that you can move them relatively easy in case of power failure or for whatever reason.

 

[supperl]

that incubator looks realy cool!!Thx for shareing.

 

[Baker14]

Looks really nice.

 

[TokayKeeper]

ssscales....where'd you find that cooler at?

I assume that's the 120 quart igloo marine cooler? I can't find it anywhere out here and want to use it for developing an incubator for green tree python eggs, possibly leo gecko eggs - though chondro eggs have a specific temp regiment (1-5-1 [weeks]...30.5°C- 31.5°C- 30.0°C) vs the ability to TDS leo eggs.

 

[supperl]

That´s a good question and what is that thing priced at? Sadly I live in Germany but I guess we have similar things^^

 

[paulnj]

I own this one and got it at KMART for $40 2 years ago.
http://www.igloo-store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=IGL+SPORTSMAN+100&HDR=fulliglooclassics

Though it looks like a marine cooler in color, it surely isn't due to no ruler on the lid. MARINE coolers are rated as a seat too, while the others aren't. The white classics(seen here) are nearly identical in insulation properties and inside dimensions.

 

[2.1SRR.YYC]

I'll chime in with a link to my "Tough Guy 2000" cooler conversion incubator. It's very similar to what you've done with the igloo except that this one is a large styrofoam cooler with no water bottles and no fan.

I'm proud of the fact that it was built entirely with scrap pieces (except the cooler) I had left over from a rack project.

http://www.westerngecko.ca/tough_guy_2000_incubator.htm

 

[TokayKeeper]

this is what I'm after to do...

Damon Salceies' Igloo 120qt Marine cooler Incubator

The idea behind having the water is to allow for more stable temps. The water, aside from being a source of humidity, absorbs the surrounding thermal gradient and functions as another form of insulation. The fans keep air circulating, thus avoiding stagnation, and also aid in achieving a humidity level. If you read the page, you'll also see that Damon included an air stone and air pump into the water, this too raised humidity. To the best of my knowledge Damon has had extremely great success with this incubator design and as one can see from the page, he's kind of an anal perfectionist to a degree - such like myself.

You might try searching on www.chondro.net (aka the Morelia Viridis Forum). Unfortunately ezboard has been disgusting infected (bought out?) by something called Yuku (I like to call it Yuky). I'm not sure how easy searching for his incubator posts will be.

 

[2.1SRR.YYC]

If you are incubating in a sealed container the humidity level outside of the container doesn't really matter. Most geckos are incubated using a 1 (substrate) to .8 (water) combination in a sealed container. This is often called the Albey Method...

If you are not using a sealed container then the humidity in the cooler matters.

As far as the fan and water bottles go, I'll implement water bottles if I see a 1*F drop in temperature when I open the top of the cooler. So far this has yet to happen. My room is fairly warm.

With sealed containers the eggs are in permanent stale air so a fan won't make much of a difference as far as stale air goes. If your heat source is concentrated in one spot in the incubator a fan will help to circulate the heat preventing hot spots in the bator. I got around this by placing 4" heat tape the whole width of the bator.

Just my 2 cents...I'm big on the KISS principal!

 

[TokayKeeper]

If you are incubating in a sealed container the humidity level outside of the container doesn't really matter. Most geckos are incubated using a 1 (substrate) to .8 (water) combination in a sealed container. This is often called the Albey Method...

If you are not using a sealed container then the humidity in the cooler matters.

As far as the fan and water bottles go, I'll implement water bottles if I see a 1*F drop in temperature when I open the top of the cooler. So far this has yet to happen. My room is fairly warm.

With sealed containers the eggs are in permanent stale air so a fan won't make much of a difference as far as stale air goes. If your heat source is concentrated in one spot in the incubator a fan will help to circulate the heat preventing hot spots in the bator. I got around this by placing 4" heat tape the whole width of the bator.

Just my 2 cents...I'm big on the KISS principal!

Instead of getting on a high horse here, read Damon's page a little; he mentions an air pump and air stone. This brings fresh air in and keeps the air from stagnating. You'll also see that his egg boxes are not completely closed. The lids rest on vinyl tabs to allow for air circulation. No offense to Albey, but given Damon's background (biology major) and my background (hmmm, biology major) and given Damon works with a species that's a little less forgiving in the egg department I'd side a little more on his method. Never mind that he's also worked with Trooper Walsh on the incubation thing, as well as the science behind it. Not to say Albey doesn't know anything about biology, he must since he's been quite successful with what he breeds, but last I checked his profession was playing a musical instrument. Of course I haven't talked to Albey in years either. And funny enough Damon works for a New Mexico electric company.

Just a little secret, but the Albey method been around a lot longer than that!

Hey Albey, not trying to give ya a hard time.

 

[2.1SRR.YYC]

Damon is also incubating snake eggs and Albey is incubating gecko eggs.

I don't know if it makes a difference as I don't pretend to know anything about biology but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...:main_cool3:

I just think it's a little overkill that's all.

Now that I think about it I may add a fan to my "Tough Guy 2000". I'm sure it would help with the thermal gradient within the bator and it's a quick and easy addition. The only problem is what do I do with the eggs when I'm working on the bator?

I think I see a "Tough Guy 3000" in the works...

 

[TokayKeeper]

The only problem is what do I do with the eggs when I'm working on the bator?

boiling water? Hard boiled leo eggs? Actually that sounds gross, then again any hard boiled egg sounds gross. Though I'm also not much of a fan of eggs. Aside from using them in baking, scrambled is all I do - and even that's pushing it.

 

[ssscales]

Thanks guys, the cooler was bought at Wal-Mart for about $50.00. For what it's worth, after a week of fooling around with it seeing what works best.

Without the fan on, the temps vary from the bottom tubs to the top tops just 1 degree. With the fan on, the temps stay stable with 0.01 degree throughout the incubator. The egg-chambers are sealed and humidity is constant in each tub/egg-chamber and not the incubator itself. The tubs gets fresh air when I open them once a week to check on the eggs. Also, thanks to the water bottles and the perlite in each tub, the temps in the incubator and egg-crates bounce back within about 4-8min each time I open/close the lid depending how much time I take.

Whether your incubating snake eggs or gecko eggs, set your temps as needed and prep your egg-chambers properly.

Hope that helps.