Question's about the whole incubation thing..

[Geck-O]

Well, I have no idea on how to incubate an egg. Perhaps someone could help me out. A few of my questions are:

What substrate for an egg incubator should be used? Where to get it?

Proper care for the eggs?

Hovabater?

Inconsistent temps = ?

How to keep consistent temps?

UTH or lamp?

Accurate temp measuring devices? Where to get one?

Good incubators? Where to get one?

Homemade Incubaters? Measurements?

How many eggs in one incubator?

The best way to incubate an egg?

 

[acpart]

To start you off, most people use a hobovator and add a proportional thermostat to regulate the temperature better.

There is good information about an easy and successful method for incubating eggs on the "Albey's too cool reptiles" webpage which you can find at the top of the page in the "site sponsors" section.

For the other questions, I recommend you read through the breeding posts on this forum and google "breeding leopard geckos". I think that within the last few months there have been some links posted in the breeding section here for people's breeding care sheets.

After you read those, come back and ask more focused questions about the things that are still confusing.

Good luck.

Aliza

 

[Geck-O]

Read through lots of stuff but I still couldn't find out how to maintain heat in a homemade incubator. Is a UTH or a lamp better? For the substrate, which is the best? Perlite, vermiculite or sphagnum moss? If I don't use a UTH or a lamp, can I buy just a cheap thermostat to regulate the temps?

 

[acpart]

Read through lots of stuff but I still couldn't find out how to maintain heat in a homemade incubator. Is a UTH or a lamp better? For the substrate, which is the best? Perlite, vermiculite or sphagnum moss? If I don't use a UTH or a lamp, can I buy just a cheap thermostat to regulate the temps?

To maintain heat in a home made incubator you have to have a heat source that will get the temperature in the incubator up to the right level and then a thermostat to keep the heat steady. I haven't ever made a home made incubator. I think there are do it yourself instructions for an incubator somewhere on the internet. Many people use water in an incubator either on the bottom (with the eggs in a container on a platform) or just a cup of water to help keep the temperatures steady.

I prefer perlite as a substrate. The perlite is kept in a sealed container and the eggs placed in the container with the perlite and water (1 part perlite to .8 parts water). Other people use other substrates.

Aliza

 

[Geck-O]

If i use water do I still need to use a thermostat? Where should I put the container with eggs? How can I encourage my gecko to lay her eggs in a specific place? Do I need to use a egg laying box? BTW, if I use a container like Albey's for incubating, how will the hatchlings breathe? Is there enough oxygen in the container?

 

[Geck-O]

Can I follow this video closely and get a maximum hatch rate? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrY614CgPG4

I want to use Albey's way for the container so I don't need to moisten the conainer any more.

Also, what happens when the temperature keeps changing and doesn't stay steady? What happens when you get the eggs wet and where should I put the thermometer?