Temp changes

[Kellyr]

I am currently making my own incubator and I was wondering if the temps. fluxuate between 84-89 will the eggs go bad? I have a uth in a separate tank with a container w/lid- I have a thermostat but that dosent help b/c the temps in my room go up and down from the air conditioner (even with the vent closed) so its not too hot. . . and I have lowered it from 100 to about 87 but.. will the few degrees up or down each day hurt the embryo inside the egg? If so I need to confine the space to stabilize the temps more.. if anyone knows please respond asap since the next clutch will be here any day and I want them to be okay the last ones didnt make it :main_no: Thank you

 

[fallen_angel]

Yes, too much temp. fluctuation can cause birth defects/deformities/death. A fluctuation of two degrees is okay, but I think 5 degrees would be too much

 

[Halley]

I know in RT book, he said if you want male to have the temp at 90 for 12 hoursm and then have it change to 85 for twelve hours, stating that this way is better. Because if keep at to high of a temperature, that you can kill the eggs. Hope this helps, and if i'm wrong, somebody please correct me.

 

[fallen_angel]

You can incubate at 90 degrees for the full term, although we incubate at 88 for males. Some people like to turn down the temps. gradually after the first three weeks, because the sex has been determined at that point. It is said that females that are incubated at higher temps. become "hot females" that are more agressive; however, I am not sure if that has actually been proven.

 

[Kellyr]

Thank you for all the info. Right now my temps are staying between 84.5 and 86, I am keeping a log on temp/ time of day to get a better idea of how often it will jump up or down. I may buy either a 2.5 or 5.5 gallon to put above the heat and experiment with that and electrical tape (partially ventilated not entire screen top only) I have used a little bit of foam under the inc. container to lower the temp. since before it was at 98... too high- we will see if I can get the temp to stabilize around 86 or 87 which may produce a mixed gender clutch (mostly males?!?) fine with me as long as they make it

 

[syntheticreality]

what is the incubator made from?

 

[Kellyr]

Its a rectangular plastic food container w/the lid on and vermiculite inside, digital thermometer & hydrometer (with probe in container through a hole carved with exacto knife) on a heating pad sitting in a 20 gallon tank with no cohabitants :main_thumbsup: my temps are only changing between 84.3 and 85.8 so it is coming along.. I have peat moss and 2 pieces of L shaped foam between the bottom of the tank (where heater is) and the inc. container which worked pretty well to get temps down from 100.. I will be taking pictures of it soon...

 

[Bounsall06]

My incubator fluxuated between 84 and 88 and I hatched to seemly ok geckos
no visual deformities
they eat fine and are very active.

 

[fallen_angel]

If the fluctuation is slow, it doesn't seem to hurt the eggs.. but if it's a quick, instant fluctuation, there can be negative effects. This happened to five of our eggs, only three made it, and the third has quite a few problems (born with a bubble/abcess on its bum, missing part of its eyelid, and one eye is cross-eyed).