Transportation.

[Allee Toler]

I'm leaving on vacation, I got a sitter, but I need to drop off all of the geckos/eggs for him to watch. Leaving them home would be the best option, I know. But I can't do that.

What's the safest way to transport eggs? They'll be in the car for only 25-30 minutes. Will they be fine for such a short period of time? It's hot outside, about 90, so they shouldn't drop too much with the AC going. I'm not opening their containers, I'm keeping them in their pre-marked containers, keeping them shut the whole way there to hold in the temp and the moisture.

Thanks in advanced.

 

[acpart]

TRansport the eggs the way you suggested. Keep the digital thermometer visible and if the temp drops, turn off or turn down the AC. I seem to recall a post here a few years ago by someone who said she traveled from the East Coast somewhere to FL with an incubator plugged into the cigarette lighter of her car!

Aliza

 

[Redleg]

Another thing that would help you to maintain temperature in your incubator while it is "unplugged" is a heat sink of some type/form.

By that, I mean...... several bottles of water or zip-lock bags of water in the incubator. Once these water come to temperature (the same temp as your incubator) these water will help to maintain the temperature and buy you some time while your incubator is unplugged. This is also a good practice as well in the event of a power failure and this will buy you some time for power to be restored or an alternative power source is up and running.

Of course the insulation of your incubator will also determine how fast or slow you will loose heat, but the water heat sink method is very good. Water will hold heat very well. That also mean, it will take some time for the water bottle/bag itself to come to temp too.

 

[BalloonzForU]

I seem to recall a post here a few years ago by someone who said she traveled from the East Coast somewhere to FL with an incubator plugged into the cigarette lighter of her car!

Aliza

That was Cleveland, OH to Deltona, FL. I actually use to do this every summer, a 1,000 mile trip each way!! Eggs always did fine and even had my first leo hatch while I was down there.

The two most important things while transporting eggs. Make sure they are secure and not going to move around and the temps don't flux.

What kind of incubator are you using? If it's a hovabator with windows on the top, be sure to cover the windows with a towel or something as any sunlight shinning through can and will raise the temps on a sunny day.

 

[Allee Toler]

I'll be only transporting the female temperature eggs. So I'll be using a homemade incubator. Our house never goes below 80.

Thanks for the tips.