Leopard Geckos:
Females: 80-84F
Mix: 85-87F
Males: 88-90F

African Fat-Tail Geckos:
Females: 82-83F
Mix: 84-86F
Males: Over 87+F

Crested Gecko:
Room temperature – 80F
Bearded Dragons:
81-85F

Corn Snakes:
78-84F

Ball Python:
88-90F

~Sticky

Depending on which Hovabator you are interested in, the prices will vary. The cheapest one is the 1602N, which usually runs around $40.00 at a lot of reptile supply companies. The 1602N is the Thermal Flow Model, which allows heat to gradually warm up the insides, and also allows air to flow out the top vents of the incubator. This is the one I personally use and recommend. It is fairly inexpensive when it comes to incubators, and common in the trade.

Another HovaBator incubator is the 1583, Circulated Air Picture Window. This incubator has a large plastic window on top, which gives for better viewing. This is more ideal for classrooms and observation. This incubator runs around $75.00.

The best thing about the HovaBator is that they give you instructions, not only for chickens and ducks, but for reptiles as well. There is a tray that is placed in the bottom of the incubator which has to be filled with water. These instructions make it simple and easy. A digital thermometer is still needed to monitor the temperatures inside the plastic container you choose to use. I run my through the little hole in the center of the unit, and place it into my box, this way I can see the exact temperature the eggs are currently at, and I can adjust it according to this.

There are some downsides though. There is no digital setting. Instead, you are playing with a handle that says “Increase/Decrease”, so it’s a guess work game. It took a few days to get my HovaBator setup, but once I got the feel for how much a turn would change it I was able to make the small adjustments needed.

~Sticky

Homemade reptile incubators are fairly simple and relatively inexpensive.

Supplies needed:
10 Gallon Aquarium with top
Bricks, or flat rocks
Small critter cage, or plastic container
Preferably 2 digital thermometers
Humidity gauge
Submersible Heater, you will likey need a 50 Watt heater
Vermiculite

Setting Up:
1. Place the aquarium in the location you plan to keep it. Place the bricks in and fill the aquarium with water so it is about level with the bricks. These bricks should be spaced apart so you can put the plastic container (or small critter keeper) on top.

2. Take the aquarium heater and place it alongside the glass way. Make sure it is set around 80-85 degrees. You will want to let the water heat up before adding the eggs into the tank. Place one thermometer in the water, that way you can monitor the actual temperature of it

3. You will need to place a layer, an inch or less, of vermiculite in the plastic container, enough so you can place the eggs in it. You will want a 50/50 mix of water and vermiculite by weight. This will create a suitable environment to incubate the eggs. You will also need a hole in the lid of the container, small enough to just fit the probe of your 2nd thermometer. Place the lid on the container with the probe resting on the vermiculite and put it in the aquarium. Then place the lid on the aquarium.

4. Monitor the temperature inside the plastic container. You may have to adjust the submersible heater to obtain the desired temperature. You can mess with this over the course of a day before adding the eggs if possible. The humidity gauge must go into the aquarium, more towards the top if possible, that way to monitor the level of humidity in the tank. Depending on the reptile being incubated, this level will need to be changed by having more vents in the top, or closing it up.

5. When adding the eggs, make sure you place a small indentation in the vermiculite in which you will set the egg in. Do not rotate the egg, and make sure you know which side is up. It is often helpful to use a felt tip pen to mark the top of th egg, this way if a newly hatched baby moves another egg you can right it hopefully before any problems. Make sure you monitor the temperatures 1-2 times a day, especially during the first week or two of the incubator being setup.

~Sticky