The “cooker” is GQF #3258….a great bator. There’s even a newborn transfer spot on the bottom! They are around $800 and have a “wick type” watering system that is easy to maintain and doesn’t draw a lot of power. I’ve used Styro-bator types as backups or to test different temperatures/species requirements.
The main disadvantage of having only one main battery is that if it fails, all the eggs fail.
However, this is a more specialized cooker that requires no guesswork and can hold a lot of eggs. I’ve also used a lab’s high-end incubator for growing tissue culture cells. Water-tight walls and precise temps.
The unit’s weighs a ton and runs on 220v.
ALSO SEE: Is it Illegal to own a Tortoise in the UK?
The reptibator is easy to use because it has a digital control and a humidity gauge. A thermometer is useful for checking the actual temperature. \
As stated above, the room where the incubator is placed should be stable and ‘less’ than the incubation parameters.
In still air incubators, the air at the top can be four or five degrees warmer than the air at the bottom.
Place the thermometer next to the eggs and adjust the control. The surface area of water inside the incubator controls humidity.
You can use a large open container or a small one with sphagnum moss as a wick.
The eggs can also be placed in a box or other container with limited air exchange (not completely sealed).
The eggs sit on moistened media (vermiculite, perlite, sphagnum, cypress mulch, etc.) inside a small Tupperware container inside the incubator.
The smaller containers will keep the incubator more humid. Unwanted parameters have another level/layer of stability.
The ideal humidity seems to be in dispute. For all chelonian eggs, a RH of 85% is recommended.
To hatch, eggs only need a few things. A/C and temperature. While most eggs work well in a wide range, there is an optimal for each species, clutch, and egg.
It’s best not to get attached to incubator eggs. Do your best, and if it doesn’t work, find out why.
Hope your eggs hatch.
With so many incubator brands available today, choosing one can be difficult and time-consuming. The good news is that we did it all for you.
These are the best reptile egg incubators currently available:
| PRODUCT | DETAILS |
| Hova-Bator Still Air Reptile Egg Incubator | New ventilation system
Unobstructed views of the eggs T and H thermometers |
| Happybuy ReptiPro 6000 Reptile Incubator | Can hold many eggs at once
Controls humidity levels Climate control by itself |
| Zoo Med Reptibator Egg Incubator | Large temperature control
Alarm built-in |
| Little Giant Still Air Reptile Incubator | LCD Enhanced temperature and humidity control
thermometer/hygrometer |
Best Incubator for Tortoise Eggs
- Hova-Bator Still Air Reptile Egg Incubator
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Many reptile breeders consider Incubator Warehouse’s Hova Bator to be the best small incubator available. This brand is well-known in the poultry industry.
The Hova Bator is a small chest-style incubator with two glass windows for unobstructed viewing of your incubating eggs. This will help you identify and solve potential issues quickly.
The Hova Bator also has an innovative ventilation system to ensure proper heated air circulation. The system gently pushes heated air up through the vents while drawing in fresh air through the bottom vents. This system prevents stale air from accumulating, which encourages mold growth on the developing eggs.
This incubator also comes with several useful accessories to help you care for the eggs. These include a stand-alone thermometer and hygrometer to help you maintain ideal temperatures.
However, the Hova Bator lacks a cooling system. So there’s always a chance temperatures will rise above optimal. Thankfully, the ventilation system seems to prevent this.
All things considered, the Hova Bator is the best-equipped incubator available today, and our top pick.
Pros
New ventilation system
Unobstructed views of the eggs
Temperature and humidity gauges
Cons
No cooling system
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ReptiPro 6000 Reptile Incubator — Best Price
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Happybuy’s ReptiPro 6000 digital incubator looks like a beer fridge. Its internal dimensions are 24 x 27 x 37 centimeters. Because reptile breeders work with large batches of eggs, this is ideal.
The ReptiPro 6000 is a digital incubator that can control its own temperature. For example, it keeps the temperature between 32°F and 104°F (0°C and 40°C) to keep the eggs healthy no matter what the weather is outside. It also has a feature for controlling humidity by adding or removing water.
The RepiPro 6000 is one of the few incubators with an integrated cooling system, making it ideal for reptile eggs that require a winter chill.
The ReptiPro is arguably the best value for money reptile egg incubator when its features are compared to its price.
The ReptiPro 6000’s racks may be too large for some types of eggs.
Pros
Can hold many eggs at once
Climate control by itself
Controls humidity levels
Built-in cooling
Cons
Some eggs may be too big for the racks.
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Premium Zoo Med Reptibator Egg Incubator
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The Reptibator Egg Incubator is a “tub-style” incubator with a clear lid to view the eggs. This incubator’s temperature is kept between 59°F and 104°F (15°C and 40°C).
Some breeders claim the Reptibator is not always 100% accurate in maintaining those levels.
Nonetheless, this incubator has a built-in temperature alarm that alerts you if a power outage or other issue prevents it from working. When the power is restored, the Reptibator remembers your previous temperature settings.
Large enough to hold several clutches of eggs, this incubator measures 15x15x6 inches.
The Reptibator has a water reservoir at the bottom to control humidity.
The Reptibator’s unique features make it one of the priciest options available today. If money isn’t an issue, this high-end product is worth considering.
Pros
Large enough for multiple egg batches
Temperature regulation
Alarm built-in
Controls humidity levels
Cons
Pricey
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Incubator for Little Giant Still Air Reptiles
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The Incubator Warehouse Little Giant Still Air Reptile Incubator is a sturdy yet portable incubator.
It has two large viewing windows on the lid so you can check on your eggs without opening it. Opening the lid could cause temperature or humidity fluctuations.
The Little Giant has a 40-watt heating element to keep the developing eggs warm. This incubator has a thermometer and a hygrometer to monitor temperature and humidity.
The incubator has a digital LCD display that shows the humidity and temperature. The digital screen has buttons to adjust the levels.
This incubator also includes bowls and substrates, making it ideal for new breeders. Those add-ons allow you to store your clutches in separate containers with moisture-retaining substrate. It also keeps the eggs from drying out.
This incubator allows you to control humidity by adding water as needed. Moving the eggs in bowls is also simple.
Pros
LCD
thermometer/hygrometer
Enhanced temperature and humidity control
Cons
Known for poor temperature regulation
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Juragon Pro Reptile Egg Incubator (PX-R90)
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The PX-R90 Reptile Egg Incubator is a newer model on the market. Although many breeders are unaware of this product, it is backed by R-com, one of the most trusted incubator brands in the industry.
The PX-R90 is a large incubator that can hold up to 100 eggs at a time.
It also comes with a variety of configurations and settings to accommodate almost any reptile egg. The PX-lid R90’s have a large screen so you can see your eggs without opening the incubator.
It has a foam tray inside for easy substrate placement and egg positioning. The PX-R90 has an exterior waterhole so you can add water without opening the incubator and disrupting the internal conditions.
This incubator’s user-friendliness will win you over. Its user-friendly interface makes it ideal for beginners. It also has a temperature and humidity alarm.
Because the PX-R90 is so new, there is always a chance that it will have flaws.
Pros
Large enough to hold up to 100 eggs
Temperature and humidity regulation
Easy to clean large screen
Very user-friendly
Buyer’s Guide
When looking for an incubator for your reptile eggs, look for the following factors.
Any incubator will do as long as it is kept in a room with stable conditions ‘less’ than desired. Incubators need to cool and dry less, so you can increase humidity rather than decrease it. A dark room or closet is good. Better yet, a basement.
Both the little giant and the newer reptibator by ZooMed are foam still air type. The reptibator has a proportional thermostat and thus may be more stable than most still air incubators, as it only heats to maintain a temperature.
A water tray in the incubator keeps the humidity up even in the driest places. The water is a large mass that holds the desired temperature. A sphagnum ball in a small water container increases the surface area because the fibers wick into the air.
Maybe too late now, but they are so cheap to run that you can leave it running all the time when you get eggs. The reptibater is easier to set up than the little giant type.
An aquarium heater in the water works just as well as an ice chest. The thermostat is critical in any incubator that needs to heat rather than cool. That’s the thing that senses temperature and controls the heat. No matter how fancy the cabinet, if the thermostat fails, you are likely to fail.
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Temp Control
The ability to maintain optimal temperatures for developing eggs is arguably the incubator’s most critical function. It should also do so precisely.
Because reptile eggs are extremely sensitive to temperature changes, if the incubator’s temperature fluctuates beyond the optimal range, your eggs are unlikely to hatch.
Temperature control is difficult in most reptile egg incubators. So, before you buy an incubator, make sure it can maintain optimal temperatures.
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Size
The size of your ideal incubator depends on the type of reptiles you want to breed and your experience level. Smaller incubators work well for breeding small reptiles like geckos. Larger reptiles, like Burmese pythons, require larger incubators due to their large eggs.
A smaller incubator may be able to handle your needs if you are breeding reptiles as a hobby. If you want to do it full time, you will need a bigger incubator to accommodate large batches.
Also, bigger incubators require more power to run.
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Cooling Units
Incubators usually have a heating element to raise the internal temperature of the incubator because heat is important for egg development. Sadly, even a few degrees above optimal temperatures can ruin your eggs.
To avoid this, look for an incubator with a good cooling system. A cooling system’s job is to monitor temperatures and bring them back down to acceptable levels.
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Standing or Chest
Most reptile egg incubators are either chest or upright. The upright incubators resemble a tiny fridge with a glass door. Neither of these designs is superior. So, make your choice based on your preferences.
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Visibility
Monitoring the health of your eggs is one of the best ways to improve your breeding success.
Thus, a good incubator allows you to monitor your eggs without opening the lid, which can cause temperature and humidity fluctuations.
Reptile vs. Chicken Egg Incubators
Since both machines do the same job, it would seem reasonable to use them interchangeably; however, this is not a good idea.
For starters, parent birds turn their eggs regularly to ensure optimal development. As a result, automatic egg turning is built into chicken egg incubators. Reptile eggs, however, should never be turned. Using a chicken egg incubator for reptile eggs could kill them.
Second, reptile eggs are more humid than bird eggs. The humidity inside a chicken egg incubator may be too high for a reptile egg.
Because of this, you should never use a chicken egg incubator for reptile eggs.
Conclusion
A wide range of features, prices, and reliability are available in today’s reptile egg incubators.
The best reptile egg incubators are efficient at controlling temperature and humidity, as well as being simple to use. They will also serve you well for a long time.
If you don’t have time to compare the various reptile egg incubators on the market, let us suggest a few. For optimal egg development, the Hova-Bator Still Air Reptile Egg Incubator is one of the best options on the market. If you’re on a budget, the Happybuy ReptiPro 6000 is one of the best-performing low-cost reptile egg incubators available.
The other incubators on this list are also worth a look. Hopefully these reviews helped you today.