The Best Reptile Incubator
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An insulated box which contains a humid substrate and heating pads could suffice as an incubator, but you would still need a means of controlling both temperature and temperature.
Electronic incubators are better as they allow you to control these elements more easily but there are a lot of them available in the market, so which is the best reptile incubator for you?
With good temperature and humidity manipulation, you can even determine the sex of the baby reptile, so you now see why it’s important to choose the best equipment as you breed.
In this article, the best reptile incubators would be reviewed to help you in making the best choice at all times, and you would also be taught what factors to look out for when purchasing the equipment.
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Complete Guide for The Best Reptile Incubator
If you are ready for reptile breeding, then you must have done your research already and had the necessary factors for successful egg hatching at your fingertips.
The requirements for different animals are not the same as each has different temperature and humidity needs.
Just to make sure you are on the right track, the recommended temperature and humidity ranges for some reptiles would be stated below:
- Ball python: requires 850 to 880 F temperature, and 85 to 95% humidity.
- Bearded dragon: requires 840 to 880 F temperature, and 60 to 80% humidity.
- Corn snake: requires 830 to 850 F temperature, and 60 to 80% humidity.
- Crested gecko: requires 720 to 820 F temperature, and 60 to 80% humidity.
- Leopard gecko: requires 820 to 880 F temperature, and 60 to 80% humidity.
- Veiled chameleon: requires 820 to 880 F temperature, and 60 to 80% humidity.
What You Need in an Incubator
Having an incubator is a great first step, but that’s not all.
To ensure that your eggs become hatchlings, you need the following in your incubator:
Substrate
The choice of substrate is very important as its the base in which the eggs would be placed.
It is a factor that determines the amount of moisture and present in the air and the eggs themselves.
The substrate is also a good way of keeping the eggs stable and preventing them from rolling around to reduce the risk of damage or attaching.
Temperature
In terms of heat source, there’s no difference between a living reptile and an egg as they both require an external source of heat to keep warm.
Maintaining the right temperature is key to getting healthy hatchlings as too high temperatures would end up cooking your reptiles, and too low wouldn’t incubate and hatch the eggs.
With leopard geckos, incubating in temperatures between 92 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit will produce an irritable and infertile female.
So it’s a big deal to maintain the right temperature.
Humidity
Reptile eggs sweat and breathe through the egg pores and this only happens in the right humidity.
Note however that too much moisture would put the eggs at risk of developing dangerous molds and bacteria would form in your incubator.
So for the best humidity in the incubator, maintain 75% of moisture in the air to ensure that they are not too wet or too dry and can breathe and sweat easily.
Humidity below 50% is to dry and can cause suffocation.
A humidity above 90% is too moist and will encourage the growth of dangerous molds and bacteria, making your eggs lose their viability.
The 5 Top-Rated Best Reptile Incubators
Editor’s Picks |
Brand |
Rating |
---|---|---|
Top Pick |
4.1 |
|
Runner Up |
4.4 |
|
Best Budget Buy |
4.4 |
|
Best Tank Sand for Leopard Gecko |
4.2 |
|
Best Leopard Gecko Starter Kit Tank |
4.0 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
The Best Reptile Incubators
1. Little Giant 9300 Still Air Egg Incubator Kit for Reptiles
First on our list of the best reptile incubators is this Little Giant 9300 Still Air Incubator Kit for Reptiles and it prides itself as the perfect reptile egg incubator.
Its built-in and the easily adjustable electronic thermostat has a readout for temperature and humidity plus the controls.
There is a notification for low moisture levels that reminds you to top up water, thereby maintaining the correct humidity level.
The air inside the incubator is heated to maintain temperature and the air leaves through exhaust vents at the top of the incubator.
The eggs are placed on a washable and transparent mesh screen so that they can be viewed easily.
The side walls are high and prevent hatchlings from escaping, so even if you have no experience with reptile breeding, this kit would make it all easy for you.
Pros
- It has great features to ensure your egg hatches
- Proper temperature and humidity control
- Security for your hatchlings
Cons
- The room temperature has to be maintained between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit
2. OMEM Reptile Breeding Box
The OMEM reptile breeding box is made of plastic material and has 6 egg slot groups that can accommodate up to 12 eggs.
Its design is such that you would be able to watch over your eggs easily through the transparent cover.
There is maximum air circulation around the egg, with minimum egg to surface contact to ensure that the incubation yields positive results.
It’s easy to maintain and manage this incubator as it’s easy to clean and requires no special skills.
So even if you are a novice at reptile breeding, you will do well with this equipment.
Pros
- Transparent cover
- Houses 8 eggs
- Easy to clean
- Maximum air circulation around the eggs
Cons
- Not as durable as is expected
3. OMEM Reptile Breeding Box (Hatchery Box)
Just as with the OMEM Reptile Breeding Box, this Hatchery box is also easy to use and requires no special skill to operate.
It’s made from food grade PP material and can accommodate up to 14 eggs in 8 groups.
The safe incubation practices that are being observed ensures that there is maximum air circulation around the eggs, and there is a minimum egg to surface contact.
The incubator is easy to clean and manage and has a lattice design.
You can use it repeatedly to hatch your reptile eggs and it’s highly competent to hatch several reptile eggs like the gecko, lizards, lions mane, etc.
Pros
- Can accommodate up to 14 eggs
- Maximum air circulation around the eggs
- Easy to clean
- Easy to maintain
- Can be reused
Cons
- The design flaw of the black tray prevents moisture from reaching the eggs
4. GQF Thermal Air Hova-Bator
The GQF Thermal Air Hova-Bator is regarded as the best small incubator in the world due to its performance over time.
It’s very efficient and economical and can be used for both reptiles and poultry to a satisfactory end.
The thermal airflow model draws in fresh air from the bottom vent of the incubator and lets out the heated air from the exhaust vents at the top of the unit.
To adjust the humidity, replace the plugs, or pull them out.
The transparent window in the lid allows you to have a good look at your eggs without having to open it.
Pros
- Can accommodate up to 50 eggs
- Maintains temperature using thermal airflow
- Viewing windows in the lid to allow you to check on your eggs
- Very economical
Cons
- Doesn’t come with the option to cool the eggs
5. Exo Terra PT2445 Reptile Egg Incubator
We’ll be wrapping up this review on the best reptile incubators with the Exo Terra PT2445 Reptile Egg Incubator.
It’s versatile and can also be used for amphibian eggs.
Each incubator comes with digital control for temperature with an easy to read the output.
There are a double slide-out shelf and a slide-out tray for humidity control that is easy to use.
The door is made transparent and combined with interior lights, you can check on your eggs even during hatching without having to open the incubator.
The unit also automatically cools down the eggs when the preset temperature has been reached and then heats again when the temperature drops.
Pros
- Heats the eggs adequately
- Cools down automatically when the set temperature has been reached
- There is plenty of space available
- Transparent window plus lights for easy viewing
Cons
- Customer service is not as should be
Things to Look Out for in The Best Reptile Incubator
Size
The size of the reptile incubator you are interested in would depend on the number of eggs you plan on keeping.
It is also affected by the space you have because if you have a large incubator when you have limited space in your home, chances are you’ll be bumping into it frequently.
So ensure that the size of the incubator you buy is large enough to accommodate a good number of eggs according to your plan but not too large as to become a problem.
Humidity
Every egg has its humidity requirements to ensure that the health of the egg and the hatchling are maintained.
So before you purchase a reptile incubator, ensure that it can maintain the right humidity levels that your eggs would need.
Heat
Heat is another requirement for viable eggs and healthy hatchlings.
For the best results, an equilibrium has to be met between the humidity and heat in the incubator.
Since every egg has its own heat needs, ensure that the incubator you are about to purchase can reach the required temperature necessary to maintain the health of your eggs.
Design
There are two designs of reptile incubators; the chest and upright designs.
The upright design resembles a mini-fridge and has a viewing window.
So it’s the best for you if you love to have regular glimpses at your eggs as you can easily see what’s going on inside.
While the chest design is ceiling facing and allows you to look down at your eggs.
The difference in design is the only difference between these two as both designs support good health and state of your eggs equally.
So it all comes down to your preferences and the design you have in place.
Reviews
Reviews from past buyers are the best way of telling just how good the product you are purchasing is.
You get to know if the product comes with low-quality parts, or if they are usually defective from the seller.
Reviews also give you tips on the best ways to incubate your eggs with the products, so before making a purchase, go through the reviews as you would find useful tips there.
Only purchase products with good reviews.
FAQ
Can I Use a Chicken Incubator for Reptile Eggs?
Yes, you can, provided the chicken incubator can handle the required temperature and humidity that your reptile eggs need.
Do I Need to Keep Reptile Eggs Warm?
Yes, you do, and the amount of heat the eggs require depends on the species.
Generally, eggs should be kept at a temperature range of 70 to 920 Fahrenheit, although it’s better to stick to the specific guidelines for the eggs you have.
Can I Open the Incubator During Hatching?
Once hatching begins, the correct incubation requirements should be maintained and the incubator should not be opened until hatching is complete.
How Do You Know If Lizard Eggs Are Dead?
A healthy and living lizard egg should have a smooth and unmarked shell. In a dark room, flash a torchlight through the egg and look closely inside.
If the egg is alive you would see veins running through it.
Conclusion
Your reptile breeding venture can only be successful if you make use of the right equipment, and an important tool you would need is a reptile incubator.
Several factors play their roles before an egg hatches, and you would have to provide the necessary environment for your eggs to hatch if you must succeed.
Little Giant 9300 Still Air Egg Incubator Kit for Reptiles provides your eggs with all they need to hatch, and it also provides security for the hatchlings.
With OMEM Reptile Breeding Box, you have an easy to see through cover so you can watch your eggs without having to open the incubator, and it’s also easy to clean.
OMEM Reptile Breeding Box (Hatchery Box) accommodates even more eggs, and just like the other model is also easy to maintain and clean.
All products are premium and would give you optimum results.