There are many reptile breeders who choose not to use an incubator. If given the right conditions, nature will indeed take its course, with or without an incubator. However, those who are financially invested in reptile breeding can’t necessarily afford to do that. That’s why if you’re one of those people, you should think about acquiring the best reptile incubator you can find.
Here’s where we come in: Today’s article is meant to give you a better idea of how you can choose the best reptile incubator for you.
7. iTavah Digital Egg incubator
This is a medium-sized incubator made of semi-clear plastic. It holds up to nine eggs and should be sufficient for most hobby breeders. Large-scale breeders may not find it to be large enough. We really like the automatic egg turning feature, which saves a lot of time.Temperature controls are very precise and can be automated to a certain extent. Apart from this, it even runs quietly. It would be nice if the plastic were clear enough to see inside, but there is a larger problem: This one is mainly intended to be used with bird eggs.
There is no reason that you cannot use it to hatch reptile eggs, but you will have to take greater care when doing so.
- Automatic turning
- Automatic temperature control
- Very quiet
- Not good for large-scale breeders
- Mainly designed for chickens and ducks
- Not transparent enough
6. IVYX Scientific Lab Incubator
As such, you get an entirely different level of precision with one of these things. It’s large enough to hold at least a few hundred eggs (probably more) and has a powered ventilation system. Of course, lab equipment is pretty expensive, and this is no exception.
More importantly, the top shelf will always be hotter than the middle shelf, and the middle shelf will always be hotter than the bottom shelf.
- Wide temperature range
- Holds large amounts of eggs
- Powered ventilation
- Creates a temperature gradient
- Expensive
5. IVYX Scientific Mini Lab Incubator
As you might guess, this is the miniature version of our previous item. This is a better choice for small-scale hobby breeders, as it gives you plenty of space at a lower cost, both at the point of sale and on the electric bill.It has the same level of precise temperature control. It still has the powered fan, and it can be plugged into a 12V car plug if you want to travel with it for some reason. Some have reported electrical issues, and this thing is still more expensive than most. Also, the temperature gradient problem remains.
- Uses less electricity
- Portable
- Better for small-scale breeders
- Still more expensive than most
- Some report electrical issues
- Temperature gradient
4. GQF Thermal Air Hova-Bator
This is one of the most popular small egg incubators out there, although it can still hold quite a few eggs. It operates by using heated air that is forced through the box by a small fan. It is compact and efficient, but we are concerned about one thing: the heating element.The heating element is very close to the eggs, in our opinion, and there doesn’t seem to be any way to cool them off. For some reptile species that require a cooler incubation temperature, that could be a problem.
- Fairly cheap
- Very good reputation
- Viewing ports on top
- Heating element is very close to the eggs
- No way to cool the eggs
3. HappyBuy Large Reptile Egg Incubator
This is probably the largest incubator on our list, but it is a little less expensive than the big lab incubator. It is specifically intended for reptiles and reptiles alone, which can only be a plus. With the right trays, it can hold over 6000 eggs, and the huge temperature range should fit the requirements of any species.Of course, all of these multi-rack incubators have the temperature gradient problem, and this one is definitely going to raise your electric bill a little bit.
- Holds up to 6,000 eggs
- Specifically meant for reptiles
- Huge temperature range
- Temperature gradient
- Uses a lot of power
2. Suncoo Digital Egg Incubator
This is a smaller incubator, but it has a few good things in its corner. We like the fully transparent lid, which makes it easy to keep an eye on the eggs. The automatic turning feature is always nice, and the water injection nozzle makes it easier to keep the humidity at the proper level.For reptile eggs, humidity is very important, so this feature is very handy. It is a little bit expensive for such a small incubator, and it takes some time to learn the controls, but this product seems quite good overall.
- Fully transparent
- Automatic turning
- Water injection nozzle
- A little expensive for its size
- Controls are a little complex
1. Farm Innovators Model 2150 Digital Still Air Incubator
This is the bargain-basement option, as it is the cheapest one on our list. It’s cheap because it is mostly made of foam, but it should hold up fine as long as you exercise some care. It’s definitely the best reptile incubator for those on a tight budget.The controls are simple and efficient, but it would be nice if they were automated to some extent.
- Cheapest incubator on our list
- Excellent viewing
- Controls are simple and sufficient
- Mostly made of foam
- No automation
Conclusion
These products have been presented in no particular order, because the best reptile incubator for you is not necessarily the best reptile incubator for someone else. For instance, small-scale breeders would do well with option #1 or option #4, but such a product would be a waste of money for large-scale breeders, as they would have to buy too many of them.
By carefully considering your needs and plans, it should now be easy for you to figure out which is the best reptile incubator for you.
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