I'm looking into picking up a 5000 model for $80 locally. Worth it? I have a basic Hovabator model now...Please share your knowledge and opinions based on experience or what you've heard about them.

Without going to look at it (its all wrapped up and stored in the old house out back), I THINK that might be what I bought this past year. Is is basically a little fridge for a trucker? Anyway...I had a hard time getting the inside temp to match the reading on the door. If I set it for 83F degrees, the thermometers inside said it was 80F. (if memory serves) Anyway, I never hatched any eggs in it because I couldn't get it set up the way I wanted it. I paid way more than $80 for mine, so that's a pretty good deal, and maybe you'll have better luck with yours. It looks bigger than it actually is. The shelf arrangement didn't please me. I couldn't get as many egg containers inside as I had hoped. At any rate, I probably won't use it.

I say don't get it.

That is the one I use, and I hate it. It's good if maybe you only have a few eggs a year, but there is a significant temperature difference between the ones I stack on the top, and the ones I stack on the bottom. I've set mine to 93 degrees, which makes the temperature in the middle about 86-87, the ones on the top 89, and the ones on the bottom 84 - 85.

So would you say that a basic Hovabator works better at maintaining a consistent even temp?

I've never used it, but I have heard that it does well.

I have one of these, and while it has been ok so far, I really wouldn't recommend it. Temps vary about three degrees and thermostat is about four degrees above inside temp. It works good with box turtle eggs once you learn how to adjust it.

Wow...I'm glad it wasn't just me. I thought I was too old to learn a new trick. I'll just stick with my Little Giant Bird Brooders for around $40 apiece! I paid over $200 for that other darned thing. Maybe I should try to sell it.....

Still love my reptibators

In my opinion, if you're going to be serious about breeding shell out the money and get some type of scientific incubator. Mine stay the exact same temperature all year and the humidity I only adjust once every couple of months and it fluctuates roughly 5-10%. Well worth the money. They're golden.

Arizona Sulcata Wrote:In my opinion, if you're going to be serious about breeding shell out the money and get some type of scientific incubator. Mine stay the exact same temperature all year and the humidity I only adjust once every couple of months and it fluctuates roughly 5-10%. Well worth the money. They're golden.

Hi. I'm new to the forum. I have a male and female redfoot. Im not really interested in breeding but if she lays eggs I want to take care of them. What brand of scientific incubator do you own?