# Which is better - Exo-terra Incubator or Herp Nursery II???



## funky1 (Jun 18, 2008)

Just after ppl`s thoughts and opinions on how they`ve found both of these during their experience - esp if anyone has tried out them both and know they they compare in terms of temp` accuracy and the cooling down function. Have heard totally contrasting opinions on both of them, so any views highly appreciated - don`t want to just throw money at a lame duck.

Just thinking of getting one of the 2 as a supplement to our main incubator (more space!) so as to guarantee a few males next season. Thanks.


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

I would like to know this as ill be getting two of the better one in a couple of months.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Neither - i'd go for a converted fridge or a poly box


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## Rubio (Aug 24, 2011)

*ok*

why nix have you heard of problems with the other two are they a bit hyped


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## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

I have no experience of the exo terra, but had one season with a herp II and sold it.......
I found that it had too much variation in temps for my personal liking. I hatched 2 'iffy' hatchlings that year and wasn't convinced that the temp fluctuations were not the cause. To be fair I also hatched some fine hatchlings but coming into the room a few times a day and seeing up to a couple Degs C fluctuation ( on my thermometer not the units own) didn't convince me. To look at etc they are fine and I do like the light feature etc, I'm just not convinced that they are accurate enough. I would think that a big bottle of water as ballast would help but as they aren't exactly overly spacious in the first place to have to take up room for that seems a bit ott.

Plenty of folks do ok with them and seem to like them, but I'm much happier with my converted wine coolers and pulse stats/heatmats. They hold more stable temps and are bigger, plus I got two for the price I sold the Herp for..... :whistling2:
So now I have a male and female 'bator. The issue I had this year was getting good eggs to put in em!!!


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

Big Red One said:


> I have no experience of the exo terra, but had one season with a herp II and sold it.......
> I found that it had too much variation in temps for my personal liking. I hatched 2 'iffy' hatchlings that year and wasn't convinced that the temp fluctuations were not the cause. To be fair I also hatched some fine hatchlings but coming into the room a few times a day and seeing up to a couple Degs C fluctuation ( on my thermometer not the units own) didn't convince me. To look at etc they are fine and I do like the light feature etc, I'm just not convinced that they are accurate enough. I would think that a big bottle of water as ballast would help but as they aren't exactly overly spacious in the first place to have to take up room for that seems a bit ott.
> 
> Plenty of folks do ok with them and seem to like them, but I'm much happier with my converted wine coolers and pulse stats/heatmats. They hold more stable temps and are bigger, plus I got two for the price I sold the Herp for..... :whistling2:
> So now I have a male and female 'bator. The issue I had this year was getting good eggs to put in em!!!


 Where do you get these wine coolers?


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## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

MP reptiles said:


> Where do you get these wine coolers?


eBay/freecycle or anywhere else you can find them.
Have a look at the make your own incubator sticky.....:2thumb:

I got one free off a member on here who was going to scrap it, so all it 'cost' was a pulse stat and heat mat and an hour of my time to fit these....
: victory:


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

Big Red One said:


> eBay/freecycle or anywhere else you can find them.
> Have a look at the make your own incubator sticky.....:2thumb:
> 
> I got one free off a member on here who was going to scrap it, so all it 'cost' was a pulse stat and heat mat and an hour of my time to fit these....
> : victory:


 nice ive got spare mats and pulses anyway bought them spare but realised i dont have to set up for anything else yet.


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## tonydavo (Mar 10, 2008)

Big Red One said:


> eBay/freecycle or anywhere else you can find them.
> Have a look at the make your own incubator sticky.....:2thumb:
> 
> I got one free off a member on here who was going to scrap it, so all it 'cost' was a pulse stat and heat mat and an hour of my time to fit these....
> : victory:


 
send me a pic of yours please BRO (the wine rack bator that is :blush


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## funky1 (Jun 18, 2008)

Anyone with Exo Terra experience???


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## bluesimon (Jun 5, 2011)

Hi we have the exo terra and to be honest I wouldn't buy another, we find there is a 3-4 degree difference with the readout on the incubator and what the actual temp is, if your new to incubating like we were it can be confusing, we are now using a digital thermometer inside and read from that and adjust the incubator temp according, also there is quite a difference between the top and bottom shelf temps, hope this helps, 
Lisa


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## funky1 (Jun 18, 2008)

Thanks very much Lisa - ppl`s hands on experiences are just what I`m after


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## shaun1729 (Oct 1, 2011)

*which is better*

*Exo-terra Incubator or Herp Nursery II are made in the same factory i've been told by a supplyer
*


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## bluesimon (Jun 5, 2011)

funky1 said:


> Thanks very much Lisa - ppl`s hands on experiences are just what I`m after


No probs glad I could help, hope you get a few more ppl with more experience replying, as we are still new to it all, I am sure you will be happy with what ever way you decide to go, good luck
Regards
Lisa


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## jayhiggo96 (Sep 11, 2011)

from what i have been told the are the same product but just different because of the trade name


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## funky1 (Jun 18, 2008)

shaun1729 said:


> *Exo-terra Incubator or Herp Nursery II are made in the same factory i've been told by a supplyer
> *





jayhiggo96 said:


> from what i have been told the are the same product but just different because of the trade name


Cheers - I heard the same tbh, but didn`t really want to believe it really. Seems the temp` flux and cooling system may be as wonky in both though according to feedback - yet one`s more expensive than the other.


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## loonymoony (Oct 22, 2009)

*herp 2.....*

_*I got a herp nursery 2 from a friend (C4rl) this year ready for next, been running it on and off to check how temps hold etc and although the read out temp and external via digital thermometer are out by about 3c (not a problem once you know) I have found it is maintaining temps well, with little fluctuation and is easy to use and nice looking, I've seen it brand new with free P&P for just under £100 and obviously cheaper second hand. Personally I'm happy with it (can't wait to get using it!), as was Carl when he used it to hatch all his stunning babies this year, with no issues and Sazz bought one end of season and did her last lots in it and was mightily happy with the results, hope that help some Tony.*_


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

I too have a herp nursery II and I am very pleased with it indeed! I have had a 100% hatch rate this season and found no problems what so ever, well apart from the temp difference on the display as to the inside but with a digital thermometer on the inside everything is great! im going to be getting another for next season to incubate for males :2thumb:


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## yardy (Sep 9, 2009)

I agree with the temp disparity with an exo terra but would also add that my brand new one decided to stop providing my eggs with heat altogether on day 56. I don't know how long before that it had been malfunctioning but I had to cobble a home made emergency incubaator together using a poly box, heat mat and pulse stat. My precious clutch of my first 4 royal eggs are now on day 73 but still alive and apparently OK. Out of desperation on Sunday I cut a window in one to check that they were alive-the baby is apparently OK and reasonably coloured up but sulking in its egg as of this morning; the other 3 still haven't pipped. I am also still waiting for the seller to get back to me after emailing them through their website abount 1 1/2- 2 weeks ago. Obviously I can't recommend the exo terra.


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## funky1 (Jun 18, 2008)

loonymoony said:


> _*I got a herp nursery 2 from a friend (C4rl) this year ready for next, been running it on and off to check how temps hold etc and although the read out temp and external via digital thermometer are out by about 3c (not a problem once you know) I have found it is maintaining temps well, with little fluctuation and is easy to use and nice looking, I've seen it brand new with free P&P for just under £100 and obviously cheaper second hand. Personally I'm happy with it (can't wait to get using it!), as was Carl when he used it to hatch all his stunning babies this year, with no issues and Sazz bought one end of season and did her last lots in it and was mightily happy with the results, hope that help some Tony.*_


Really pleased to hear that Carl`s also had success with it, and that your own test run is working out well Lunar - this is exactly the type of info` I was looking for hun! Tbh, it was Saz`s comments a while ago, when she said she wished she`d got one sooner, that really got me thinking about them as a genuine, viable option. I know Saz is an extremely competent keeper, with plenty of experience, so if she`d been more than happy with one, I couldn`t understand what the problems were that some other ppl were having. I`d heard widely contrasting things about them...some said brilliant (but was wary in case it was an opinion from someone who didn`t know any different), and some said very poor (maybe they were expecting perfection?!). So hearing that they have been, and are being used successfully when the temp` flux is taken on board is great - the main incubator I have I`m more than happy with, and have had a tonne of success with it, though it has a really big drawback in that it will take 3 SIMS that all have to be at the same temp - so trying to get any kind of accurate m/f ratio has been pretty much all or nothing (even though at 85 you`re meant to get a 50/50 mix it never, ever works out like that!) Plonking for 83 degrees every year in the `hope` of mainly f`s with some m`s is just leaving too much to chance to make reliable plans - if I could get one of these up and running for males, it would make planning etc SO much easier! Thanks for your input, really appreciated and has gone a long way to making up my mind as to what my b/day prezzy off myself is gonna be! 



Emma30 said:


> I too have a herp nursery II and I am very pleased with it indeed! I have had a 100% hatch rate this season and found no problems what so ever, well apart from the temp difference on the display as to the inside but with a digital thermometer on the inside everything is great! im going to be getting another for next season to incubate for males :2thumb:


Cheer Emma - again, just the type of info I was looking for: someone with hands on experience of the unit, and how it`s functioned once the (what seems to be an across the board) temp` disparity is catered for. Very encouraging to hear that you had a 100% success rate with one - pretty much made up my mind to have a fiddle with one: esp` given I`ll be incubating for males, so it`s probable the cool feature will play as much of a part as the heating during our `long and hot` summers! :whistling2: Thanks a lot : victory:



yardy said:


> I agree with the temp disparity with an exo terra but would also add that my brand new one decided to stop providing my eggs with heat altogether on day 56. I don't know how long before that it had been malfunctioning but I had to cobble a home made emergency incubaator together using a poly box, heat mat and pulse stat. My precious clutch of my first 4 royal eggs are now on day 73 but still alive and apparently OK. Out of desperation on Sunday I cut a window in one to check that they were alive-the baby is apparently OK and reasonably coloured up but sulking in its egg as of this morning; the other 3 still haven't pipped. I am also still waiting for the seller to get back to me after emailing them through their website abount 1 1/2- 2 weeks ago. Obviously I can't recommend the exo terra.


Good to hear that it`s looking like your eggs made it through the worst Yardy, that`s the main thing - hopefully the unit itself is still under warranty after just 56 days, so you may stand a chance of getting your money back? That`s for the feedback mate - any and all experiences with them, good and bad, will help ppl (not only me) make a balanced decision on whether to get one of them in the coming seasons. Cheers.


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## bigboidae (Aug 30, 2011)

we used the herp nurseryII to hatch corn and beardie eggs without any problems, a good digi thermometer is a good idea, but we had a good hatch rate with it prob around 90+ % hatch rate i cant remember any poor hatch,all in all pleased with it , i use a fridge incu these days that probably cost the same to build as the herp time you get all your mats and a good sat,and a wee 12v fan.


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## thetong6969 (Apr 20, 2009)

incubators from hobby are better and can be ordered from reptacular.co.uk
will hold 18 cricket tubs -+1 degree either way so very stable and excellent build:notworthy:


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