# Polybox incubator in 10 easy steps!



## HanaKitty

Polybox incubator in 10 easy steps! - Repost as previous picture links got removed.

What I used:
Polystyrene box (JBPackaging.co.uk £6.96 + P&P) *I used the 25kg long*
Komodo Thermostat Pulse 600w (Surrey pet supplies £29.41 + P&P)
Habistat Heatmat 29"x11" (Surrey pet supplies £13.92 + P&P)
Digital Thermometer (eBay £1.99)
Cake Cooling Rack/s (Wilkinsons £1.50 each)
Cable ties (£1 B&Q)











Screwdriver/s
Kebab skewer (or similar)
Scissors (forgot to get these before I started so weren't pictured)
Wire strippers (forgot to get these before I started so weren't pictured)










Total cost: £53.78 (Not including P+P on some items as I cant find invoices but lets round it up to £60)


Step 1 - Place your heatmat in the bottom of your incubator and use a slim screwdriver to make a hole through the box.











Step 2 - Take the plug off the heatmat and thread the wire though the hole youve just made.



















Step 3 - Choose where you want the thermostat to be placed (I personally find it easiest on the side, as if you put it on the lid you cant move the lid too far as it will be attached to the mat inside the box) Use the skewer to make a hole above and below the thermostat and use cable ties to attatch it. I tend to do this twice as you can see in the second picture, and I put them between the cables coming out the bottom of the thermostat so it doesnt move about.










Step 4 - Take the thermostat probe and push it through the box (if the box is thick push a screwdriver through too to make it easier). I loop the probe cable a few times and cable tie it to make it neater (see 2nd pic if this sounds confusing). Place the thermostat probe where you want it and use the skewer to make two holes to cable tie it in place. You dont need to secure the probe to the side of the box, some people prefer to sit it in a tub in the incubator, this is just how I do it. 



















Step 5 - Unscrew the box labeled "heater" socket on the thermostat (which you plug the heat mat into) and shorten the cable and put it back together. **This step again is not necessary, I just prefer to have all my cables short and tidy so there are not loose wired hanging around**



















Step 6 - I then shorten the cable on the heatmat (again to keep things neater) and plug it into the "heater" socket on the thermostat. Then use the skewer to make holes in the poly box to secure it into place.










Step 7 - Push the probe of the digital thermometer through the box and attach the reader to the side of the incubator using the skewer and cable ties. I also cable tie any excess cable from the probe inside the box.










Step 8 - Place your cooling rack/s in the bottom ontop of the mat, the purpose of this is so the eggs are not sitting directly on the heat source. In my case as im using such a large polybox I needed to use 2 cooling racks or id have alot of unusable space.










Step 9 - Use scissors to cut all your excess bits of cable ties short.




















Step 10 - Place your incubation tubs into the incubator and your done!! Set the temperature and monitor it for a few days and its ready for your eggs!!










Finished product










You might want to make the incubator more air tight by sealing the holes inside the incubator around the heatmat cable and the holes from the thermostat and thermometer probe (as the cables are slimmer than the probe head which made the holes). To do this you can use a glue gun, aquarium sealant (remember to let it air out until the smell has gone before putting eggs in the incubator) or bluetack.

FYI the tubs in my incubator are stewards / cadbury tubs and the incubation medium is pearlite.


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## manni

That's cool gonna give it a go soon just one question why is the temp probe not inside one of the containers with eggs or does it not really matter?:2thumb:


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## HanaKitty

manni said:


> That's cool gonna give it a go soon just one question why is the temp probe not inside one of the containers with eggs or does it not really matter?:2thumb:


The thermostat probe or the thermometer probe? If you put the thermostat probe in the tubs the lid wont shut, and if you need to remove the tub for any reason the probe gets moved it may cause the temperatures to fluctuate more depending if the probes moved closer or further away from the mat. I sometimes pop the thermometer probe in a tub but not always, as long as its not sat directly on the mat it should give you an accurate temperature reading xo


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## jackiee

very nicely done I like that a lot.


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## RhacodactyBoy

nice little build, very neat and tidy, i like that a lot


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## HanaKitty

Thanks guys


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## Beardy Boy97

Very useful guide. Will definitely use this when I build mine later this year


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## onek

Im think u done this same thread on capt... any way follow this and make one ,work with my royals perfect but i fix another heat mat under lid,reduce condensation under lid tub with eggs, so no water drop on eggs
Thanks


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## Alex Boswell

Where did you get that big poly box from?

It looks very nice and neat, well done : victory:


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## HanaKitty

onek said:


> Im think u done this same thread on capt... any way follow this and make one ,work with my royals perfect but i fix another heat mat under lid,reduce condensation under lid tub with eggs, so no water drop on eggs
> Thanks


I do have an account on there but dont post on there much, didnt think id put it on there? Ive never had issues with water dropping on eggs but then hognose's are incubated pretty dry 



Alex Boswell said:


> Where did you get that big poly box from?
> 
> It looks very nice and neat, well done : victory:


Its the 25kg long from JBPackaging.co.uk :2thumb:


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## Alex Boswell

HanaKitty said:


> I do have an account on there but dont post on there much, didnt think id put it on there? Ive never had issues with water dropping on eggs but then hognose's are incubated pretty dry
> 
> 
> 
> Its the 25kg long from JBPackaging.co.uk :2thumb:


Thanks 

Also, would those cadbury boxes be big enough for royal eggs?


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## HanaKitty

Alex Boswell said:


> Thanks
> 
> Also, would those cadbury boxes be big enough for royal eggs?


Spaced out you might get 6 royal eggs per cadbury box, dont think youd get many more but I dont deal with royals so couldnt be 100%. You may do better with a RUB or two (or a different branded similar tub), not sure which size would fit youd have to take the internal measurements of the poly box and minus off the cooling rack depth off the height xo


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## Alex Boswell

HanaKitty said:


> Spaced out you might get 6 royal eggs per cadbury box, dont think youd get many more but I dont deal with royals so couldnt be 100%. You may do better with a RUB or two (or a different branded similar tub), not sure which size would fit youd have to take the internal measurements of the poly box and minus off the cooling rack depth off the height xo


I'm mainly concerned about the height of the cadbury box and whether it's tall enough to fit royal eggs in...

Thanks for your help


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## HanaKitty

Depends if seperated or piled up? They are about 4 inches high maybe a little bit more. Can go measure one for you if you like?xo


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## Alex Boswell

HanaKitty said:


> Depends if seperated or piled up? They are about 4 inches high maybe a little bit more. Can go measure one for you if you like?xo


Separated probably, and that would be great thank you. Where did you get those from, as I know surreypetsupplies used to sell them before there online website shut down...


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## HanaKitty

Alex Boswell said:


> Separated probably, and that would be great thank you. Where did you get those from, as I know surreypetsupplies used to sell them before there online website shut down...


They were from surrey, they are in at least one of the reptile wholesalers catalogues. They are called Stewart / Cadbury boxes.

Found measurements online. Large 275x155x90mm, Small 225x125x80mm.

They can be found here on ebay, here from reptile center, here from millenium reptiles, Internet reptile seem to be the cheapest at a quick glace but depends on postage cost


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## Alex Boswell

HanaKitty said:


> They were from surrey, they are in at least one of the reptile wholesalers catalogues. They are called Stewart / Cadbury boxes.
> 
> Found measurements online. Large 275x155x90mm, Small 225x125x80mm.
> 
> They can be found here on ebay, here from reptile center, here from millenium reptiles, Internet reptile seem to be the cheapest at a quick glace but depends on postage cost


Thanks! Your help has been much appreciated! :2thumb:


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## brownfox10

*Very nice*

Sweet will try when i mate corn snakes. 
However how do you check the humidity and keep it at a perfect level for the eggs?:blush: 
Alfie


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## ale36

Very tidy build, also good to see a girl with some electrical wiring skills :2thumb:


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## NikDan

nice build thanks for sharing :2thumb:


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## HanaKitty

brownfox10 said:


> Sweet will try when i mate corn snakes.
> However how do you check the humidity and keep it at a perfect level for the eggs?:blush:
> Alfie


Depends on the species of eggs as to how humid they need to be. Hognoses dont need to have much humidity at all so I just use very little water in my substrate and when I check on the eggs if starts to get a little dry I top it up. You can buy digial hygrometeres to monitor the humidity level but they arnt usually very acurate or needed x


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## Piranha72

Nice instructions, thanks :2thumb:


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## Markebt

Very nice , I'm just starting out with royals and this thread is excellent for beginners like me


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