building a mechanical mom

[TheWidowsPeak]

ok here is my idea let me know if it will work...
ok first take a good size tuperware container like 2 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot tall.
second put a light bulb on a dimmer switch in one end
third put a rotating motor on a timer and a dimmer switch in the other end.
attach a dowel of some sort to the motor
put a round storage container on the dowel
put a large water dish in the bottom.
put a temp humidity gauge in the incubator
let run for a month or so to make adjustments.


do you guys have any other ideas or has anyone built one of these??? that can give me any info... thanks

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

if that won't work can someone give me a link to where I can buy that book because I can't find it at the ats

 

[krucz36]

here's the amazon listing for the Tarantula Keeper's Guide. They have a vague-ish description along with a pic.
you can email stan schultz too, he's pretty responsive to questions, as well as being as experienced as they come.
LLL Reptile has the book too, if its not on the site, you can call them and they'll ship it. Loren is the guy to talk to.

 

[wayneo]

try this

Do google search with these perameters mechanical mom & tarantulas. I did it and got a link for a order form for one from the ATS I believe it is only the plans but it should help. here is the link for the order form: http://atshq.org/products.html



Wayne

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

does anyone think that my idea here will work? if not what can I do to make it work.

 

[Cooper]

I dont undertstand, what is this supposed to look like/do?

 

[krucz36]

i think that if you build it, and run it with the humidity gauge and thermometer on it, and it works, well then i want pics! the only thing i'd suggest would be finding either a really slow motor to run it or a "step motor" (i think that's what they're called?) that moves in increments like a clock motor or something. i guess you could use a gear box of some kind if you couldn't find the right motor.
do you have a thermometer you can put in where the sac would be sitting? that way you can test temps right in the "nest".
can you seperate the "nest" from the rest of the enclosure (ie the water dish, the motor, etc)
just some thoughts. i have a kickass acrylic box i could use for this...i was going to make it into an enclosure, but this sounds cool.

 

[krucz36]

its an incubator, to keep the eggsac moving, imitating a mother T. they'll constantly move and rotate their sac .

like me on a date. AHHH i didn't say that.

 

[Phillip]

The problem I see is that it isn't so much the rotation of the sack that's needed as turning it over is needed as in the eggs on the bottom get moved to the top.

Phil

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

what if they are constantly rotated very slowly. or just many times a day? I figured a motor on a dimmer switch would slow own the rotations... it might not but I can allways buy a clock motor.

 

[willywonka]

I was able to find the book you were looking for. Just go to the ATS shop and look under books. The one concern that I would have is the plastic container you are going to use. I believe that the book recommends a glass container. Good luck on building it.

 

[8leggedfreak]

For the motor mechanism I would use a timer box like the one pictured n the TKG pg 216. I use a similar timer to turn on the lights to all of my tanks. The dial on the front turns slowly, perfect for turning eggsacs.

 

[Phillip]

I think you're trying too hard here. Truthfully the sack only has to be rotated a couple of times a day and I reall feel the mechanical mom idea not only fails to move the bottom eggs to the top but in actuality is overkill. However if you want to make one and see how it works more power to ya. I just feel that like the humidity thing with some folks this is being over done when you get to the point of setting up a rotating incubator. I don't actually think the idea will harm anything but I just feel it's not going to do any more good than just opening the top and rotating them in the morning, afternoon, and night.

Phil

 

[krucz36]

of course, you can use a timer to set the motor to come on at certain intervals and rotate as necessary.

and phillip, some of us have pesky jobs that keeps us from doing just about anything in one place morning, afternoon, and night. maybe two outta three, but rarely all three.

and in any event, the thread isn't named "should i build a mechanical mom?" is it?

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

how much ventilation will I need... and humidity/ temp should be what ... and what if I just use the box for incubating and turn the eggs myself???

 

[Malhavoc's]

why remove the eggs at all why not let hte mother care for them till they hatch?

 

[8leggedfreak]

well, if you wait too long and the eggsac hatches the mother T may eat some if not all of the offspring. Removing the eggsac before it hatches ensures saving the maximum number of slings possible.

 

[Phillip]

Perhaps you misunderstood my meaning there about morning, afternoon and night. I too have a job and have had it for many many moons now thanks.

What I meant was it is enough to turn it once when you get up in the morning, again when you get home ( from work ) and lastly before bed. This will turn it 3 times per day without interfering with the ol work schedule.

Also if you notice I never said don't do it what I said was it seems like a waste of effort. Especially if the issue of turning the bottom to the top is not addressed. Simply turning the sack while it remains upright will do little to rotate the eggs within. If you watch the mother with a sack they turn it all ways essentialy mixing the eggs within. It's almost as if they gently knead it if you will.

To answer the question of what to do if you simply use the box and turn it yourself a simple incubator can be made with a medium sized plastic container. Add somewhere around 1/2 inch of water in the bottom with no substrate just straight water. Over the top place paper towel ( good paper towel as you don't want it tearing ) and with a smaller container push the paper towel down into the larger one some so that you have an indented area that does not come into contact with the water. With the towel pushed down secure it with rubber bands or tape to the outer container so that it can't fall in and remove the one used to push it down. Pop a couple of pin holes in the top and bang you're done. Myself I skipped the pinholes and simply opened it for a second each day but either way is fine. In this setup it is easy to simply remove the lid and gently turn the sack a couple of times per day and the humidity will be plenty. Temp wise room temp will do fine preferably in the mid 70s to 80s. The warmer it is the faster it should hatch but I wouldn't go into the 90s.

Phil

 

[Malhavoc's]

Sounds trippy.. lol... I am starting to ponder breeding scarlett My hyper g rosea. Was just gunna leave it in there up until it hatched [am home 24-7 so unless it hathes at night I would have tiem to remove the mother before she eats em...] btw do t's eat when they've got a sac?

 

[Phillip]

Some eat while they have a sack and some show no interest. Most tend to eat however.

And they don't eat the babies when they hatch. Not sure as to why but they don't do it for whatever reason. Porbably due to them being too small the same way a large T will ignore tiny crickets.

Phil