Sana
Arachnoprince
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2014
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Instead of full on thread resurrection I'm going to bring over the specific post that I'm interested in a discussion of. I'm learning to make an incubator and I wanted to know if this is a preferred method or if other options or additions/subtractions work better. I know this user gets successful sacs as I've gotten slings from him previously. Thanks guys!
I have been meaning to do this for some time, and finally getting to it. This is a tutorial on how to set up a incubator. This is what works good for me, and is no way the only or best way to do it. Feel free to ask questions, or comment.
The incubator consists of these things:
Plastic shoebox, sterilite tub, or something similar
2- plastic delicups
Paper towel or toilet paper
2- coffee filters (when needed)
Coco fiber (when needed)
This is how to get the incubator started. I use only Sterilite 6 quart shoeboxes.
I then drill (6) 1/4" holes into the lid, like so:
Then i line the bottom of the incubator with either moist coco fiber, paper towels, or toilet paper (when i have no paper towels). I usually make the layer thick, about 1/2" or so.
After this, you will want to place your 2 deli cups into the incubator.
Here is the part where either coffee filters or coco fiber will be used.
If you pull your sac, and have just eggs, use coffee filters inside the cups, do not get the eggs wet. Just pour water into the bottom of the incubator below the cups (not inside the cups).
If you pull your sac and have ewls, you can either use dry coffee filters in the cups, or moist coco fiber. It is up to you. What i tend to do is put the ewls on dry coffee filters, then once they start darkening up to molt to 1st instars, i switch them onto moist coco fiber.
If you pull your sac, and have 1st instars, i place them straight on moist coco fiber. At this stage they will need to stay hydrated to have successful molts. This is how i do it, and if the slings go into the incubator with no problems, than almost always they all molt with no problems. The same goes for 2nd instar as well. But at that point you will have to choose to leave them in the incubator and chance cannibalism or seperate them individually. I sometimes also take 1st instars and seperate them into individual cups/vials on moist coco fiber, then place the cups/vials into a large sterilite tub. This makes it alot easier dealing with the slings being they are not 2nd instar yet, and easier to work with.
Here is what the final incubator will look like with ewls in it, and on dry coffee filters.
Here is the incubator with 1st instar, and moist coco fiber in the cups.
---------- Post added 03-17-2013 at 04:38 PM ----------
Here is 1st instars darkening up to molt, on moist coco fiber.
---------- Post added 03-17-2013 at 04:42 PM ----------
Just another pic.