Please read the ReptiBreeder instruction manual before use to get
optimum hatching quotas and healthy offspring.
1. Features:
The ReptiBreeder hobby incubator has a two-piece Styrofoam
housing. The upper part contains the viewing-window and, on
the inside, the heating-cord and the temperature feeler, with the
digital temperature control on the outside. The lower part has
air holes, and, at the bottom, water channels for regulating the
humidity during incubation and hatching phases.
The incubator’s interior measurements are designed for the use
of house-cricket boxes that are very well suited for fi lling with
incubation material. A foam-plastic inlay is included for eggs that
are to be incubated without substrate.
2. Getting Started:
Use the incubator in a room with constant temperature, as varia-
tions of the ambient temperature of the incubator affect its inside
temperature. The incubator should be placed away from heat
sources and direct sunlight. Place the incubator on a level surface
free of vibrations or shocks, and take care that the air-holes are
not obstructed.
Reaching the desired temperature can take several hours, depen-
ding on the outside temperature, the desired inside temperature,
the temperature feeler’s position and the number of boxes with
incubation material. We recommend running the incubator for
one day before placing the eggs so that the incubation material
can absorb the heat necessary to reach the desired temperature.
Take care to adjust the height of the temperature feeler using the
included holder so that it is on a level with the eggs inside the
incubating substrate.
Insert the eggs into the substrate within the boxes following
the one-day warm-up-period. Due to opening the incubator as
well as the number and temperature of the eggs introduced the
temperature may drop and vary and only slowly return to the
preset value. Please do not change your programming during this
adjustment period.
Slight variations in temperature may also occur in the course of
incubation. This is caused by environmental temperature, the
number of incubation boxes and eggs, incubation material and
humidity. This, however, has no negative effects on the incubation
process, as natural environments do not have constant tempera-
tures either.
A good hatching rate depends, among other factors, on the se-
lection of the proper incubation substrate and its humidity; these
may vary according to the species of the reptile. We have included
some general advice for incubation in this instruction manual.
However, in case of unsatisfactory results we cannot give you
detailed instructions on account of the different reptile species and
the incubation requirements of their eggs. We recommend the
book: “Incubation of Reptile Eggs Basics, Guidelines, Experiences”
by Gunther Köhler.
3. Using the Temperature Control:
3.1 Hardware and Display Panel
LED Indicator
Plus Button
LCD Display
Minus Button
Temperature Indicator
Displays “H” or “A” for “HEAT”
or “ALARM” Programming
“HEAT” indicator when heat is on
“TEM“ indicator when
programming temperature alarm
Alarm symbol
3.2 Switching On:
When the current is connected, all symbols are shown on the
display, half a second later the system switches into the operation
mode. At the fi rst start-up the default settings are used, later the
memory chip stores your last programmed settings.
3.3 Programming the Temperature:
29,5
H
Push „+“ button, the display shows the set temperature, “H”
indicates that you are in the temperature programming mode.
Use the “+“ and “-“ buttons to set the desired temperature. The
value can be set in 0.1° C intervals between 20 and 45° C.
Without further button-pushing the system switches into the
operation mode after 6 seconds. For safety reasons the heater is
switched off in the programming mode.
In the operation mode heating is indicated by the lit LED (1) and
the “HEAT“ (7) on the display.
3.4 Programming the Alarm:
TEM
A
00
Push “-“ button, the display shows the alarm temperature, “A”
indicates that you are in the alarm programming mode.
Use the “+“ and “-“ buttons to set the desired alarm tempera-
ture. The value can be set in 1° C intervals between 1 and 15° C.
(Setting 00 switches the alarm off)
Without further button-pushing the system switches into the
operation mode after 6 seconds. For safety reasons the heater is
switched off in the programming mode.
3.5. Operation mode:
HE AT
29
26.0
In this example the measured temperature is 26.0° C. 29.0
indicates the set temperature rounded off without digits after the
decimal point.
If the measured temperature is above or below the set alarm tem-
perature, the alarm symbol, the indicator, “TEM“ and the display
background light blink.
3.6 Default Settings:
Set temperature: 20° C
Temperature Alarm: 00 (not activated)
3.7 Technical Data:
Temperature display range: -9.9° C to 99.9 ° C
Temperature control range 20.0° C – 45.0° C
Temperature control accuracy: 0.1° C
Display indicator accuracy: 0.1° C
Alarm programming and measuring range: 1-15° C
Heating-cord power: 60 W
4. General Recommendations for Incubating:
Brooding eggs in a brooding apparatus is called incubation It
is practiced to protect the eggs from predating parents and to
control brooding at optimum temperature and humidity. Only
collect the eggs when the female has completed her laying. If the
laying-process is interrupted – e.g. due to stress – the females can
fall into a lethal laying-distress.
The eggs are removed from the parents’ terrarium and placed in
the prepared incubator. They must be laid in the incubation sub-
strate in the same position as they were found, i.e. they must not
be turned. The eggs must not be moved until hatching. Otherwise
there is the danger that changing the position of the egg poles
causes the foetus to be crushed by the yolk-sac, as reptile eggs,
unlike birds’ eggs, have no chalazae. If eggs are later overturned
by baby animals, this danger no longer exists due to the advanced
stage of development of the hatchlings.
If eggs of different species or of different age of the same species
are incubated simultaneously, it may be necessary to mark the
eggs accordingly. Wait until the eggshells have hardened before
you mark them. Many an impatient terrarium-owner has poked
a hole into a delicate eggshell with her pencil. Naturally, hard-
shelled eggs too must be handled carefully.
The humidity of the substrate has an important infl uence on the
development of reptile eggs. Soft-shelled eggs especially absorb a
great amount of humidity during incubation. Inadequate humidity
of the substrate would dehumidify the eggs and cause death of
the developing animal by dehydration.
Vermiculite is an incubating substrate suitable for several species
of reptiles; its humidity can be controlled by choosing the right
grain size and by adding water. Fine-grained vermiculite can hold
more water and adheres to the eggs more closely. It is recommen-
ded for small and soft-shelled eggs. Coarse-grained vermiculite
improves the gas exchange due to its greater number of air-fi lled
pores. It is recommended for large and hard-shelled eggs. We
sell both grades of vermiculite under our brand-name HOBBY in
4-litre packages. Evaporated water from the incubation substrate
must be replaced regularly. The total weight of the eggs in a single
container should not exceed half the weight of the respective
saturated substrate.
Depending on the reptile species other incubation substrates
such as a 1:1 mixture of sand and peat or seramis may be used.
Alternatives are bits of foamed plastic or foamed plastic blocks
that are only moist at the bottom, with holes to hold the eggs.
Hard-shelled eggs of geckos and turtles may often be successfully
brooded without any substrate on a grate above the water-surface
or on coarse gravel. Eggs of some species like gerrhosaurus fl avi-
gularis, basiliscus or ameiva ameiva may react unfavourably to too-
high humidity towards the end of the brooding-period. Brooding
these species without substrate has proved to be successful.
The time of hatching can vary greatly within a single clutch. The
incubation period can vary between several weeks and several
months. By the time the last babies hatch, the fi rst-to-arrive may
already have grown substantially. Temperature and humidity are
the decisive factors. To get out of the egg the hatchling breaks the
shell with its egg tooth that develops in the embryonic stage and
is shed a couple of days after hatching.
Always disinfect the incubator with Reptix Health cleansing-spray
after each incubation.
Source: Slightly altered with kind permission from the book „Fas-
zination Terraristik” by Oliver Drewes, published by Wachtberg
Verlag.
5. Safety Notes:
- the apparatus may no longer be used if power or heating cords
are defective
- heating-cords must be cleaned of dust and dirt particles before
use
- disconnect the power cord before opening the incubator, main-
tenance and cleaning
- clean the upper part with a damp cloth only, do not immerse it
in water and do not use a hose
DOHSE AQUARISTIK KG • OTTO-HAHN-STR. 9 • D-53501 GRAFSCHAFT-GELSDORF • Telefon: +49 (0)2225-9415-0 • www.dohse-terraristik.com
Eine Marke der
Dohse Aquaristik KG
ReptiBreeder
Usage instructions
