Homemade Bearded Dragon Egg Incubator

Bearded dragons make wonderful pets for children and adults alike. These gentle lizards grow to about 2 feet long and are very easy to handle, rarely showing any aggression (unless you're a cricket). As such, many people have taken to breeding these lizards either professionally or as a hobby. One of the most important tools when breeding bearded dragons, or any lizards, is an incubator. Reptile incubators can sell for thousands of dollars on the open market, but you can make your own with a quick trip to the pet shop and hardware store.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon glass aquarium
  • 2 clay bricks
  • Plastic container
  • Vermiculite
  • Digital thermometer
  • Acrylic sheet, 20-by-10 inches
  • Power drill
  • Submersible aquarium water heater
  • Cup
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the two clay bricks at the bottom of the 10-gallon aquarium, side-by-side. These will serve as your "rack" for keeping your eggs above the waterline later.

    • 2

      Fill the tank with water using the cup until the waterline is about 1/2 inch below the top of the bricks.

    • 3

      Submerge the aquarium water heater below the waterline and stick it to the side of the bottom of the aquarium. Most heaters come with suction cups. Plug it into a nearby power outlet and adjust the temperature to around 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 4

      Place the digital thermometer within the aquarium above the waterline. This will allow you to take accurate temperature measurements, which are crucial when incubating "beardie" eggs.

    • 5

      Drill several small holes into the acrylic sheet using the power drill. Wear protective eye wear so bits of the material don't harm your eyes. There should be about 10 holes to provide the proper air circulation.

    • 6

      Fill the plastic container about halfway with a vermiculite-water 50-50 mix. This will hold the eggs as they're incubated.

    • 7

      Place the acrylic sheet over the top of the aquarium as a lid. The incubator is now complete. All that's left is to add the eggs to the plastic container. Keep track of the temperature on the thermometer and calibrate the heater (powering it up or down) to keep the temperature consistent.