Aviquarium Brooder Tops

[cindy]

I have several 10 gallon tanks and was looking into getting a Aviquarium Brooder top or two. I saw one being used at a show by a vendor. Has anyone here ever used these and what is your opinion on them...reviews on other forums rave about them. I am wondering how well they will keep the babies warm, is it better or equal to a standard brooder. "The AviQuarium™ brooder top, unlike conventional brooders and aquarium top heaters, uses infrared heat and therefore needs no fans or blowers. There is no noise to startle babies when the heat turns on and no drafts or blowing dust. The AviQuarium™ is equipped with a solid-state thermostat and a remote probe. Aquarium tank not included."

http://www.avitec.com/Aquarium-Top-Brooders-s/17.htm

AVQ-2 brooder tops.jpg (12.72 KiB) Viewed 1536 times

[breeze]

You can pick up egg crates at Home Depot for a few bucks and cut it to any aquarium size.

[cindy]

Great idea! I also have the metal screens to put on top of the tanks. They are the screen lids for reptiles. The metal screen might hold up better under a bulb or heat, little concerned about warming plastics. The brooder top/heater would sit on top of the screen.

[debbie276]

The brooder top looks like it would do a good job with quiet, even heat. Wonder how the humidity levels are, would that type of heat make it drier?
At that price I'd want to hear from someone that actually used it and wasn't cherry picked by the seller.
Keep us posted on whether you get it and if so how it works.
good luck

[cindy]

Thank you for your response Debbie! I am still looking around reading reviews on what is the best to use for budgies, grasskeets. Buyers seem to like the young hand fed, though the scarlet that fledged recently was not hand fed but calm when I service the cage and t is probably due to me be around the flights cleaning and feeding and tending to egg foods and the parents needs. Same with the budgies, getting them use to handling vs hand feeding they are still relatively calm.

[debbie276]

I've never handfed anything other then finches so not sure about how the humidity plays a roll in brooding. Other then that it looks like it would be a reliable stable heat.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

It looks like a great idea! You could always add a reptile humidity guage and a small covered bowl of water if the humidity is too low. Bob

[cindy]

Bob, I use a tall mug with a natural sponge in it, changing it out from time to time with a clean one, water change daily...and the gauges for reptiles are great to...humidity gauge on one side temps on the other!

[lou]

Debbie 276,
where was it that u posted your aquarium idea for hand rearing finches?
Many thanks
lou

[debbie276]

Not sure which post your talking about Lou but here's a picture of a brooder we made for finches.

[cindy]

I need a few of these since I am rearing grasskeets and English budgies. The inside needs to be roomy to. There are several other units I am looking at, just trying to decide what is going to work best and collect feedback to.

Debbie can they be adjusted to hold bigger species?

[debbie276]

I never thought about using it for larger birds but I'm sure if you wanted you could just use larger tanks. The large tank is a glass aquarium and the smaller one is a plastic critter keeper. There is a gap between the tanks so the humidity reaches the chick. Anything that would hold water could work. You would just need to be sure to get a large enough fish tank heater for the size.

[lou]

That's it, did you just close in on the sides of the critter holder with plastic and used some sort of sponge on the top sides of the aquarium?
thanks

[debbie276]

To the left and right of the inside tank I put plastic wrap to prevent the water from evaporating so quickly. Between the large and small tank front to back is a inch or so gap allowing the humidity to get to the chicks. I can regulate the humidity with the plexi top, more closed more humidity.

[cindy]

Are there any other brooders on the market that other members use and are happy with? We are comparing right now and looking to get one, make one in the next month or so.