How to make an Incubator

Basic Care and Feeding Of Orphaned Baby Grey Squirrels
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There is no warranty, implied or otherwise as to the safety of these two types of incubators.
Incubators of this type have been used by wildlife rehabilitators, running day and night for a month or more at a time.
Picture of Incubator

Materials needed-

One 6.5 gallon plastic sweater box (available at Walmart or K-Mart).

One 7 watt light socket with cord (available at HallMarkT store, used for miniature houses and train sets). Very important to use 7-watt light, no more, no less. Check the light socket for 7-watt rating.

One empty 32 oz. wide mouth glass jar (mayonnaise jar).

One cotton sock and two twist-ties.

Tools- Drill and 1/4inch bit


	Drill holes about 1 inch down from the top, 1.5 inches apart, in the sweater box on all four sides. Then drill holes on the lid about 2.5 inches apart (about 25 holes). Cut a hole in one side just big enough to pull plug end of cord through.
	Take the sock and pull it over the jar, pushing the jar all the way until it bottoms out.
	Insert light socket with cord into the sock so it goes into the jar and bottoms out on the bottom of jar. The cord will be trailing out of the sock.
	Take a twist-tie and twist it tightly around the sock at the mouth of jar. Use the other twist-tie at the end of sock. There should be a couple of feet of cord not in the sock.
	Pull the cord through the hole in the side of the box until you get some of the sock through. A baby should not be able to crawl into the sock now because the end is outside of the box.
	Lay a cloth in the bottom of the box and lay light set-up on it. Take another piece of cloth and make a tent over light so the baby won't get a draft. This is intended to radiate heat so the baby can move closer or move away depending on his needs.
	It takes about an hour for the incubator to warm up to ideal temperatures. It should be tested to make sure it is working right.

Another type of incubator- Use same plastic sweater box with holes drilled for air flow. Lay box on a heating pad set on low. Leave one end of box about 2 inches off the heating pad (so if baby gets too hot, he/she can go to cooler area). Put a piece of cloth on container bottom for comfort and warmth. Use a thermometer to make sure it's not too hot or too cold ( ideal temperature is 98.5) . This is the best incubator for babies under 1 week old.