Do you really NEED to cool the tank at night?

I hear that many breeders cool the enclosures at night a month or two prior to breeding. Do you really need too? Or can your males just mate with the females, not needed the cooling? I don't really get it..

Some people say it's not absolutely necessary, but it is supposedly one of the triggers that gives males the signal to start producing sperm, and females the signal to start producing follicles. Day/night light cycles and atmospheric/barometric pressure are the other triggers. The idea is to try to replicate natural conditions of the winter, then spring months in Ghana, Togo and Benin, where ball pythons come from.

I know that some folks do, and some don't. I only had a single clutch this year, and I didn't do any cooling. Those eggs pipped today, so I guess it worked out for me. I'll have 6 or 7 pairings next season and probably will not cool them.

i read the sticky on this today, saying you didnt have to cool at night. but as far as myself i dont breed so i dont really know

i didnt cool last season and i had no trouble getting mine to breed

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Originally Posted by waltah!

I know that some folks do, and some don't. I only had a single clutch this year, and I didn't do any cooling. Those eggs pipped today, so I guess it worked out for me. I'll have 6 or 7 pairings next season and probably will not cool them.

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That sounds exciting:) you should post up some pictures of them if they hatched, and if they are still in the eggs I would be glad to see them anyway:)

Most any home will naturally be cooler in the winter months as opposed to the summer. This can be enough to get them going. Some breeders also reduce hot side temps as well.

I have cooled and not and still had similar success. My snake room also gets naturally cooler in the winter.

I have some snakes lay in Janurary and some in late September kept in the exact same conditions so i think they go when they want to, not when we do.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonLOVER

That sounds exciting:) you should post up some pictures of them if they hatched, and if they are still in the eggs I would be glad to see them anyway:)

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Here's a bad pic of a Pastel chillin in the egg. I'll make a thread up later with some better pics.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/IMG_0075.jpg

I do not artificially cool my snakes for breeding.

definitly dont NEED to..