Cool or dont cool?

I live in New Jersey and we go through all 4 seasons......we just got slammed with 2 feet of snow.

I cool everything - including hatchlings.

With the exception of the those that live in the deep south, I would say that just about every breeder "cools" whether they intend to or not.

I deliberately switch my racks to a 12 on/12 off cycle for a few months. During the 12 off period, the racks get down to ambient room temperature (usually in the mid 70's but a few times a winter to the low 70's and once or twice below 70). During the 12 on period all snakes have a basking period in the upper 80's.
My hatchlings and yearlings are kept in the same room as my adults. I keep their basking spots on continuously through breeding season...the are not deliberately cooled. However, if I shut off all my adult racks for a period of time, the overall temp in the room drops too.....sooooo the ambient temperature for my hatchlings and yearlings is indirectly affected.

For those that don't deliberately cool, their snakes are most likely exposed to slightly lower temps (and maybe more importantly lower humidity levels, and less ambient light if snakes are remotely close to a window) when the seasons change. Maybe a degree or two.....maybe four degrees.....for bp's this is all it takes. Again, those in the deep south might be an exception to this.

Why do I bother cooling if they will breed anyway?
I like having set "ball python seasons". Just my preference. I have season where snakes are feeding heavy, a breeding season, an egg laying season, and a hatching season. It helps keep me sane.

I think it helps avoid issues with sperm retention. Just my opinion. A few weeks after I resume normal temps, I pull males.....no more intros to females.....regardless if I have witnessed copulation during the breeding season.
If it is meant to be, it is meant to be. If not, then it is not meant to be.
Even if I have not witnessed cops, the female almost always goes anyway.....I just didn't see the deed get done.
So where am I going with all this..........if I didn't stick to a schedule of cooling and warming with a window for intros, then I think I would be more inclined to keep running males until it "feels" right or I see some action.
This slope is too slippery for me.
To me there is something wrong with having males in with females for 6 or 7 months of the year.....especially if you don't have dedicated females for dedicated projects......and especially if you are looking to sell your offspring.
Do you really know who sired a clutch if you have an albino with a normal female for 6 months.......get no eggs........and then "next year" you run a pied through the same female for another 6 months? Way too much overlap of "years" or breeding seasons for me.
I know those that "don't cool" can just as easily stick to a schedule where they pull males but for me it helps to stick with my "seasons". To boot I think the long warm period helps kill off retained sperm. Couple that with a period where no males are introduced and you are on your way to peace of mind.

It saves money. Just pinchin' pennies. You'd be surprised at how much your electric bill can be reduced my turning your racks off for a few hours:0

For what it is worth, I don't have any issues with respiratory. If I did, I would have stopped the cooling thing years ago.....it doesn't make sense to kill your collection just to make life easier for yourself or to save money on electricity.
I do feed through cooling but smaller meals and less often.

We dont cool at all.
Just introduce, and let nature take its course.

No complaints yet!:D

I didn't cool mine this season (my first time breeding), since it's already hard enough keeping temperatures stable in my environment... so far one of my boys has been consistently locking with two ladies, but no eggs/ovulation yet. I'll keep you posted! :gj:

Ever since Ive gotten my herp room as opposed to a rack in a bedroom, I have been cooling. It hasn't helped my season, but I enjoy finally putting my Zilla Power Center to use.