I recently traded a snake with a guy (who i quite respect), and we have been discussing a possible breeding loan for next season, which lead us to talking about cooling, etc...
I barely cool. My temps never go below 78 at the lowest on the cool end, and the lowest the hot end gets is 83 on a bad day.
He cools everything and everyone. With a low at night and a high during the day. And it gets really cool.
But he said that he is simply recreating nature, as in nature babies get cooled along with the adults. Additionally, snakes that are cooled for the first time, often in their first year of breeding, do not take.
But that those snakes that are cooled yearly will often go their first year, or at least you do see a larger aggregate that supports this action-belief...
I would be curious to hear what peoples experiences are with this? I admit it makes perfect sense to me.
I do not cool as I worry about the temp drops and getting a sick snake... but that comes from the fact I am only on my third breeding season, and am still finding that place where I am more comfortable in taking chances and experiementing.
Bruce
PS: I was told once that by not cooling to the lowest temps I would never get good follicular development... last season I had a 10 and an 11 egg clutch.
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