If they're locking--they can go.
(I stopped cooling after the first two years, and there was 0 difference in fertility...but I didn't get anymore RIs. Ball pythons don't need to be cooled, and, I dare say, don't like to be cooled).
I'm glad things are looking up for you. The snakes know what they're doing--if the females weren't interested in breeding, they wouldn't be locking.![]()