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[craig23]

I know alot of very sucsessful python breeders that havent even started cooling yet... Winter has just started, days are still getting shorter and colder, alot would say that now is the right time to start cooling... There are some people that are starting to heat there snakes up now, i dont understand why. If you wait till the last half of winter/ begining half of spring to warm your snakes you get the added benifites of the natural stimulants.... days getting longer, temps naturally getting warmer. Some wild snakes, even in cooler climates are just going into hibernation now, and wont start mating for another 3-4 months or so, some even later in cooler areas.... Winter has just started, there is a good 3 months of cold weather left, more than enough time to cool.

I also agree with obee, plenty of snakes in the tropics breed with very little natural cooling, its possible that slight drops in humidity, daylight hours and the slight reduction in temps during winter/ the dry, is enough. Its very possible that just the massive reduction in daylight hours from brisbane south would be enough to stimulate breeding without much cooling at all.

Also I have breed a female carpet that was 4.5ft and just under 3 years old. she laid 13 eggs, 2 were duds. I did have alot of problems with deformed hatchlings tho, unsure if it was related to the snakes age, or incubation etc...

goodluck
Craig