Is brumating necessary?

Hi all, is it true that you absolutely *need* to brumate to get fertile eggs? My male and female locked twice this week, right after she shed. For context i’m in Virginia, where they are native. I haven’t brumated them in any form. Just kept them at normal temps, feedings, etc. My male suddenly went off food after the first lock and I got 2 locks now. He still isn’t eating and is doing the nose rubbing at the front of his tank. So, the question is, will not brumating effect anything? Should I go for a 3rd lock? Best regards. Zoe

Brumation is not necessary to produce viable hatchlings in corn snakes. I spent years not brumating my animals with great success.
One of the perks of brumation is that it gives the animals and the keeper a break. The more important benefit is that if you intend to breed animals, brumation makes the process more uniform and predictable. All your animals will cycle around the same time; shedding, ovulating, mating, laying eggs, etc. Without brumation one must be ever vigilant to spot these signs and act accordingly. This is especially helpful when you have a large number of animals.