Part II: My 1st Litter Ever! Omg!

Ok here's the final count (as best as I could tell):
5 Slugs
3 Normals het albino
2 Hypos het albino
5 Albino
5 Sunglow
= 15 babies in all

The boa gods were very generous and gave me great odds on the albinos and sunglows.

Now this story takes a serious turn. This is a LONG read. I'm sorry.

The boa gods giveth, and the boa gods taketh away.

There is a lot of "back story". So I will try to give the highlights.
My motorcycle is my sole means of transportation. I recently broke down and a buddy dropped everything, to pick up me and my bike. I thought I had the problem fixed, but broke down again two days later. The same friend came to my rescue, again. I owe this guy a BIG favor (IMO).

Babies are born. Momma is removed from the cage and put into a cage that is waiting for her. One albino is still born. Another is alive, but has severe spinal deformaties and is culled. I leave the restof them, to break out of sacks and move around, to work the goo off.

When I think they are ready, I work them to one side of the cage, so I can clean up the goo and lay down the paper towels. I lined the cage floor with paper towels and wet it down with warm water. Then I put the babies down, to clean up some more. At this point noticed a few, that seemed very weak/lethargic.Within a few hours, an albino passes. I kind of saw that one coming.

Now I figure it's time to leave them be. I leave the room. My g/f, stays watch. She has not a had any interest in the boas, since I got them 3 years ago. Having witnessed the birth, she is now fully intrigued. Later she calls up, trouble. I have lost a sunglow. Now I'm concerned that something must be wrong. I have baby racks but didn't intend to use them for day or two. I decide to get them fired up.

My buddy calls and needs a BIG favor. He is going to purchase a vehicle and needs my expertise, in a city that's an hour away. I did not get to set up the racks. I turn up the heat a little in case they need it. Then I reluctantly go and leave my poor ill prepared g/f, to keep an eye on things. The task took a good 3.5 hours before I got back home. In that time we managed to lose one albino and two sunglows. I am well into bitter frustration and panic mode.

Something has GOT to be wrong. I'm reading and re-reading the boa keepers guide. The babies are in the exact same cage that they were born in. So I know the cage is getting heat and I even cranked the heat up 3-4 degrees. Plus the heat probe for the cage stack is in the very same cage. We were misting them with warm water too. Yet the paper towels seem too cool.

I decide to change tactics. I pull the babies out and completely strip, clean and dry the cage. I put fresh dry paper towels and put the babies back in. This time, I leave the hot spot dry and only wet a few spots down. Soon after, another sunglow falls. By now, I've all but given up.

Why only the albinos/sunglows? Not one of the normal hets,or hypos has fallen. Why? Are their darker colors helping them retain just enough heat? Is the temperature difference that subtle, yet that life threatening? I think that somehow, that was the case. After switching to the drier set up, I quickly lost the one sunglow, but no more after that. I think that somehow, the broad surface area of wet paper towels, allowed the moisture to cool too much. There is a ceiling fan in the room, that I'm sure is a contributing factor. However, that fan is in the same place and same setting,it has been on, since the male/female introduction. This was however, my first time using a cage in this fashion.

At the moment, I have only have these left:
3 Normals het albino
2 Hypos het albino
1 Albino
1 Sunglow

I am devastated beyond words, by the losses.

This has been an emotional roller coaster:
The satisfaction of seeing my sunglow project work out.
The sheer joy of watching all those beautiful babies come to life.
The amazement of watching my g/f turn around and share these moments with me and actually pull for the babies. She had been fed up with the boas and was heavily pressuring me to get rid of them. As we were losing babies, she broke down and cried for me and the babies.
Then there's the pain and torture of having my dream project collapse in front of me and my g/f becoming an emotional wreck.

I understand It's a learning process and some lessons are hard learned, but damn it, not on a litter of sun glows.
Sorry, frustration seeping out.

I can't change what has passed, but only strive to better myslef, for the sake of the remaining babies and any possible future litters.

Thank you ALL, for sharing this experience with me.

I will focus on the positive side and be greatful for babies that did make it.

I will continue to post updates on the survivors, whichever way things go.

This was difficult for me to type/post. I know there will be lots of questions.
Please understand, if I don't log on/post/respond for a while.

I wish everyone big, healthy,long lived litters.

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