It still hurts.

I guess that even after 5 years you still don't get over the pain of losing a litter. Even though they are only a few hours old, it's still so devastating when they don't make it. I can handle the ones that fade, or are still born...but when I lose an entire litter it really ruins my day. I just can't help but think about their poor helpless little lives that were unnecessarily lost.

I had my first litter of BEWs born today. I waited so long for this breeding. And much to my excitement, the mom gave me a BEW and a perfectly marked Vienna. I was thrilled. I came home about 8 hours later to find them being devoured by ants. The fourth time this has happened in the past 2 months. I feel like I should have prevented it but I honestly thought the episode was over after we power-washed the barn; even more so since I've had two litters since the first round of ants that survived fine. I honestly don't know what is attracting them.

It still hurts to lose a litter...and I think it always will so long as I have a passion for these animals.

RIP little ones <3