The power of Calico! My 2015 Holdbacks!

Combination of simple genes plus selective breeding! To think a few years ago, someone told me to not waste my time with Calico because it's a "deadend project". Of course that person is no longer in the hobby! Just proves if you keep projects you truly enjoy and use careful selective breeding (instead of following industry trends) the end results can be incredible!

Which is your favorite?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOwy1uEBKio

SOMEONE TOLD YOU NOT TO INVEST IN CALICO? That's crazy. Calibees are one of the best ;P Gorgeous snakes, congrats. I'm really jealous.

My favorite is definitely the back one. I love all the contrast!

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do i have to choose? :mad:

ok, well since u asked...

1. Super Pastel Spider Calico
2. Super Pastel Calico
3. Pastel Spider Calico

they're all beautiful tho. your selective breeding has led to a line of nice washed out animals. is there something in the parents? do u have to wait for another clutch to say so? u should name the line after something cool like TVI - Tactical Veterinarian Incredibles. :)

They are all great....but that Super Pastel Spider Calico! :omg:

Well, as for the "deadend project", we can see that it truly is a "beginning project" and should be treated as such. Congrats! I think they are all really amazing but I prefer the super pastel calico. I want to work on a project including the calico gene and the pastel and red stripe genes. But that is down the road a bit. Thanks for sharing. :gj:

Wow, the inclusion of spider really makes the morph swap out to something completely crazy. I think I like the pastel calico spider better because of the darker contrast against the white.

Just amazing and makes me very glad that I got my calico YB.

can you post pictures, where i am i can t open videos, facebook link and a bunch of others.

As i guess i will also prefer the simple calibumblebee for the contrast , especially if it s a terrific one. Calico as a deadend project?? i would say : don t buy it it s an endless project:cool:. It s the dominant morph i need the most in my orange dream project, before HGW or leopard. What do you think about the lines?

Which one do you work with and why? I read an article by Mike Wilbanks saying that sugar are a bit different phenotype and in his opinion better.

Thanks everyone! To try and answer all the questions:

These offspring are from the Flora and Fauna Calico bloodline, initially acquired in 2010. There's plenty of varying opinions about which Calico bloodlines are better, or Calico vs. Sugar. Honestly, I've seen average looking Calicos and Sugars, as well as incredible Calicos and Sugars. It's all about making a conscious choice, starting with high quality founding stock, taking time/patience, and careful selective breeding- all will greatly increase the chances of producing nicer offspring each generation. My original Calico wasn't spectacular at all, in fact he would be considered "below average" by today's standards...and this was during the time when a low white Calico male was $1,000+! I believe the key was using the best Pastel and Spider holdbacks, to produce high quality bumblebees which has allowed me to produce some nice Calico combos.

Future goals would be to add Orange Dream and Spotnose! I thought about adding Enchi, but mixing too many "highlighter" genes into Calico combos does make them spectacular- but also difficult to determine exactly what's in there! I'ld prefer to make 2-5 gene combos that are super high quality and easily identifiable.

I love what the Calico gene does with other morphs. You have produced some absolutely beautiful snakes here. :gj:

i forgot to mention i love the epic music in the vid. :cool:

The Calico definitely deserves the attention. Your ball offsprings shows that "Quality input = Quality output". Sadly when you try to sell your line bred animal whichs line you working for X years for $$, and the other breeder sells his ugly, non quality, but same gene, same size, same gender ball for $... Guess who's the winner. Have some positive examples too, like the line bred Goldblush Mojaves.

They are beautiful. You've done the Calico gene proud.

They are all very pretty. I can't wait to put my firefly calico to some bp ladies!

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Originally Posted by Ax01

i forgot to mention i love the epic music in the vid. :cool:

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Haha Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Felidae

The Calico definitely deserves the attention. Your ball offsprings shows that "Quality input = Quality output". Sadly when you try to sell your line bred animal whichs line you working for X years for $$, and the other breeder sells his ugly, non quality, but same gene, same size, same gender ball for $... Guess who's the winner. Have some positive examples too, like the line bred Goldblush Mojaves.

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I agree 100%! Too bad, in my case it's not $$....it's zero! I gift many cool animals to kids and for classroom education.

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Originally Posted by tacticalveterinarian

I gift many cool animals to kids and for classroom education.

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That is really cool.

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Originally Posted by tacticalveterinarian

I agree 100%! Too bad, in my case it's not $$....it's zero! I gift many cool animals to kids and for classroom education.

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In this case I was wrong.. You're the winner, but that prize you cannot measure with money.

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Originally Posted by Felidae

In this case I was wrong.. You're the winner, but that prize you cannot measure with money.

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I agree, seeing a room full of smiles is priceless! The next generation is the future- not just voters, but scientists/biologists, conservationist, veterinarians, hobbyists, pet owners, and animal lovers!

This pleases my eyeballs. :clap: :clap: :clap:

(aka, they're beautiful!)

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

This pleases my eyeballs. :clap: :clap: :clap:

(aka, they're beautiful!)

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Thank you!

My eyes are in awe. I can't believe those bps are just super calibees and calibees. Definitely enhance to a couple degrees better then mine.


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I like the bottom left, but they all look great. I'm about to put my Mojo Enchi to my 2,300g Calico (f). I have 2 beautiful high white Calico girls but one is only at 750g. I can't wait for spring!

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Originally Posted by Viol8r

I like the bottom left, but they all look great. I'm about to put my Mojo Enchi to my 2,300g Calico (f). I have 2 beautiful high white Calico girls but one is only at 750g. I can't wait for spring!

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Sounds like a great plan! Good luck and I hope you hit on some stunning combos!