Caramels - Are they worth purchasing?

[Bill Buchman]

I LIKE ULTRAMELS -- ALOT!!!!

I will almost certainly be working them into my breeding within the next 2-3 years. However, I will be making Caramels one of the centerpiece morphs in my breeding over the next few years.

But the opinion that they Ultramels will make Caramels obsolete is ABJECTLY ABSURD. ALL of the critical/negative/judgmental opinions about Caramels come for folks who either don't work with them at all, are working or plan on working on Ultramels, or have close breeder friends who are working with Ultramels.

As most would agree, the Ultramel and Caramel are different in kind -- not compatible genetically. The age differently. I find the Ultramel to be a more "opaque" morph -- a more contrasted less translucent animal -- both as a hatchling and adult.

Other than the Carmello (Ultramel x Caramel) produced by Vin Russo, we have not seen any yet. Many people are talking as if it is a forgone conclusion that Ultramel combos will be FAR BETTER than Caramel combos. They might be? They might not be? It is all speculation at until some Ultramel combos start being produced.

The facts are that almost ALL the Ultramels sold in the U.S. thus far have been produced in Europe or Canada -- with most likely coming from Africa. What that means is that it will be 3-4 years before Ultramels/Ultramel combos are being produced domestically in any significant supply. You have got to have breedable Het girls -- that takes time.

Any idea what breeders that have a visual Caramel codom male with even a half-dozen breedable Caramel Het girls will be producing within that time period? It will be both genetically and visually AWESOME!!!

I have spoken to breeders who have told me that they have produced as many as 40 Caramels with NO KINKING and 120 Caramels with 3 minor kinks. Did they get lucky? Are they working with Caramel lines that are less prone to kinking? Were they incubating differently?

There are no real scientific studies done on why Caramels kink -- and what the percentage actually is. We have reports and incomplete reports from breeders willing to share results. I doubt that any degree of outcrossing, mixing with other morphs, incubating with lower temps, dryer/wetter incubation humidity is totally going to eliminate kinking in Caramels.

I produced 7 visual Caramels/Caramel combos this season -- with no kinking. Will I produce some kinked aniamls in future breeding? YES I WILL!!!!! What do "I expect the kinking percentage to be based on what info I have on others breeding and what small breeding sample I have thus far? I am expecting 10%. But lets say I am wrong and it is 20% -- I can live with that. For me, it is cost of doing business/working with a morph that when paired with the right morph can create UNIQUE colors and "end animals" in one generation -- that GET BETTER WITH AGE!!!! How many morphs can you say that about????

The interesting thing with Ultramels -- did I say that I REALLY LIKE THEM!!!!
-- is that how easy it was for the Ball community to accept them NOT KINKING AT ALL as fact. Considering how closely they resemble Caramels and how limited the visual production sample has been outside of Africa -- I am personally puzzled by this.

I have what I consider a reliable source that has done A LOT of importing from Africa -- and therefore has inside info on production over there. He has direct info from a source that has worked MOST with Ultramels -- they also have produced KINKING. To what degree? Who knows?

I know that kinking will NOT keep me from acquiring an Ultramel at some point in the future. Like the Caramel, it will likely do some AMAZING combos when paired with the proper morph.