Quality Grades for Leatherbacks/Smoothies

Having produced some my self the last few months, as well as shopping and purchasing leatherbacks/smoothies, I have noticed a huge disparity in quality. This is the most difficult to see when they are less than 12 inches long since the larger tubercles are still very small. It seems that is why a lot of breeders who produce their own try to get crazy prices for the smallest of babies when they appear the smoothest. Some aren't even producing their own, just retailing for BB.

The newest "micro leathers" are crazy smooth and seem to be a combo of recessive and co dom traits, but most of the leathers out there today are B grade or lower, with smoothies being C grade or lower. There are also a lot of people selling smoothies (AC Line) as leatherbacks. It is a trait that is also het for silkie but the quality is poorer than it's italian cousin. You can usually see by the look of the dragon and it's structure what line it's from. It would seem that the Dachius, Bloodbank, and Josh would be the most reputable and experienced in grading the selling these at the baby stage.

Anyway I just wanted to make a cautionary post to someone looking at bargain leathers to breed. Quality of leather is VERY hard to determine inside of 8 weeks and a magnified picture.

Happy hunting

Jeff

good post for anyone into the leatherback lines

Good info and completely agree about the varying qualities in leatherbacks, but I'm a little confused in what you mean by "The newest "micro leathers" are crazy smooth and seem to be a combo of recessive and co dom traits"?

Regards Tung

Micro leathers are basically almost as smooth as a silky while still retaining a suede like appearance.

There is a recessive leatherback gene that appears to be independent of the co dom gene, yet compatible in producing nicer leathers and I believe even silkies (unconfirmed).

There are just a few breeders with the recessive leatherback line that started from Phantom Dragons. I have heard that a combination of recessive and co dom can produce a smoother more reduced scale dragon, though it takes time to produce hets and then bring them back to make leathers.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff for the insight. Also, recessive and normal leather can produce silkies. A breeder I spoken to in hamm has proven this.

spyder79":9473b said:

Micro leathers are basically almost as smooth as a silky while still retaining a suede like appearance.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I have several Micros myself, but was refering to the genetics

How interesting...I had no idea. I noticed that some leatherbacks looks much rougher than others...I didn't realize that there was a quality difference between them though...I really like the rougher (more normal) looking ones but with the colors still enhanced...I should be able to get that at a bargain then since it is probably just a c grade, right? :wink: .

Alison
who loves her plain old ordinary scaled, brown beardie quite a lot but still lusts a little after a black and red leatherback...

I think they will become priced according to smoothness over the next year or two, but until the market gets flooded there will be some concentration on color and morph selection. Since they can all produce leathers with the co dom trait, and will have a varied quality clutch, they will still be a little more even if their not butter smooth.



One we produced, not perfectly smooth, but nice... and also not for sale.

Jeff