Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I seem to be getting contrary information, so I'm bringing this topic to the forum for answers. Is it the Italian leatherback that produces silkbacks when both genes are present? I'm assuming this is so. If this is the case, can a beardie carry the Italian leatherback gene but still be normal visually? I'm asking because I saw a supposed Italian leatherback for sale, but the scales/spines look normal to me. I'm thinking it can't be an Italian leather looking the way it does. But I have been known to be wrong.LOL

Thanks in advance-Scott

Hello Scott,

By the italian Leather exists no het animals. It´s a codominant Morph. When you pair a Leather to a "common" scaled animal you become 50% leathers and 50% simply "common" Dragons. You can say the Leather is a type of het for the Silk but that not truly correct. Hope i cna help a little....)

Greetz,

Ralf

You don't know yourself until you try it. Look at Josh from Phantom Dragons post on Oct, 1. Breed a leather to a normal scaled dragon it's true you should get 50/50 making it codom for that clutch. Breed the normal scaled dragons from the clutch to another normal scaled with the same blood line and you are more than likely to produce 1 or two making it recessive. The Italian line as well as the American line; I personally found to be both codom/recessive. Just the like the clear nail hypo pastel trait. I have bred my orange hypo to a non het hypo and produced all dark nailed dragons. I bred those to other hets and produced 50/50 clear nails. Now so far one of the those clear nail's bred to another non-het and produced 50/50. Thus making it codom for that group. My experience a trait can be both codom/recessive this includes the leatherbacks.

Thanks for the explanation. It all makes sense to me now. Although, I would like to know how you know if you have the American or Italian version of leatherback? Do they share the same locus? Can the American line produce silkies? Thanks-Scott

The Breeder you purchase or receive a leatherback from can tell you if you have an Italian or American leather. It basically goes back to the linage of where it was obtained from. I personally belive the Italian Line has a finer reduction in scales as opposed to the American line. As far as the American line producing silkbacks they absolutley can. Anna from AC Dragons has done so. I also spoke to a private breeder/hobbiest last year who purchased brother and sister leatherbacks from Anna's line at a pet store. He bred them together and produced 50/50 silks and leathers. Reptile Guru in Chino, Ca hatched the eggs for him. I beleive they kept some for breeding. As far as the two being compatable Randy at Alpha Dragonz can answer that question. He made some awsome breakthroughs with the two leatherback lines.

Pictured are two leathers from our G&M Red/Orange Hypo (het clear nail female) and our Yellow Italian Leatherback (het clear nail male) The dragon on the left is a clear nail hypo leatherback. The one on the right has almost no side spikes.

If you go to www.alphadragonz.com and check Randy's gallery page you can see his results between the Americn Smoothie X Italian leatherback the are phenominal Take care Mike

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