casting snake form

[trbruning]

hi all, just a quick question.  i skinned out a snake last week and just like it says in the catalog it gained a few inches in lenth due to natural stretch. was just wondering how you could mold the snake to get a manikin when it gains so much body after you skin it. seems like you would just be dealing with another form that doesnt fit. can any clarify this for me?

[SkulldiNi]

the body  form should be close to the actual size of the actual snakes body . all the extra skin get tucked so that the scales overlap eachother . + the skin will shrink as it dries .

[Kerby Ross]

**i skinned out a snake last week and just like it says in the catalog it gained a few inches in lenth due to natural stretch.**

Supposed to be that way.

**was just wondering how you could mold the snake to get a manikin when it gains so much body after you skin it**

Put the skin on the same size body it came off of for a natural look.  Just keep tucking the skin up and forward....it will work.  Too many people order a larger size form and then stretch the skin over it and hence you get the "stretched over the form look"

A couple of options:

*  Make a mold of your snake before skinning.

*  Make a mold of the carcass.  Once skinned, take the entrails out of the body cavity and fill with clay/high fiber. etc. to regain its shape.  You also can add clay onto the carcass to get a smooth finish before molding.

*  Order a larger commercial form and then sand it down.



Kerby...

[trbruning]

thank you both for your input. 

[Redwolf]

I agree with Kerby on the stretch. I've seen where it says that in the catalog and wonder why they even mention it. If it's stretched out too much the spaces between the scales can look pretty bad.

[Yeager1]

I agree with Kerby on the stretch. I've seen where it says that in the catalog and wonder why they even mention it. If it's stretched out too much the spaces between the scales can look pretty bad.

You guys must not have "real" snakes you can look over at, tap the glass and watch them swell up with a gap between every scale.   I've never been a fan of the "starved" look.  

[Redwolf]

Actually Perry I had pet snakes for years. Yes the can have the swelled look in certain poses, or when they are eating. But to say in your catalog you should order a bigger form because of stretch seems wrong to me. To each his own I guess

[psycho]

I'm just going to post pictures and you can tell me if these are mounts or if they are real. 

[Yeager1]

Alright, here's a couple pics of the two canebrakes I am currently holding for reference and study. (Self appointed Internet police need not to worry, not against the law in AL) They were both upset because I had them out on the deck in a garbage can while cleaning their aquarium. Notice both snakes show much area between the scales. Not because they are fat, but because they were pissed off and swelled up showing aggression. So don't tell me that all snake mounts should have every scale shingled over the other in a coiled pose. I'm not saying try to blow your snake up 3 sizes either. Just that having gaps between the scales in a mount is natural and all "fish judges" should take note of this! Hell, even copy my pics and put them in your reference folder.

[psycho]

So as you can see, I get tired of being told that "ALL" my scales should be stacked perfectly and that if I have scales not stacked that my snakes are stretched to much.  Maybe I just see things differently.  I also look at HD video of snakes and I play it on my video editing software program.  This allows you to see scales stack and stretch and some remained stretched in dang near any position you can think of.    Snakes don't have to be mounted to where they look starved, it's OK to make them look natural.  

[Redwolf]

Your talking girth. McKenzie catalog says "Most snakes will fit a form three to four inches longer than they measure because of natural stretch caused during th skinning"
I don't get forms that are longer if I can help it. Fatter, yes. I understand what your saying, and I do the same thing to my snake mounts.

[psycho]

I agree with Kerby on the stretch. I've seen where it says that in the catalog and wonder why they even mention it. If it's stretched out too much the spaces between the scales can look pretty bad.

I must have misunderstood this.  Stretch between the scales is NORMAL.

Snake skins stretch in length and girth, thats what they do.  They are snakes.   

[Redwolf]

OK.

[Yeager1]

I'll admit my live snakes are bad reference......................they do things that get you counted off for by most judges.