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Disclaimer: I mold DEAD things, not live things
14 years ago
After hearing about someone chilling a live snake to mold I just wanted to confirm that I do not mold anything that is not already dead and has died of natural causes. The reptiles I have molded either drowned in my pool, were roadkill, were sick and died despite efforts to save them or were found dead and brought to me. I love reptiles and would never harm one just for my work.
Chilling a live reptile to mold is something that hasn't even crossed my mind before.. because its too horrible to do to any living thing just for a mold. I made a life cast of my face not too long ago and it was an unpleasant experience, something I wouldn't want to put anything non human through. I also can't see getting good results from a live reptile. I spend a long time getting my reptiles in the right pose as well taking the time to clay up undercuts and prepare the specimen for molding. The specimen is in and out of the freezer for a good couple hours while I just get it ready to mold. Having to rush to get a live reptile in and out of the mold would result in a less than perfect mold and sloppy castings.
My main intent with molding reptiles is for educational purposes. I volunteer at a nature center and use a variety of live and dead reptiles for educational programs. Reptiles are misunderstood by the general public, especially rattlesnakes, and I want to do what I can to prevent as many needless snake deaths as possible. Some people are scared of live reptiles and seeing my cast ones helps them realize they're not scary. I've been trying to obtain all the common native reptiles in my area to mold and so far have had pretty good luck obtaining already dead specimens just by having people keep an eye out for me. One idiot I work with accused me of killing lizards to mold and I flipped my shit and told him if I had no problem killing reptiles to mold I would have gone out, collected and killed all the ones I wanted a long time ago. I'm proud to say I've obtained all my specimens without harming them myself.
Chilling a live reptile to mold is something that hasn't even crossed my mind before.. because its too horrible to do to any living thing just for a mold. I made a life cast of my face not too long ago and it was an unpleasant experience, something I wouldn't want to put anything non human through. I also can't see getting good results from a live reptile. I spend a long time getting my reptiles in the right pose as well taking the time to clay up undercuts and prepare the specimen for molding. The specimen is in and out of the freezer for a good couple hours while I just get it ready to mold. Having to rush to get a live reptile in and out of the mold would result in a less than perfect mold and sloppy castings.
My main intent with molding reptiles is for educational purposes. I volunteer at a nature center and use a variety of live and dead reptiles for educational programs. Reptiles are misunderstood by the general public, especially rattlesnakes, and I want to do what I can to prevent as many needless snake deaths as possible. Some people are scared of live reptiles and seeing my cast ones helps them realize they're not scary. I've been trying to obtain all the common native reptiles in my area to mold and so far have had pretty good luck obtaining already dead specimens just by having people keep an eye out for me. One idiot I work with accused me of killing lizards to mold and I flipped my shit and told him if I had no problem killing reptiles to mold I would have gone out, collected and killed all the ones I wanted a long time ago. I'm proud to say I've obtained all my specimens without harming them myself.
I agree, you just can't put an animal through that so the sake of a mold.... I am glad you make the effort, which I think gives your craft that feel good look. And I love your casts. I desperately want to buy a set of earrings from you whenever you choose to go into production
I have a few pairs of the snake head earrings, I'll probably be offering them and a few other things for sale soon. Also, do you need any snake sheddings? The center I volunteer at has a lot of snakes and we usually just throw their sheds away.
But yes save them as long as they are legal to own. I had a timber rattlesnake shed for a while until I couldn't find a single way to own let alone sell them. So I turned it into a pendant for the curator of the wildlife center that owns the rattlesnakes and has permits for.