DIY Home-made "realistic" Hides

[Skittles1101]

Here it is! Without the paint of course....and too hot to take the mold off lol

[Skittles1101]

Came out perfect, thank you!!

[cecilbturtle]

Came out perfect, thank you!!

nice work there

[MissDizzyBee]

This is brilliant...and as Java has decided he prefers his bigger hide, I think I'll try it tonight.

I'm wondering if I could make a nice water bowl out of this with some resin as the sealant too. Time for some experimentation!

[ocean girl]

Okay, so I did this recepie and it was way too wet, had to add more flour.
So far it has been in the oven for 6 hrs and is still slightly spongy. I don't think I made it too thick? 1 hr definately wasn't long enough for mine.
It looks really nice though. I bought some similar paint, they didn't have exact stuff, but it is the same brand.
I'm wondering, should the can say it's waterproof? And, should I spray the specled paint first then the clear coat?
Thanks.

[Bones]

LGray: That looks awesome! Great job!

Ocean Girl: You must've missed LGray's post stating that she had to add more flour to the mixture. If it is slightly spongy after being in the oven for 6 hours, something is definitely wrong and I'm betting that it is too thick and can't cook all the way. Yes, the can will state if the paint is water proof. As soon as your hide is ready for paint, use the waterproof spray paint first, then the speckled spray paint, and then another coat of the waterproof spray paint.

[gardenfiend138]

Isn't shellac really poisonous?
Does anyone else have any tips on how to make these completely waterproof? Mine are in the oven, but I don't want them to mush up on the snake.

once fully dried shellac is non-toxic and safe to use on food serving/ eating dishes, toys, etc. I thought the same thing, googled it, and verified the safety by various sites. That's what I'm going to use to seal mine as soon as they cool!

[gardenfiend138]

Has anyone had any problems not painting theirs? I'm just planning on sealing mine with shellac and using those, i figure they'd be easier to see when they need cleaning, and i don't want to put too much money/ effort into these first ones cos' i know i'm going to screw something up... anyone else not paint theirs and have good results?

[CookieCutter]

Wait, so why were the hides getting all soggy after awhile? Was it the humidity in the tanks/tubs?

[JamieH]

mine are finished, still a little soft so I put them in the oven upside down for a bit. Ill deff post pics of the finished product....

It was wayyyy easy, and I used 2 1/2 cups flour, and a little over a cup of water. and mine are alot thinner than 1/2 inch. more like a 1/4.