A pair of rugged work gloves will keep your hands clean and protect you from mishaps. Even a dead snake can be dangerous if handled improperly.
A knife with a slightly dulled edge may work better than one that’s overly sharp, like an X-acto knife or razor blade. There’s no need to strip every last piece of tissue you encounter. The little bit that’s left can be peeled off with ease once the snakeskin has been dried.
Depending on the size of the snake you’re working with and the place where you’re doing your drying, you might use a cutting board, a sheet of plywood or even a scrap of cardboard.
Generally, the fresher the skin is, the more pliable it will be. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling the snakeskin. This will keep it from sticking to you.
It may help to place a weighted object at one or both ends of the skin as you secure it to the drying surface. Don’t forget to staple the head and tail segments, as well.
If you’re using push pins or similar fasteners, you may have to put the screen in position before tacking it down over the snakeskin. A drying screen isn’t a strict necessity, but it may produce better results than pinning or stapling alone.
You might also try tying down the screen instead for ease of removal later on.
Humid conditions may increase drying time or interfere with the snakeskin’s ability to cure. Avoid storing dried snakeskins near the bathroom or kitchen, where there may be high levels of moisture in the air.
Snakeskins will cure faster in warm, temperate climates. Those who live in a cold or wet region should plan on an additional day or two of drying time. The drying process will also help neutralize the odor that’s present when the skin is fresh.
If the snakeskin sticks to the drying surface, run a flat instrument (like the blade of a knife or a metal ruler) underneath from one end to the other to free it.
When making homemade crafts, it’s best to start preparing the snakeskin while it’s still fresh. That way, it will be at its strongest and most lustrous and won’t have time to begin rotting. Fashioning items from snakeskins that you’ve stripped and dried yourself is far less expensive than buying overpriced snakeskin clothing in stores.
