Caring for Your Animal

These creatures are ridged and made to last, however, they are also work of art and require some respect and care in order to insure their longevity.

Heat and moisture

It’s imperative that clients understand that these pieces are not whether proof. You must avoid exposing them to intense heat, whether direct or indirect. Do not leave an animal in a hot car or intense direct sun light on a hot day as this will jeopardize the integrity of adhesives used to create it. I use industrial grade adhesives but do not risk exposure to intense heat. Intense heat is generally anything over 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This means you should be aware of its well-being on hotter days as well as when storing away your headpiece. Make sure your headpiece is propped up properly and stored at a cool or at room temperature.

Similarly, try not to get your animal wet, especially if you have a shaded, striped, or spotted beast. This means you can’t wash your animal.  If your headdress gets very wet, use a highly absorbent cloth or paper towel to gently dab the excess water dry (do not rub), then allow the piece to air dry. Avoid using an air dryer or a heater, and never ever put synthetic fur in a dryer.  It’s best to allow the animal to dry slowly. If you do however live in a very humid location, you may utilize a heater or blow-dryer granted you keep the heat source far away and that you make sure it is not heating the fur.
A common question that comes up is can I waterproof by prop somehow? You can use suede waterproofing sprays but please be advised that I can’t guarantee this method in any way. It is a possible option and will require re-application with use.

If you headdress has tinting, then it is very important that you do not rub it down to dry. Some of the dyes used are water soluble and you will risk smearing it.  Once the headdress is 90% dry, brush the fur gently once or twice to insure the fur maintains its natural direction and does not become matted as it dries. Once dry, you can brush it completely. Again this does not mean your headdress will become a mess of bleeding dye and ruined fur if it gets wet, it means you should be cognizant of exposing it to excessive moisture. That said, a very light drizzle of rain isn’t usually a problem.

Brushing

The most commonly neglected care is brushing your animal before wearing it. Just as you would brush your hair before leaving the house, synthetic fur looks its best when it’s groomed. This shouldn’t take more than a few seconds. It’s best to use a hard bristle brush (like a spare toothbrush) to quickly brush your animal before and after use. In most cases, your animal will come with a small bristle brush to help you get started. There’s a misconception that synthetic fur should not be brushed. This is not true. Your animal has gone through a lot of brushing during its production. Don’t be afraid to brush them. I use excellent quality furs so unless otherwise instructed for your specific animal, it’s important to brush your animal so it doesn’t look like road kill. The only likely exception where you *may* be asked to refrain from over brushing an animal, is if that animal bears dark stripes or spots. Even then, it’s most likely you will be instructed to run the brush gently over it rather than dig it deep. This is only common in leopards and tigers and still doesn’t relieve the client of brushing entirely.  Do not be scarred of shedding. All synthetic fur and natural furs shed. It’s normal; your animal is unlikely to go bald unless you are being unnaturally excessive with brushing.

Wearing, removing, carrying

This should go without saying but please try to hold your headdress in an appropriate manner and not by grabbing a fist full of its fur. Don’t fling and swing it around. avoid battering and banging it around. It is best to wear and remove the headdress using the sides of the head rather than the length of the snouts or beaks. The headdresses should be worn and removed more like motorcycle or dirt bike helmets, and less like baseball caps to insure longevity.

Transportation and storage

Insure you do not put excessive weight and pressure on your animal. As mentioned before, these pieces are ridged and regular ware and use will not trouble them, but they need to be treated with some level of respect and care. Do not place heavy items on top of them, do not place them on top of sharp objects (unless you had already instructed your headdress to be made to accommodate this), avoid throwing them around, sitting on them, beating them, grabbing them by the fur or mane (rather than the body or head), etc…

If your headdress has teeth, store in a manner that does not put the teeth under prolonged stress. The best way to store a headdress or mask is to have a weighed display foam head. If you do not have one, you can also use a weighed small/ narrow box under your headdress to prop it up in such a way that the teeth are not being placed under pressure. It’s also best not to store the animal in such a way where the ears are being pushed in an unnatural direction. When storing your head piece, be sure to store at room temperature for longevity. These pieces are resilient to the cold but heat will begin to cause problems if you are not careful.