Stuck home with the 'vid so I decided to try my hand at designing a simple, scalable hide for my snakes that I can make with my 3d printer. Even added the name to the first one.
I am a CNC programmer, so design and modeling is super in my wheel house. I don’t have access to the same high caliber software I do at the office from home so I had to start teaching myself some free-ware design software. This was a fun little project. It’s currently on my 3d printer. Will post pics when it’s done.
Check it out.
Do you guys have any hobbies that you have been able to find a use for in the herp world?
This is something I don’t talk a whole lot about just because of the negative connotations the general public has about the furry fandom (which is ridiculous because most of the common arguments against hating the fandom are simply not true… I won’t go into most of them because they’re not family friendly but anyways-), I do in part consider myself to be a part of the furry fandom. My fiancé on the other hand, is much more involved.
I mainly partake because I have developed a good artistic skill in both digital art and on the side, fursuit crafting. (I’ve thought about attempting to design and build a ball python and/or hognose partial. Might be a fun project.)
I very much specialize in drawing both anthropomorphic and non-anthropomorphic animals. I struggle with drawing humans and humanoids though
This has helped me in two ways:
a) I sell custom art commissions and get paid quite well for it — think $100-$200 per commission on average— I’ve been able to put that money towards all kinds of things, including my snakes. I even got enough commissions within the span of a week to pay off a $910 credit card balance!
b) I’ve been able to use my artistic skill to design my own logo and merch, and even do commissions for others as well. A local breeder paid me to design a sticker for them, which I gladly did!
Edit: MorphMarket be shamelessly self-advertising their merch within my own post about how I make my own merch … why so many links
I don’t partake myself, but it’s cool that you found a way to bring your love of reptiles to something else you love. I don’t know that I have ever seen a snake fursuit (scalesuit?). I’ve seen pics from conventions and stuff, but it’s always wolves or dogs or something along those lines. Snakesuit would be cool to check out.
I wish I was artistically inclined. I do alright at best with digital art, but nothing impressive. Just 2d vector stuff. I’ve played with logo design, only ever done 2 and one was for my vinyl graphics side hustle lol.
I write stories in any spare time I’ve got, mainly fantasy (think game of thrones meets final fantasy) and a lot of elements are directly dragged out of the reptile world. From main characters to just bulking up chapters. Things like royalty walking guests through their grand collections of designers Burmese or a village worshiping a Albino tortoises. And even more random things like a witch who believes the blood of a Pied animal is the secret to immortality…
Sounds like a good read. I too believe salvation will come with the Albino Tortoise lol. I wish I had more time to read. Not much of a writer, but I used to love reading. Growing up and being an adult only leaves so much extra time for things to do.
Never got into GoT. I know people love it but my god that first episode sucks. Too slow for my taste. I’ve never been able to finish it, not for lack of trying. People tell me to skip it but my Self diagnosed OCD simply will not allow it. One day I will watch the series. I love the Lord of the Rings series though. Kind of in the same vein right?
I think I’ve only ever seen a bearded dragon suit, it’s pretty neat looking. I find it quite amazing how other suit makers put so much work and detail into their work, it’s pretty crazy.
They look pretty weird right now as they’re not finished, but resin blank heads I’m working on right now:
I’ve recently got into carpentry so that helped me build a custom beardie enclosure and I’m currently working on a snake rack. I still have a lot to learn though, I keep messing stuff up.
I have an online shopping cart at home depot full of power tools because I want to start doing the same. The cost of tools is a definite barrier to entry. I always whole ass one thing so I want nice tools to start to make the job easier.
I bought a snake rack from someone local and the thing is a POS. My engineer brain and background in manufacturing got me thinking about making it better. Just have to move some money around so the wife doesn’t get wise lol.
My old man has a bunch of tools too but even in my early 30’s with a whole career in cutting metal I am still but his little boy lol. If I ask to borrow his circular saw he will insist on brining it over himself to make sure I don’t hurt myself. He won’t outright say that, but I know what goin on haha.
Bad ass embossed leather harnesses for larger lizards…? Let’s go with that. Cool hobby though. Haven’t done much of it myself. Not since 2004 when I was in the boy scouts and even then it was just stamping.
it is a “watched word”. It auto tags the MorphMarket merch store… and yep, we have no shame about it! 
Best to stick to something practical. 