A soft mount is a lesser-known type of taxidermy where the animal's head is mounted traditionally on a hard foam form while the body and legs contain a soft filler, usually poly-fil. This makes the finished mount soft and floppy. Unlike traditional taxidermy mounts which are rigid and unmoving, soft mounts are pleasant to handle and hold.
Sometimes a wire armature is added; this gives the animal added support and allows it to be posed. I do not offer full-body armatures in my soft mounts. However, I do offer the option of wires in the legs to make them semi-poseable and to avoid the "noodle leg" look. Please keep in mind that even with a wire armature installed, a soft mount is simply not going to have the anatomical accuracy of a traditional mount; their shape tends to be quite tube-like.
My soft mounting fee includes the cost of the usual supplies such as head form, your choice of eyes, etc. Custom-made eyes will increase the mounting cost and time, sometimes significantly. The mounting fee does not include the cost of a pelt; you will need to send me your own TAXIDERMY QUALITY pelt (dry tanned and preferably case/tube skinned) for me to work with. A taxidermy quality pelt will have extra skin around the lips and eyes for tucking, the ears will be opened up from the inside (turned), and the inside of the nose will be fleshed out leaving only some cartilage around the nostrils. If you provide me with a whole animal, an untanned (raw/green) hide, or a wet tanned hide, the price and turnaround time for the mount will increase by 4-6 months.
I prefer Paypal for online orders, as it's a fast, convenient, and safe method of payment for buyers and sellers. You may pay with a credit card through Paypal even if you do not have a Paypal account. As is customary for most taxidermy operations, a deposit of 50% of the mounting fee is required before any work begins, usually at the time the order is placed and the pelt received. This deposit is non-refundable, although I reserve the right to refund a portion of it as I see fit. The final 50% plus shipping (and state sales tax, if applicable) is due upon completion of the mount.
You must be 18 years of age or older to commission me, as you will be entering into a contract for a job worth several hundreds of dollars or more. If you are not 18, a parent or legal guardian can place the commission on your behalf.
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