# A few questions.



## fuzzykittn (Feb 26, 2011)

Okay, so, I've been mulling over the idea of a fursuit for about a year now. I probably wont be starting anytime soon, so I've got a long time to work out the details. I've done a decent amount of research, but still have some questions.

The suit I plan on making is a Zangoose.

What's your experience with white fursuits? I'm really worried about keeping it WHITE. How long would you expect it to stay white, especially the feet, assuming I take decent care of it?

The giant claws pose a mobility issue. I'd like if I could make them out of a rubber-like material, so they'd be flexible (prevent breaks, injuries, etc). Is this a good idea? What could I use?

Because of Zangoose's general shape, I think the styles used by Japanese fursuiters would work well. Does anybody have links to sites dealing with this style (can be English or Japanese)? And by that I mean, achieving the 'chubby' look without having a heat stroke. Would I have any luck hollowing out the foam, or would it collapse on itself? Do I just have to live with the heat?

The tail poses a bit of a problem. It's a very large, fluffy, upright tail. If I sculpted it from foam, it would be very heavy and get in the way. Anybody have ideas on how I could make this work?

Thank you in advance~


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## dinosaurdammit (Feb 26, 2011)

For the tail- wire may keep it up. 
I have seen many white fursuits and as long as you brush them and use a white brightener safe for acrylic fabrics then you should be fine. Tide to go pens are a must. The claws you might want to make removable. Easier on the suit and you.


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## Karimah (Feb 27, 2011)

When it comes to white suits I have one big piece of advice: make sure you have a good handler with you. A good handler will spot out any potential messes, they can warn people who have been eating something (say, for instance, a bag of Cheetos) to not touch your fur without first washing their hands. That being said, accidents do happen, don't forget that you can and should wash your fursuit, if you get a mess on your fur wash it out carefully in cold still water, brush it out, and let it dry. Repeat this process until the spot is completely gone, if it still shows I recommend using Tide to Go pens as dinosaurdammit said for small prominent spots.

Make your feet paws outdoor paws, where the bottom is made of a thick foam material, like the kind they use on the bottom of flip-flops or the mats that children play on. Groom the fur around the paws rather often to keep any dirt from clumping in there.

You could actually make the claws out of a soft stuffed claw-shaped piece of fabric, like a plain black PVC vinyl (if you like the shiny claw look, if not I suggest something solid, like cotton). It would have plenty of give and wouldn't pose a threat to anyone. If you sew it tight enough and attach the claws securely enough, they will hold shape and be completely harmless. Make sure you make them short gloves instead of sleeves as some suiters do, so that you can take them off as soon as you need to if there's an emergency.

While I don't have any reference sites for you I can tell you this, create the full belly shape from solid foam, hollow out the middle, and put a means of cooling yourself in there, such as a cooling pack or even a cooling vest (you could build up the body padding of the suit on this). Hollowed out belly pieces are perfect cooling opportunities, make sure you use it :3.

When it comes to the tail - wire, proper sewing, and attachment. If you sew the tail in a more upright pattern it will have an easier time staying up and it will make running the wire through it easier. Use a thicker gauge wire and attach the whole thing to a sturdy belt that fastens around your waist, fluff up the tail with plenty of stuffing and long fur and you'll be an all around fluffy suit :3


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## Deo (Feb 27, 2011)

Spot shot carpet cleaner works wonders on white fur.
http://community.livejournal.com/fursuit/3652401.html#cutid1
http://community.livejournal.com/fursuit/3602948.html#cutid1







Silicone or latex can be cast into claws.

Build a 'cage' of the shape in 1inch foam for the shape of the body. Look at CanineHybrid's work on youtube.

Delrin rod and polyfil.


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## Ataraxis (Feb 27, 2011)

It's expensive, but Reticulated foam or Scott foam (same thing, different name) is a porous and breathable foam that would hold it's shape. This would let you get that 'chubby' look, and actually might keep you cooler than you'd be in a tight-fitting suit because of the airflow.


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