Hm.
I still favor the pocket handkerchief thing.
Tell ya why:

The entire bit, as I see it, revolves around ventriloquism and puppetry itself.
You've gotten a boa and you're trying to figure out what to do with it.
You build the puppet, then, as you go...using the pocket handkerchief and the peepers (A little harder to explain those being in your pocket...but if you move quickly, wotthehell).
THEN you have a conversation with the creature you've built. He (or she) is not certain what he is.
THAT could be where the bunny ears come in handy. Now they are costuming and make more sense as he searches for his identity.
Maybe a number of other things, too.
Maybe a bit of fun fur for a wig or some eyebrows or a forked tongue ("Am I a snake?" "I dunno. Try this tongue." "Okay." "How's that?" "Ngmm grf mfl." Take out the tongue. "Not so good. Can't talk." Might even be able to add a rattle for a rattlesnake). Maybe some bits made up of whatever is offered up by your audience. A nice chance to improvise and adlib.
Maybe, finally, you put some antennae on him and he becomes a caterpillar...and then maybe he rolls up...goes to sleep...("Hello? Are you awake? Hello?") and then the boa opens up and a butterfly emerges.
End of bit.

Gosh...I typed that quickly.
Whaddya think?

Looks like I'm on the hunt for an oven mitt.
I might try some of the other items. I also have a yellow ostrich feather!

I'm going through my old magic boxes tomorrow finding stuff that really should be thrown away...
I'm bound to find something usefull.

Now there's a great idea. I like the oven mit thought!

Tod

OK, I lied. What you want is a silicone pot holder.

Here is one from Ace Hardware -- a similar store where you are ought to have something like it. The brand name in the states is Orka.

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/ork......l?ref=42

Good luck

Pix

Another thought -- the late Roger Mara really did a lot with the idea of using only hands and eyes. He was a very talented puppeteer from California. His creativity is missed.

I just got the perfect pot holder, its orange, a perfect beak. I'll put up pictures soon.

I would suggest an envelope, perhaps one that contained a troublesome invoice, or some sweepstakes solicitation. You could use a variation on "Beaknik" located here:

http://www.101handpuppets.com/instant-pu......ons.html



This site is actually the text from Richard Cummings's "101 Hand Puppets" and is a wonderful resource. I found this book in a public library when I was a child and, together with the Beaton marionettes book, it was a great favorite of mine.

Things I have used so far in my summer library programs (09) include..
1.The soft "case" for my ukulele
2. Plastic C/D case
3. Duct Tape over hand
4. Mini trash can (actually I turned it upside down) It has a lever to open the "lid" that becomes the "mouth".
5. Hand only
6. Hand and googly eyes
7. Sock that has "toes"
8. Book
9. One of those small gloves that "fit all".

The Cummings book was one of my favorite sources for ideas when I started making puppets in the 70's. It's nice to see it available online.