Terms and customs

Fursuit
A fursuit is a costume of an animal or a fantasy creature related to an animal (like a werewolf or a snake man).

Fursuiter
A fursuiter is a person wearing an animal-related costume. She/he often has to maintain the fursuit too.

Fursuit wrangler
A fursuit wrangler, spotter or handler, is the term commonly given to the person who acts as a helper to a costumed character or fursuiter. The wrangler helps the performer walk around, makes sure they look their best, and is generally a helper that the fursuiter can find if they need any assistance.

Headless lounge
The headless lounge (or fursuit lounge) is a room set aside for fursuiters and their handlers at a convention or other event. Given that fursuits often become uncomfortably warm, the headless lounge is the place for fursuiters to remove the head of their fursuit in order to cool off. Ideally it has privacy, fans, and plenty of water. Oftentimes, there will be small sewing kits available or hot glue guns for emergency repairs. Photography is heavily frowned upon, as it is considered taboo in the fursuiting community to take a picture of a suiter without their head.

It is often a quality standard for conventions to have at least one headless lounge. Other private areas such as hotel rooms, restroom stalls and certain party rooms can be used for a similar purpose.