Naugahyde-type material is available in realistic patterns like snake, alligator, ostrich, even elephant. It’s vinyl backed by fabric and might be worth experimenting with since you’d only need a fraction of a yard. Here’s a link to one dealer: http://www.fabricdaddy.com/en/fabric-upholstery/exotic-animal-skins but I’ve bought Naugahyde ‘alligator’ at a local fabric store for costumes and I’ve seen the snakeskin, too. The textures are deep.