High Resolution Snake

I have completed the high detail snake model, which will be used to project detail onto the lower poly version in the form of texture maps. Hopefully I can transfer enough of the scales detail to the ambient occlusion map to allow me to paint a diffuse map which is consistent with the scale pattern. However from my experience some of the high level detail is likely to be lost in the decimation process which is necessary in order to get the model stable in 3ds max.