"I used to keep hermit crabs in high school, and felt that my daughters would have better luck with hermies than they did with goldfish. Not to mention that they can better interact with hermies!
Anyway, this coconut fiber mat is really nice for small crabs to crawl on, but make sure you've got at least 2" between the top of the coconut fiber mat and the top of the tank. We had two crabs escape before modifying the setup.
I actually found that cutting the mat into different size pieces, and then covering them with 23 guage 1/4 inch chicken wire (the kind that is used to make hermit crab cages at boardwalk stores) is very useful. The mats covered with chicken wire become much stronger and more sturdy; they can be bent, twisted, and rolled into various structures and constructs and maintain their shape.
I'll have to get another mat to use as a climbing "background." The other mat has been shaped into huts, logs, ramps, and other climbing structures. With the chicken wire covering, the larger crabs can readily climb also. Before when it was only the coconut fiber, they had trouble getting a good hold. Guess they were too heavy.
The only reason I'm giving this product 4 stars rather than 5 is because I wish the mat were larger, and the velcro adhesives -- should you elect to use it as a background attached to the back or side of the tank -- were better.
Still, I would highly recommend this product -- especially at $2.99 (I bought mine at the ioriginal price of $5.99). As others have stated, it is aesthetically pleasing and helps maintain the humidity."
