The Sand Mat is a thin, textured desert-look mat that goes on the terrarium floor in place of loose sand. Its main advantage is that it cannot be swallowed — an animal that snaps at food off the ground picks up food and nothing else — and the whole floor lifts out in one piece for rinsing. The trade-off is that it will not hold a burrow. A species that digs to thermoregulate, to shed or to lay eggs still needs a deep loose substrate, so the mat suits quarantine tubs, hospital set-ups and grow-on enclosures better than it suits a permanent home for a burrower.
Four sizes. Exo Terra's specification gives Mini 28.5 x 28.5 x 0.4cm (listed here as 29 x 28cm), Small 43 x 43 x 0.4cm, Medium 58 x 43 x 0.4cm and Large 88 x 43 x 0.5cm. Measure the inside of the terrarium base rather than the outside of the frame, and trim to fit with household scissors. For a humid rainforest floor the Forest Moss Mat is the equivalent, desert decor to go on top includes the Barrel Cactus, and the rest of the range is in our Exo Terra collection.
Features
- Cannot be ingested — the single strongest argument for a mat over loose sand, particularly for young animals fed on the floor.
- Textured grip — the surface gives feet something to hold, unlike bare glass or a smooth plastic liner.
- Cut to fit — trim to match an odd footprint or to work around a water dish and a hide.
- Washable — rinse when soiled and replace when the surface wears; Exo Terra suggests pairing it with its Terrarium Cleaner (PT2669).
- Quarantine friendly — a sealed surface accumulates far less bacteria than loose substrate and can be swapped out between animals.
Specifications
Sizes (width x depth x thickness): 28.5 x 28.5 x 0.4cm · 43 x 43 x 0.4cm · 58 x 43 x 0.4cm · 88 x 43 x 0.5cm. Item codes PT2561, PT2562, PT2563 and PT2569. Shipping weights 0.335kg, 0.585kg, 0.685kg and 1.265kg — these are packed despatch weights, not the weight of the mat itself.