Heating Pads in XL Terrarium

[Shadnire]

Hello!! First of all, I've been a hermit crab mommy for maybe 2 years or so - ever since my parents got the hermies (initially for my niece) from their friend. After becoming curious of these guys, I slowly started to change their living conditions in the two years, the more I researched on how to properly care for them after we had unfortunately lost 3-4 while I'm in my learning process.

Right now, I have this cute terrarium with heat mats on each side. Everything looks good so far but I want to get a bigger terrarium and my question lies..

If I want a bigger UTH to go in the back, should I find one that's the size of the terrarium (above substrate) like example 36x26, or do you think two of these UTH would be doable?

Or maybe I can do two of these maybe?

I just don't know if I should be covering the whole back, or at least most of it.

I really want to get something this big so that I have more room to decorate and that they can move around in for more exercise. Plus, my substrate is only 4-5 inches in my current terrarium with my biggest hermie the size of a little ping pong ball I am guessing..

[curlysister]

Welcome to the site!
A couple of things come to mind. Are you able to afford/ get one of the UTH from Reptile Basics or Bean Farm? Heat will rise, so you don't necessarily need the mat to be super 'tall'. This one may be appropriate:

https://beanfarm.com/products/ultrather ... ffcc&_ss=c

Also for future, remember that we use the 'foot print' when determining size of tank (so we are counting molting space more than climbing space). The terarium you are looking at is great, but count it as a 50 gallon when considering how many crabs will comfortable fit (rather than like a 90 gallon which is what it actually is).

[Shadnire]

Thank you for the welcome and the recommendation, I should be able to afford that UTH.

I plan to use my old UTH for my small tank that I want as an isolation just in case. I have been using a little tub with holes in the top, and a "curtain" around the bottom so they can't see out, and no one can see in. Then I put the tub in the tank to keep the heat and humidity - just in case someone is sick or I bring home a new friend. It can hold a little bit of food, salt and fresh water in little saucers, then maybe 2 shells. However, it's too small to do anything else in it so I need my little 10gal to be set up, and right now I don't have extra UTH or gauges.

Also, I believe the general rule was 10gal/crab for just the bottom, not climbing space yes, thank you. I just want more space for both so they can explore more, and that I can decorate more. Also, to have more height to their substrate before they get bigger. Plus, having more than 3 would be nice, I believe the more friends the better - but I don't think I want 9 crabs anyway lol I'd settle with just 5.

[curlysister]

Oh yes, extra climbing space is great! And good plan to have the ten gallon as an iso tank if you need it. I never had the right space to have two tanks going.