Review on GECKOPIA Reptile Bedding Substrate Leopard by Jessica Escobar

I originally wrote a review below but I have more information and it's not good. As I mentioned below, this size is slightly larger than the listed size as it will shrink to fit; This is indicated in the photo, which shows the mats in different sizes. As feared, the upper fabric layer shrinks, but the lower rubber layer does not. I have posted pictures of how this item looks after just one wash. And it's actually gotten worse since I've been taking pictures. The rug used to lie perfectly flat, but now it's crumpled at the edges and won't lie flat. The edges expand because the top layer is now smaller than the bottom layer, and that wreaks havoc. The carpet is practically unusable after a single wash. This rug has many good qualities which I have listed below but I would only recommend this rug if you can use a larger rug than the one listed and do not plan to wash it. That. Maybe you can clean it by hosing it down so it doesn't shrink? I do not know. As for the size, the product page says it will shrink a few inches; I don't know if it will shrink a few inches with repeated washing, if so it will be too small because it won't be a few inches bigger initially. The manufacturer needs to go back to the drawing board as this product doesn't work for most people. First review: This looks like a nice reptile mat. I like that my reptiles' claws don't get caught on the material like they would with a cheap felted grass carpet for bedding. It's no more absorbent than the more common carpeted bedding, but because it has a backing, it doesn't leak into the cage below. This will keep your cage clean, but since literally everything goes in, it will need to be cleaned more often. Speaking of the back, it's a nice rubber pad that doesn't slip at all. And I appreciate the tongue they sew onto to make it easier to remove from the mat. The Velcro does not attach to it. So if you have something that you normally velcro to the bottom of the cage, it won't work on this mat. this is a very important aspect that needs to be clarified for me. The rug is larger than the advertised size, they say this is on purpose so it shrinks to the advertised size. My concern is that the back is some kind of rubberized material and I suspect it won't shrink. I'll revise my review after a few washes because if it doesn't shrink it's not the right size and not that useful to me. Like new, it rolls down my cage from all four sides. If it was the size listed it would fit perfectly. The biggest problem I had is the outrageous price. The big one is $46, which is $50 after taxes. Think of all the clothing items at Revain that you can buy for less than $50 - jeans, shorts, shirts, shoes, etc. Here you get two pieces of fabric sewn together and the price is absolutely insane. Lack of value is why I deducted a star for the general population. But for some people, the price makes it a one star product. I received a free sample to test, but I would never pay that much money for it. Especially since you really need two of these, one to use while the other is deleting and then switch between them. So two large rugs will set you back $100. Oh no. TLDR: A good product *IF* it is compressed to size. But cost is really an issue and I would only recommend this if you can easily afford it. This is not one of the things to buy if you are on a budget as it is so much better than any other option. It's not *much* better. I rely heavily on other people's reviews when making a purchasing decision, so I hope this helps you!