A fine coconut fibre substrate for land hermit crab habitats, made from washed Sri Lankan coconut husk and compressed into bricks. Hermit crabs moult buried in the substrate, so keepers need a bedding that holds its shape when damp and lets crabs dig deep tunnels. Coco fibre is usually mixed with sand for this.

Who buys it

Pet brands and pet shops selling hermit crab supplies, and online sellers of habitat kits. Hermit crab substrate sells at retail at a high price per kilo compared with garden coir, because it is sold in small, branded packs.

Fine grade

Hermit crab substrate is screened finer than garden coco peat, with fewer long fibres. Send us a sample of the grade you sell now, or tell us the screen size, and we match it on the sample.

Why washing matters

Coconut husk naturally holds salts (sodium and potassium), especially where coconuts grow near the coast. For animals and plants the material is washed in fresh water to bring the salt level down before it is dried and compressed. Ask for the lot’s EC (electrical conductivity), pH and moisture results with your quote, and tell us your target values.

Import paperwork

Coir is a plant product, so most importing countries ask for a phytosanitary certificate from Sri Lanka’s National Plant Quarantine Service, and some (Australia and New Zealand among them) set their own import conditions for coir and peat. Check your country’s rules before ordering; we supply the export documents.

What to tell us for a quote

• The product, grade or specification you need, and a reference sample if you have one
• Quantity per order and how often you buy
• Pack size, packaging and labelling
• Destination port and the Incoterm you prefer
• Documents your market requires, such as a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate or lab test reports

Packing and shipping

Orders are packed to your instruction and shipped by sea in a full or shared container, or by air for samples and small lots, quoted FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF to your port. Products from several Sri Lankan suppliers can share one container through our consolidation service.

How to get a price: tell us the quantity, your specification and your destination port. We quote FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF, with lead time and minimum order, and arrange samples before an order.

Photo: “Shredded coconutfibres for plants PNr°0093” by D-Kuru, CC BY-SA 3.0 at, via Wikimedia Commons.

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