Mazuri LS for Hermann's?

Moozillion

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I'm planning on getting some more Mazuri for Elsa. I see that in addition to the original formulation, the company is now making Mazuri LS, which apparently has more Timothy hay and less sugars. I know less sugars is good for my Elsa, but I don't know about Timothy hay for Hermann's. Any thoughts? Thanks!
 

seiff

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Based on ingredients, the LS looks like the healthier option. I bought a huge bag of the regular, but mine eat both, so I'm going to try to focus on the LS and phase out the regular. Clearly the regular isn't bad, I just assume corn is less healthy than hay...
 

Tom

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The problem with the LS is that it doesn't get mushy when soaked. The pieces are on the large side for a smaller tortoises like a hermanni. LS is also less appetizing to our tortoises. The only way I could get mine to eat it was to mush it up with some soaked regular Mazuri.

Its fine for a hermanni to eat blended up grass hay mixed with other greens, but the LS pellets are not such a good way to deliver the hay in my experience.
 

seiff

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Hey Tom, the LS I have is actually smallish pellets and did soften when soaked. Not nearly as quickly as the regular, but after about 5 minutes they squished. I toss my Mazuri with dried herbs but they are the LS plain. But... I'm the only person I've found to have torts that eat the LS so far. Everything else I read is pretty negative regarding the new formula and palatability...
 

Tom

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Hey Tom, the LS I have is actually smallish pellets and did soften when soaked. Not nearly as quickly as the regular, but after about 5 minutes they squished. I toss my Mazuri with dried herbs but they are the LS plain. But... I'm the only person I've found to have torts that eat the LS so far. Everything else I read is pretty negative regarding the new formula and palatability...

That's interesting. How recent was this batch of yours made? The original stuff that came out would get a little slippery on the outside, but it was really tough to break it up and it wouldn't smoosh at all. After soaking, it basically stayed the same as it was dry, only now it was wet.

I wonder if they are trying to improve the LS to make it so more tortoise owners will use it.
 

GotTort

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My Russian loves, loves, loves the LS. He gobbles it down in seconds. I run each pellet under running water for a few seconds; they quickly become soft and squishy. I've never used the original Mazuri.
 

HermanniChris

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I've had luck with both types with everything from Hermann's to Radiateds and Burmese stars but it seems the original is highly favored. This goes for hatchlings to adults. I prefer the original for a few reasons so I usually only order it.
 

seiff

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ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430155199.329491.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1430155220.579282.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1430155250.727699.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1430155273.460684.jpg

Soaked for 4 minutes, it's soft and smushes... I tried it plain and he's eating it!

Chris, why the original preference?
 

HermanniChris

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Well it's more of a "if ain't broken don't fix it" type thing. I like the ingredients in the original better despite the few improvements they've made on the new stuff and for years now I've been monitoring the blood and certain levels on many of our tortoises that have been eating it for a long time. The results are perfect and the animals are just so healthy and reproducing beautifully. The original blend is loved by all of our animals and it's so easy to mix other items into it such as the dried herbs that I made the video for and anything else you'd want to try, The only other thing I will add is that a small few individuals have expressed that they suddenly lost their tortoise after switching to the new stuff. I haven't experienced this and haven't even noticed any change in health when using LS but it of course gets you thinking.
 

Jami

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Hi,

My 11 month old likes the LS. I never knew there was a "choice" as that's the 1 that was available at my pet store. He didn't like it until a few months ago. Mine gets mushy when I soak it for a few minutes. Is the original healthier really? Should I be hunting for that instead?
 

Moozillion

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Hi,

My 11 month old likes the LS. I never knew there was a "choice" as that's the 1 that was available at my pet store. He didn't like it until a few months ago. Mine gets mushy when I soak it for a few minutes. Is the original healthier really? Should I be hunting for that instead?
I don't know for sure-That would really be up to you. I went ahead and got the regular - I only give her some about once a week or once every other week.
 

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