About Mazuri?

[RachelleD]

Hello!
I have a 4 yr old red foot tortoise. She is offered fresh green ( a very varied selection), fresh fruit and veggies. I grow her pansies, nasturtium, hibiscus, dandelions and clover. I grow oat grass, and top her food with flower topper. This little bugger eats very little of the fresh stuff, and waits me out until I offer her soaked mazuri ( forest and tropical species). Then she runs out and devours it ALL.
Is the Mazuri a complete enough diet?

 

[Blackdog1714]

From @TechnoCheese Redfoot Guide- maybe add some proteins *** noted below and for regular daily feeding blender everything to mix the flavors together (maybe drop a pellet or two in to trick them). The mazuri is good for when you run out of the fresh that you provide. I hate using mazuri in the indoor enclosure due to the smell after it sits for a while.
DIET

Redfoots are very forgiving with diet, and in the wild, eat whatever they can find. Feed a large quantity of weeds and dark, leafy greens daily, enough so that there is always a little left over at the end of the day. Also include vegetables like shredded carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, etc.

While these are fruit eating tortoises, the fruits where they naturally live are much different than our sweet, sugary fruits. Fruits like cactus fruit, papaya, figs, hard melons, etc. are best, but they can also have fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, or any other sweet, edible fruit as part of a varied diet. Feed a piece of “good” fruit the size of the tortoise’s head once a day, or feed a larger amount a few times a week. Mix in “sugary” fruits for variety.

For protein, Redfoots generally eat invertebrates. They should be fed a small amount of earthworms, night crawlers, superworms, dubia roaches, snails, or slugs once or twice a month.

Don’t worry if the amounts aren’t exact, and be sure to feed a varied diet. Always check and see if a food item is edible if you are not sure.

Dust greens with calcium with D3/vitamins 2-3 times a week.

Be sure to have a large, shallow water bowl (Terra Cotta saucer) available at all times.

 

[Jacqui]

Hello!
I have a 4 yr old red foot tortoise. She is offered fresh green ( a very varied selection), fresh fruit and veggies. I grow her pansies, nasturtium, hibiscus, dandelions and clover. I grow oat grass, and top her food with flower topper. This little bugger eats very little of the fresh stuff, and waits me out until I offer her soaked mazuri ( forest and tropical species). Then she runs out and devours it ALL.
Is the Mazuri a complete enough diet?

Complete and stand alone, no. As a part of a balanced diet it's okay.

 

[Tom]

Hello!
I have a 4 yr old red foot tortoise. She is offered fresh green ( a very varied selection), fresh fruit and veggies. I grow her pansies, nasturtium, hibiscus, dandelions and clover. I grow oat grass, and top her food with flower topper. This little bugger eats very little of the fresh stuff, and waits me out until I offer her soaked mazuri ( forest and tropical species). Then she runs out and devours it ALL.
Is the Mazuri a complete enough diet?

Soak a single pellet until mushy and mix it all in with the greens. Keep doing this day after day.

Or, just stop offering Mazuri.

A hungry tortoise is not a picky tortoise.

 

[RachelleD]

Soak a single pellet until mushy and mix it all in with the greens. Keep doing this day after day.

Or, just stop offering Mazuri.

A hungry tortoise is not a picky tortoise.

Loved this idea! And it has worked great!
Thank you!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Mazuri addiction is very common.
But as Tom said, they'll eat the other stuff when they get hungry.
It might even take 3 or 4 days.