Mazuri questions

[meech008]

You mentioned that it is nuggets NOT pellets. I have nuggets (which ED sent me.Am thankful Ed!). But Oli is still not completely used to this diet. How long would it take to get him used to it? Somebody suggested my NOT GIVING HIM ANY OTHER CHOICE, but I cannot do that for one simple reason: the poor thing has been eating Roman lettuce, tomatoes for more than FOUR YEARS. He cannot, I think, be deprived his favourites overnight, can he?

Appreciate suggestions, replies. Thank you.

He can. A lot of people don't like to do it but some people think some torts are stubborn and need the tough love of not having an option

 

[Gillian M]

He can. A lot of people don't like to do it but some people think some torts are stubborn and need the tough love of not having an option

Hello Michelle, and thanks a lot your very encouraging words.

 

[teresaf]

I use mazuri LS sometimes. My torts don't love it but if I mix it in with stuff they do like they will still eat some of it. I have better luck with the ZooMed grassland tort food. I only offer it every other week or so, but it might be worth trying if you can get ahold of some.

Yeah, like I said, torts generally aren't fans of the Mazuri LS but the other (Mazuri original) most torts adore.

 

[teresaf]

I have tried feeding mazuri Tortoise LS Diet, They kind of avoid the mazuri and go for the veges instead, how could I get them to eat the mazuri as well? I have tried mashing/mixing them up tgt but they are still able to pick the vege away from mazuri.

That's what were saying... tortoises don't like that stuff. Throw it away. Get the original Mazuri. it's shaped like dog food (round balls). Most tortoises love it and you can add the calcium to the soaking water when you soften them... the packaging looks similar. here's a picture of what the packaging looks like. No 'LS'. Just stay away from the LS type.

 

[teresaf]

You mentioned that it is nuggets NOT pellets. I have nuggets (which ED sent me.Am thankful Ed!). But Oli is still not completely used to this diet. How long would it take to get him used to it? Somebody suggested my NOT GIVING HIM ANY OTHER CHOICE, but I cannot do that for one simple reason: the poor thing has been eating Roman lettuce, tomatoes for more than FOUR YEARS. He cannot, I think, be deprived his favourites overnight, can he?

Appreciate suggestions, replies. Thank you.

in the wild if a specific food became unavailable he would have to eat something different to fill his belly. you could do a fun experiment. you could put 5 plates in His enclosure, separate from each other by a couple inches, each with different types of Greens for him to try. replace with the same food everyday for a week and see which ones he eats the most.

as for the Mazuri, I think it would be Best to keep offering that daily until he starts eating it more regularly then cut back to weekly or every couple days... it has nutrients and vitamins in it that he can't possibly get from tomatoes and romaine

 

[leno]

Try this Mazuri instead. Torts love it!
*notice it does not have LS on the packaging anywhere and its nuggets instead of pellets.

okay, will try to find if my country has this.

 

[teresaf]

okay, will try to find if my country has this.

You will have alot better luck with that than the stuff that you have. I'm sure. somehow you have gotten LS so the regular Mazuri should be available too. There are people on this forum that may be able to sell you some of their Mazuri.

 

[Gillian M]

in the wild if a specific food became unavailable he would have to eat something different to fill his belly. you could do a fun experiment. you could put 5 plates in His enclosure, separate from each other by a couple inches, each with different types of Greens for him to try. replace with the same food everyday for a week and see which ones he eats the most.

as for the Mazuri, I think it would be Best to keep offering that daily until he starts eating it more regularly then cut back to weekly or every couple days... it has nutrients and vitamins in it that he can't possibly get from tomatoes and romaine

Thanks very much your help. I did apply one thing: am offering Oli mazuri DAILY hoping that he will get used to it sooner or later.

 

[teresaf]

Thanks very much your help. I did apply one thing: am offering Oli mazuri DAILY hoping that he will get used to it sooner or later.

I Wonder if food coloring would hurt him? I was just thinking that soaking the MAzuri in red food coloring water to make it look like a tomato? Maybe ask around about that. I did like the idea of soaking it in a juice they like. Tomatoe juice?

 

[meech008]

I know one member soaked their Mazuri in beet juice for color

 

[domalle]

You mentioned that it is nuggets NOT pellets. I have nuggets (which ED sent me.Am thankful Ed!). But Oli is still not completely used to this diet. How long would it take to get him used to it? Somebody suggested my NOT GIVING HIM ANY OTHER CHOICE, but I cannot do that for one simple reason: the poor thing has been eating Roman lettuce, tomatoes for more than FOUR YEARS. He cannot, I think, be deprived his favourites overnight, can he?

Appreciate suggestions, replies. Thank you.

Not a fan of artificial diets like Mazuri.
Owners find it convenient and their tortoises find it addictive.
But I suspect the tortoises' cravings have something to do with its high sugar content.
It has a good reputation and is useful for maintenance of large collections of animals.
That's why it was developed for zoos.

But I see no reason for its use for the ordinary keeper or small collections of animals.
It is formulated for strictly herbivorous tortoises and contains Vitamin D3
so should not be used routinely for periods when animals are exposed to natural sunlight.

 

[Gillian M]

Not a fan of artificial diets like Mazuri.
Owners find it convenient and their tortoises find it addictive.
But I suspect the tortoises' cravings have something to do with its high sugar content.
It has a good reputation and is useful for maintenance of large collections of animals.
That's why it was developed for zoos.

But I see no reason for its use for the ordinary keeper or small collections of animals.
It is formulated for strictly herbivorous tortoises and contains Vitamin D3
so should not be used routinely for periods when animals are exposed to natural sunlight.

Thanks your help.

OLI gets exposed to a lot of sun, and HOT sun. But his diet worried me all the same until I received tort diet from Ed (to whom I am extremely thankful).

 

[teresaf]

Not a fan of artificial diets like Mazuri.
Owners find it convenient and their tortoises find it addictive.
But I suspect the tortoises' cravings have something to do with its high sugar content.
It has a good reputation and is useful for maintenance of large collections of animals.
That's why it was developed for zoos.

But I see no reason for its use for the ordinary keeper or small collections of animals.
It is formulated for strictly herbivorous tortoises and contains Vitamin D3
so should not be used routinely for periods when animals are exposed to natural sunlight.

You're not one of those VEGANS are you?! Haha...I don't believe anyone here feeds their torts large quantities of Mazuri regularly. The need that I have seen is getting a large variety of nutrients into our torts daily/weekly in times when money for fresh food or the food itself is scarce. I'm in ohio where winters are cold. Any and all suppliments for a healthier tortoise is a big help. I can only grow so much food....They eat sooooo much. Supplimenting their diet with Mazuri can only help in my case....Sure mine get Mazuri year round but not much. Maybe 10% of their overall diet tops!

 

[domalle]

Thanks your help.

OLI gets exposed to a lot of sun, and HOT sun. But his diet worried me all the same until I received tort diet from Ed (to whom I am extremely thankful).

Do not recommend use of Mazuri or any artificial foods formulated with Vitamin D3 as an additive
if your tortoise is exposed to natural sunlight. Like most domestic dog and cat foods,
Mazuri has Vitamin D3 and will cause overdose in animals subjected to sunlight exposure.

 

[domalle]

You're not one of those VEGANS are you?! Haha...I don't believe anyone here feeds their torts large quantities of Mazuri regularly. The need that I have seen is getting a large variety of nutrients into our torts daily/weekly in times when money for fresh food or the food itself is scarce. I'm in ohio where winters are cold. Any and all suppliments for a healthier tortoise is a big help. I can only grow so much food....They eat sooooo much. Supplimenting their diet with Mazuri can only help in my case....Sure mine get Mazuri year round but not much. Maybe 10% of their overall diet tops!

You're on to me, but vegetarian not vegan.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sorry to butt in, but for our AMERICAN members, many feed stores sell the Mazuri tortoise formula in big 25 pound bags.
I bought some this weekend and the price has gone up a bit to $36. Still, at a dollar and change per pound, this is the way to buy it!
It makes up no more than 20% of my tortoises diet. usually much less, but I'm in a climate that allows me to grow them food 12 months out of the year.
I mix it with fruit or boiled egg, etc. (Redfoot only)

 

[CharlieM]

I stopped using Mazuri altogether.
The primary ingredients are GMO soy, corn and wheat.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I stopped using Mazuri altogether.
The primary ingredients are GMO soy, corn and wheat.

It is strange that it seems to equal MORE than its contents suggest.
I guess WE are the "long term"testers.
I would like to see how tortoises fed Mazuri often would compare with NON Mazuri eating tortoises at say ten years........
I vary my diet. I'm sure that most of us do.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I use Mazuri. I would definitely prefer that it wasn't a soy/corn product, but I do trust that the community has been using it for quite awhile and getting great results with it. I also like that it has well balanced vitamins including d3, because sunlight as well as local food is limited several months a year here.

 

[Gillian M]

Do not recommend use of Mazuri or any artificial foods formulated with Vitamin D3 as an additive
if your tortoise is exposed to natural sunlight. Like most domestic dog and cat foods,
Mazuri has Vitamin D3 and will cause overdose in animals subjected to sunlight exposure.

Thanks a lot your help.