- Joined
- Nov 15, 2011
- Messages
- 45
Thanks for all of the great advices! It really helps
DeanS said:Mazuri was first manufactured for zoos and large scale dairies and such! It promotes quick growth...and is an excellent protein source.
Zoo Med is an all-in-one really. It contains sun-cured and freeze-dried portions of EVERYTHING your tort would eat in the wild...they claim it prevents pyramiding...it doesn't. If your tort will eat it and you don't care about fast growth...then this would be your choice.
Marion Zoological makes a biscuit similar to Mazuri as ingredients go...but it contains red dye. I don't know if that would be detrimental to a tort's system...but the color alone should turn them into eating machines. I'm still waiting to see what other peoples' results are before I even try it! When I worked at San Diego Zoo 15 years ago, they were just starting to work it into the gorillas diets, as well as the pandas. There was a lot of resentment from the keepers at the time...but then again...SD has a couple of 40 year old and a couple of 50 year old gorillas...that are ripped with little fat...GREAT LOOKING ANIMALS!
JoesMum said:It also depends on the variety of tort you are trying to feed. Greeks shouldn't be fed protein
JoesMum said:It also depends on the variety of tort you are trying to feed. Greeks shouldn't be fed protein
Terry Allan Hall said:JoesMum said:It also depends on the variety of tort you are trying to feed. Greeks shouldn't be fed protein
Iberian's will take animal protein, as available, as will Hermann's...I've had both both take earthworms and slugs, occ. (as opportunity arose) and one Iberian I had got himself a small (maybe 10") snake and ate it w/ gusto.
Occasional animal protein seems to be something they appreciate, but I never supply it to them, just let them get it when they can.
HLogic said:Owing to the porous lattice-like structure of the cuttlebone, the gastric acidity tends to dissociate the 85% CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) content rather rapidly so Ca++ availability is not likely a problem with cuttlebone. The protein content is approximately 1.8% and carbohydrates 7.1%.
Cuttlebone Analysis
Terry Allan Hall said:My torts (and every tort I've offered it to) go nuts over the Marion Red Sticks, but mine show only slight interest in Mazuri or Zoo Med.
Weight/growth stays at a steady increase of (averaging) 10 grams every two weeks (youngish adult Herminni B's).
And that's beet juice that makes it red, not food dye.
Totally satisfied w/ Red Sticks and encourage you to try some for your torts.
DeanS said:JoesMum said:It also depends on the variety of tort you are trying to feed. Greeks shouldn't be fed protein
Says who? They can eat protein rich vegetation like any other 'grassland' tortoise! And cuttlebone isn't going to supply calcium only...there's protein in there as well!