Easing in with the Mazuri..

[sammi]

So I got a sample from Cory last week, and so far so good. I eased Ernie into it, and now he eats the stuff no problem. I've been mixing it with his greens, about 80%-90% greens, and the rest Mazuri. Well, now I do have a problem. His poos have become soft and fall apart when he poops in his bath..this wasn't happening when I wasn't feeding Mazuri..do you this it's because of the Mazuri?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bob gets liquid poop because he has to eat so many greens during the winter as opposed to grazing, and if I back off on the greens and add Mazuri, his poop firms right up. So in Bob's case it works just the opposite. I'd be prone to say it's not the Mazuri causing softer poop...

 

[terracolson]

I agree with maggie...

To test that theory I would remove the greens period and see what happens, or remove the mazuri.

But i suggest remove the greens first and give it a few poops to get out of his system

 

[spikethebest]

how is the water intake? drinking any more or less than normal?

 

[sammi]

Well, since I've noticed the soft poops, I've stopped soaking as frequently [and cut back to once a week] to see if that might do it, but that made no difference. But as for soft poops, his diet has been consisting mainly of greens, and they have never been this soft before until I added the Mazuri. He also seems to be having a LOT more poo as well, but I havn't changed the amount I've been feeding him either. When I noticed he was pooping more, I actually cut back on how much I was feeding him, but to no avail. Is it possible the Mazuri was making him digest faster too?

I used the last of the Mazuri sample this morning, so I'll let you know what happened in the next few days..

 

[sammi]

So lo and behold, the day after I stopped feeding him Mazuri..his poop firmed up! Is it possible I was feeding too much? I still can't imagine if it makes Bob's poop firm up, why it made Ernie's poop soft..

 

[Yvonne G]

Its probably just like changing a dog's diet from one type of food to another. Until their system gets used to it they might have runny or soft poo. When I first introduced my Aldabran tortoises to Mazuri their nice firm poo changed to a soft squishy mess. But after a few feedings, it firmed up again.

 

[sammi]

How much was "a few feedings"? I fed Ernie Mazuri for a week and it just continually got worse, until I cut it out altogether.

 

[Tom]

Any change in diet with any animal will typically cause a temporary loosening of the stool. Remember as you are experimenting and trying different things that it takes a minimum of several days and a maximum of several weeks for what goes in to come out the other end of a tortoise. There can be a whole lot of coincidence during such a long period of time. If the poo got better the day after you stopped the Mazuri, there were still at least 2 or 3 feedings of Mazuri working their way through, possibly more.

I'd guess he got looser because of the new food, but his system was already adjusted to it by the time you stopped feeding it. If you want to feed it, just use small amounts and mix it in. A little loose poo shouldn't hurt them any way. Mine used to be loose all the time until I started feeding large quantities of grasses and weeds instead of store bought greens. Cut up some bermuda grass hay and mix that in with the spring mix, like a sprinkle on top, that will firm it up too. Just remember, you won't see the results for several days, at the least.

 

[sammi]

Alrighty =] That clears things up a bit for me. Thanks!

 

[samstar]

When I used to feed greens to torty, his poo gets soft but now I feed him Mazuri 6 times a week and his poo is firm.

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When I used to feed Torty greens, his poo used to be soft but ever since I have been feeding him Mazuri only 6 times a week, his poo is firm.