Do you feed it exclusively, like dog food, with an occasional treat of fresh fruit or something else? Or is it to be fed as a treat?
MeganAlyse said:Do you feed it exclusively, like dog food, with an occasional treat of fresh fruit or something else? Or is it to be fed as a treat?
Madkins007 said:Aldabraman- I know others who use Mazuri quite a bit for hatchlings. May I ask your philosophy on this aspect? I really don't have a strong opinion one way or the other, just interested in what people think.
Madkins007 said:This is going to depend on who you ask, and your philosophy about animal diets.
One school of thought: Mazuri is a scientifically balanced meal built for the Giant Tortoises but useful for all species. It combines the known nutritional needs in a convenient, cost-effective (in bulk), readily and consistently eaten form. For people who feel that good quality 'kibble' or 'chows' are an appropriate diet, this is probably all you need. Lets call this the "100% Chow" side.)
A variation on that philosophy feels that even though good chows are good, there is a benefit in 'real' food. Perhaps it provides missing micro-nutrients, perhaps it adds interest and variety to the meal for the animal's piece of mind and enrichment, but these people use mostly Mazuri or other chows, and a little 'real food'. This would be the "75/25%" view.
Another school of thought is that scientifically-balanced meals are fine, but our understanding is imperfect. These folk tend to balance Mazuri about half-and-half with 'real food' with the idea being that anything missing in one half will be in the other half. This is my philosophy, and there are many good studies to support it (although, there are also good studies for most of the other positions here as well. This would be the "50/50%" opinion.
Some feel that Mazuri or other chows offer benefits, but that real food is more useful or natural, and use the Mazuri basically as a supplement. This would be the "25/75%" group.
Finally, some people either dislike or distrust chows, possibly because of the ingredients, or they feel they can offer a better diet by hand, or they can allow their tortoise to graze freely in a well-planted habitat. These are the "0%'ers"
Note that these ideas can apply equally well to other pets- fish, birds, small mammals, cats and dogs, even horses and zoo animals.
EricIvins said:I use it as a 100% staple diet........
The only Torts that get Greens are those being switched over......Hatchlings, Juvies, Adults, whatever.........It gets me results that Greens could never replicate......Been there, done it, and I will never look back.......