Our Torts eat Mazuri Pellets if Prepared "right"

PhilandShelly

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Apr 29, 2019
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Hello! I've seen a lot of threads regarding Mazuri pellets and decided to give it a try. Phil and Shelly are CDTs around 1.5 years old and mostly feed on dandelion, clover, spring mix, and the occasional rose petals. I wanted to make sure they had a diverse diet and wanted to see if they would like Mazuri. Seems like its hit or miss with some tortoises, but I wanted to give it a try.

I soaked the pellets since they seemed pretty hard to get through for our little guys and people on the forum seemed to have a good experience with that method. They were not having it. I mixed it with dandelion (their favorite) and they avoided it. Tried mixing it with spring mix, and they left that alone as well.

Then I tried to see if they would eat it dry. They both sniffed it, and tried to take a bite. They tried and tried, but they couldn't do it. I used the back of a garden tool to break the pellet into little pieces to put in a small terra cotta saucer, and Viola! They chomped away.

I just started growing some tortoise specific seed mix, and don't plan on giving them pellets frequently, but its good to know they wouldnt be opposed to it being included in their diets.

Maybe this will help someone else that has a tort that doesnt seem into it.

Any one else have experience with foods that wont be eaten if it had not been prepared a certain way?



Photos are of them trying a succulent that was growing on our table and geranium flowers for the first time.
20190505_100751.jpg 20190512_091633.jpg
 

jsheffield

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My redfoot LOVES Mazuri if wet enough to soften it slightly.

I give it to him twice a week to round out his diet.

Jamie
 

Yvonne G

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Trader Joe's sells aloe vera juice by the gallon and Kapidolofarms.net sells hibiscus flowers. Both of these are good to soak your Mazuri in. With the hibiscus, you cover a small amount of the petals with water and place in the fridge over night. In the morning you have a rich, red juice to soak the pellets in.
 

Tom

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Tortoises are creatures of habit. They eat what they've eaten before. Introducing any new food takes time. Often weeks or months of repeatedly introducing the new item mixed in with old favorites.
 
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