# Don't soak Mazuri or other pellets



## Madkins007 (Sep 13, 2013)

Many people soak tortoise 'chows' to make them easier to eat, more palatable, or to boost liquid intakes, but soaking dried foods also means that some of the nutrients will leach out into the water, reducing the benefits to the tortoise. 

This is what it says on a bag of Mazuri Tortoise Diet:
Feeding Directions
ï‚· Feed approximately 2-4% of body weight. It is not necessary to moisten pellets with water.
ï‚· Feed consumption will vary with environmental temperatures.
ï‚· Feed with good quality grass hay. If desired, feed fresh fruits and vegetables
o At most 5% fruit and 20% vegetables by weight of total diet
ï‚· Always provide animal with plenty of fresh, clean water.

Besides, wet chows quickly become smelly messes and draw pests. 

If your tortoise does not seem to eat whole pellets, try these tricks:
- Crush them up and sprinkle on foods.
- Break them up to smaller chunks.
- Mist the pellets, or dunk them just long enough to moisten the outer layer- that is often all they need to start to soften up. 
- Remember that lots of us and other keepers use the pellets as is, and lots of tortoises eat them whole and dry. Yours can learn to do so too if you give it time and incentive.


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## Masin (Sep 13, 2013)

I soak mine in just enough water so that it all gets absorbed then mash the greens with them or feed her the mazuri on the side. I hope to get her to eat them dry soon, she's pretty crazy about her mazuri!


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## sibi (Sep 13, 2013)

Good point Mark. I often wondered about soaking these pellets because I found that even my baby runt sully can bite into the pellets if the outer part is moist. She isn't quite use to it yet, but she can...she did today.


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## Pokeymeg (Sep 14, 2013)

Interesting...I had never thought of that! I soak mine, never once thought about soaking out the nutrients. I'll have to change up how I prep these.

Thank you for the heads up!


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## wellington (Sep 14, 2013)

I do the same as Masin. All water is absorbed. Doing it like this, are we still lessening the nutrient value? I assumed not.


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## jaizei (Sep 14, 2013)

Feeding dry also helps with beak maintenance.


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## dds7155 (Sep 14, 2013)

I think Madkins007 is wrong on this...I agree with Masin, , i add just enough hot water to soften, then add cut up hay ,mix it really good , you wont lose enough nutrients to matter,this is just my opinion,, you have to use common sense ,,,


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## Yvonne G (Sep 14, 2013)

For my baby tortoises, I put a small handful into a plastic storage baggie, close the bag, then roll over it with a rolling pin. When it's all crushed, I'll sprinkle it over the greens.


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## cemmons12 (Sep 14, 2013)

I put just enough water in to make them soft. I cant see, from Cooper's huge size, that it has taken away the nutrients by too much. Everyone has their own way I suppose. Have a great day!


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## diamondbp (Sep 14, 2013)

I soak it until the outside becomes slightly soft. I never let it get to mushy.


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## mightymizz (Sep 14, 2013)

My older tort, is just big enough where he tries to swallow an entire dry pellet...However, the pellets are just too big to be swallowed in one gulp. I am afraid that as he keeps trying, a pellet might get stuck. So I have been soaking them.


1. How about for feeding yearlings who will in no way be able to swallow an entire pellet? I'm not even sure they could break into a dry pellet? I usually only feed Mazuri and not mix it in with greens and the random days I actually feed Mazuri.

2. Any thoughts about feeding yearlings if you don't soak the pellets?

3. Since it says 2%-4% of weight, do most of you guys weigh the tort, then weigh the amount of Mazuri? Or??

THanks!!


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## HerbsMommy (Sep 14, 2013)

Yeah my 7 month old cant break into a dry pellet. I have to soak it. For one pellet all you need is a small spoonful of water. What I do is fill a spoon with water, prop it up so it doesn't spill out, then put the pellet in. It soaks up all the water and my baby loves it


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## TommyZ (Sep 14, 2013)

But...if i dont soak it, how will my torts smear it all over their faces, and drive me nuts when I try and clean them off?...lol... Im not sure how much nutrition is lost, but i know even just blanching veggies to eat for humans causes some nutrient loss, so this makes sense. That, and Mark is a "library"(pun intended), of tort info, so ill rest on his laurels that hes correct. Ill see if the tort will eat them just dunked rather than soaked. Lets see how we do 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TortForum mobile app


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## cemmons12 (Sep 14, 2013)

Well Cooper is like 36 pounds or so, but I don't think I give him the 1.44 they recommend. I believe that's what it comes out to. Ill have to weigh it next feeding time now just to see..

Sent from my junk cell phone... D2G


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## HerbsMommy (Sep 14, 2013)

Plus if its not soaked (for hatchlings and little ones, anyway) it will expand in their stomach and can cause severe stomach problems


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## DeanS (Sep 14, 2013)

HerbsMommy said:


> Plus if its not soaked (for hatchlings and little ones, anyway) it will expand in their stomach and can cause severe stomach problems



I brought that up a few years back when I came up with tortoise lasagna

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-19944.html

...and later tortoise meatballs

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-39021.html

If you do opt to feed dry...you're going to need to soak your torts more often...to encourage them to drink more!


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## mainey34 (Sep 14, 2013)

I soak my mazuri and add to my greens. You will not lose any nutritional value if they eat greens and all. Does not make sense to me. Why not soak?


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## Tom (Sep 14, 2013)

If one were to soak a few pellets in a large container of water, and then dump the majority of the water after removing the mushy pellets, well sure, you'd lose some nutrients. If however, the pellets absorb all the water you put them in, and the tortoise eats the whole pellet including the added water, the there can be no nutrient loss. One might argue that some amount of the sticky stuff will remain on the plate, but one could argue that dry pellets will leave a lot of crumbs the same way.

The vast majority of small tortoises are not going to eat dry whole Mazuri pellets. Yvonne's method might work, but I don't see the point, when Masin's method works just fine and dandy.

Yes it does get a little "funky" after a few hours, but I don't leave it for that long anyway. Any that is not eaten within two or three hours gets pulled and fed to the cockroach colonies, or dumped in the trash. The times when I leave it dry, the ants mob it pretty quickly anyway.

I think this thread could use a better title, since there is nothing wrong with soaking pellets, as long as you don't have to dump a large excess of water before feeding it out. Same with the ZooMed pellets.




HerbsMommy said:


> Plus if its not soaked (for hatchlings and little ones, anyway) it will expand in their stomach and can cause severe stomach problems



It really doesn't expand all that much, and I highly doubt this would be a problem. If it was, surely Yvonne would have noticed with all her torts and all her years of taking care of them, and feeding them dry Mazuri.


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## diamondbp (Sep 14, 2013)

HerbsMommy said:


> Plus if its not soaked (for hatchlings and little ones, anyway) it will expand in their stomach and can cause severe stomach problems



I think thats a good point


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## Tom (Sep 14, 2013)

diamondbp said:


> HerbsMommy said:
> 
> 
> > Plus if its not soaked (for hatchlings and little ones, anyway) it will expand in their stomach and can cause severe stomach problems
> ...



Okay. Fair enough. Have you personally ever seen this happen? Or know of it happening to someone?


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## DeanS (Sep 14, 2013)

Tom said:


> diamondbp said:
> 
> 
> > HerbsMommy said:
> ...



OK...perhaps you guys didn't see it the first time...

If you do opt to feed dry...you're going to need to soak your torts more often...to encourage them to drink more!


Also! I don't know if I mentioned it before or not...

When I add water to the ingredients...I let it sit until ALL the water is absorbed! What's funky? Nothing gets left behind...the Sudans eat first...what's leftover...the BEAST finishes!


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## ShellyTurtlesCats (Sep 14, 2013)

I soak just enough for all the water to be absorbed and it still isn't mushy. It makes it easier to eat!

Someone mentioned ants. I hate ants... Ugh!!

Thanks,
Shelly


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 14, 2013)

Thanks for re-sharing your former links Dean. Duly noted. Super healthy eating. That lasagna should cover all bases! The meatballs, too. Your sulcatas show it. Beauties! Love the recipes and the torties. : )


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## RussianTortoise101 (Sep 14, 2013)

Thank you. Will use for future reference


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## HerbsMommy (Sep 14, 2013)

Yes, my breeder is the one who warned me of it, she made the mistake herself and has had some of her customers have the same problem


I'm not taking the chance on my baby. His pellet soaks up just as much water as needed to make it soft. Everything's running smooth for him


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## Tom (Sep 14, 2013)

HerbsMommy said:


> Yes, my breeder is the one who warned me of it, she made the mistake herself and has had some of her customers have the same problem
> 
> 
> I'm not taking the chance on my baby. His pellet soaks up just as much water as needed to make it soft. Everything's running smooth for him





Good to know.

I do it the same way you do it. Nice and mushy, but no "extra" water.


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## ascott (Sep 14, 2013)

Mark, what is the basis for your share here...and I mean that not in a rude way...but honestly know you generally P) don't just spout off without a source...


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## Terry Allan Hall (Sep 15, 2013)

wellington said:


> I do the same as Masin. All water is absorbed. Doing it like this, are we still lessening the nutrient value? I assumed not.



Same here...just enough water/moisture to soften them.




HerbsMommy said:


> Plus if its not soaked (for hatchlings and little ones, anyway) it will expand in their stomach and can cause severe stomach problems



That's been my belief, as well. 

By using just enough fluid to soften the pellets us, my torts seem to have no issues.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 15, 2013)

I have overwatered my Mazuri before, so I see what Mark means. I popped a few for my babies in their soaking tub (before soaking them) and forgot. You can see some residue on top of the water when you do that so I imagine if people soak them in too much water, there goes some good stuff. Less is more, yes.


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## Team Gomberg (Sep 15, 2013)

*Re: RE: Don't soak Mazuri or other pellets*



BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> I have overwatered my Mazuri before, so I see what Mark means.
> 
> Less is more.



Guilty here, too.

It really is...

Now I just barely wet it enough to mix it with grass. I want them to eat their grass! 

Sent from my TFOapp


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 15, 2013)

I soak pellets (I don't use Mazuri) in pure organic aloe juice. I am more concerned about wasting the aloe juice than loosing nutrients through leaching. The soaking container has no spare liquid. Then that gets mixed in with greens and grass. The moisture helps it stick to the greens better than ground dry.

Will


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 15, 2013)

Oh.mi.goodness. Brilliant! I always have aloe juice in the fridge. Aloe juice instead of water is a little more nutrients and goodness. Om.mi.gosh, Will. Love this tip! Yes! Thank you so much for sharing! Woo-yah!


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## Yvonne G (Sep 15, 2013)

I have tried using fruit juice with the Mazuri in the past and it wasn't as well-accepted (I only feed it to my Aldabran tortoises). I use just enough water so that it is all absorbed. So this a.m. I fed it dry with a little tub of blueberries mixed in (free from the grocery store), and they didn't eat it all up as they normally eat up the moistened.


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## cemmons12 (Sep 15, 2013)

I tried to give Cooper a dry piece and he smack me with the spikes on his right arm, or front right leg, however you look at it. He just likes it the way I've been doing it for the last almost 2 years now.

Sent from my junk cell phone... D2G


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 15, 2013)

I would not recommend fruit juice, to high in sugar. Many aloe juices have added sugar too. I use pure 100% juice from aloe. I get it at "Trader Joe's", yet another grocery store within a few miles of my apartment. A one gallon jug costs $7.99.

The pancake colony prompted this, aloe is a regular diet item for them and many other african species. They all eat everything faster than I can grow it. I have since found Aloe in the grocery store too, they get that sometimes as well.

Will


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 15, 2013)

Will said:


> I use pure 100% juice from aloe. I get it at "Trader Joe's", yet another grocery store within a few miles of my apartment. A one gallon jug costs $7.99.



Me, too! Remember when it was 3.99 a gallon at TJ's? Yes on the NO to sugar. I love this tip, thanks again Will!


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## Team Gomberg (Sep 15, 2013)

Aloe juice, huh? Hmmm...

How long does it keep? A gallon would last me forever! 

Sent from my TFOapp


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 15, 2013)

Not if you drink it too. Good for people and tortoises. I mix a little fruit juice, whatever I have, pomegranate, apple, or whatever, to give it a little ump.

I also use it to aloe juice to cool down my dogs in the hot summer. In a spray bottle, with distilled water, half and half, in the fridge. My neighbor saw be doing this and now uses same on her dog who is prone to hit spots. 

But back to tortoises and people. Excellent addition to both our diets! : )


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 15, 2013)

I have not written a date on the bottle when I opened it. It does suggest on the bottle to refrigerate after opening. The expiration date on the bottle in my frig right now is for 11/15, so November 2015. I sometimes put some with the almond milk I put on my cereal, or mix it with tequila for an adult beverage. I would not call it a good taste, but mixed with just about anything, the other things' flavor dominates. 

Will




Team Gomberg said:


> Aloe juice, huh? Hmmm...
> 
> How long does it keep? A gallon would last me forever!
> 
> Sent from my TFOapp



You are just going to have to get more tortoises, see, problem solved.

Will


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 15, 2013)

Oh man did I have typos on my last post above. It's my neighbor saw ME and prone to HOT spots. Did I have aloe and tequila with way lots of tequila? 
Will, tequila? Really? And almond milk? Okay, will try! 
Heather, if you refrigerate it, along with the long time expiration date, you should be good. Aloe is good for all of us.


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## Team Gomberg (Sep 15, 2013)

I'll look into it..


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 16, 2013)

Consider this. . . Mazuri is not meant for Neonate tortoises. 

It is highly improbable a hatchling will be able to eat a dry pellet at all, best that they may try. Their mouth will not be able to bite it. And wetted, even then may be able to scrape some off the outside, where it got wet, but when they get down to the dry, eating stops again.

I don't have a bag of mazuri to read those feeding instructions. If Mark posted all the pertinent 'instructions', then by default it is not an appropriate diet for neonates.

Further, maybe the folks at the mazuri company were thinking about the physical aspect of beak health and growth. The dry pellet, if not picked up and swallowed whole, will wear at the beak.

And Mark, what prompted the post? Are you a provocateur for the mazuri people? 

Will


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## Yvonne G (Sep 16, 2013)

Will:

The product was manufactured for Galapagos tortoises in zoos. And later was marketed for sale to the general public.


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## tortadise (Sep 16, 2013)

Great post Mark. I fees croc chow to some of my more omnivorous kinixys and S.E.A species. They actually prefer it dry, as recommended by manufacturer as well. I also tend to believe it helps with filing down the beak and keeping good muscle development of the neck and jaw. Anyways good stuff you posted.


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