# Is Mazuri a staple food?



## MeganAlyse (Jul 17, 2011)

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?


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## SulcataSquirt (Jul 17, 2011)

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?



I feed mazuri everyday to my yearling sulcata tort. he also gets a huge plate of greens ususally about 6 different types chopped into a salad. Some of the members prefer feeding once or twice a week. I choose to feed everyday because my little guy was gaining weight extreamly slow and once the mazuri was added he has been gaining weight like a pig! its really up to you and how your torts adapt to it. just remember its tort crack and they get addicted!


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## wrmitchell22 (Jul 17, 2011)

I feed mazuri about 3 times a week along with greens and cactus and weeds and flowers. The other days he gets just a mix of the other stuff


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## dmarcus (Jul 17, 2011)

I feed it every day, but its always mixed with cactus or some dark greens. They also get to graze all they want...


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## MeganAlyse (Jul 17, 2011)

Mine is a redfoot tortoise (not a desert tortoise), and the packaging for Mazuri mentions only desert and dry tortoises. Does that mean I should feed it infrequently or in a different manner?


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## N2TORTS (Jul 17, 2011)

There should be no such thing as a " Staple" diet. For a healthy tort rather in the wild or in captivity ....mixed diet is always best. That dosnt mean you cant feed it on a *regular* basis but mix it along with other items.

HAppy Tort~N 

JD~


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## Madkins007 (Jul 17, 2011)

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.


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## Tom (Jul 17, 2011)

Great explanation Mark. I'm in the 25/75% camp.


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## ChiKat (Jul 17, 2011)

Love that explanation Mark!
I am currently in the 0% camp but I would consider using Mazuri as a supplement.


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## terryo (Jul 17, 2011)

Ed seems to think it's OK. This is a great thread. I feed it more in the Winter when mine are inside.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Mazuri-part-1#axzz1SKLLrjjx

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Mazuri-part-2#axzz1SNgTsvdN


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## cemmons12 (Jul 17, 2011)

I feed Cooper mazuri, red tort sticks, mixed greens choped up so he can pig out faster with a little romain just cause he likes it. That's everyday. Plus he gets to graze in the yard. And once a week he geta a few small bits of watermelon which he goes bonkers over!


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jul 17, 2011)

We do not feed Mazuri to our hatchlings. We do feed Mazuri to our breeders during egg laying season in moderation.


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## Madkins007 (Jul 18, 2011)

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.


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## jdub (Jul 18, 2011)

i believe mazuri diet could be a good source of nutrients with a good mixture of greens. i usually feed my torts with greens (romaine lettuce) in the morning and some mazuri diet around noon. and the rest of the day...they're just doing their cow business.....grazing on my lawn...hahaha. they seem to be very healthy and this is their diet for 2 years now.


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## ChiKat (Jul 18, 2011)

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.



I am curious too Aldabraman! (Sorry I always forget your first name )

If it ain't broke, don't fix it?


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## EricIvins (Jul 19, 2011)

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.......


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## Sulcatifornia (Jul 26, 2011)

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.)
> 
> ...



Great post! I'm in the 0%. Fresh and natural all the way!



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.......



How long have you been doing this? What kind of "results" have you seen? Could you show pics of your torts? I'm very curious


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jul 27, 2011)

I guess I'm in the 33/66% group, except I no longer use Mazuri, as my Hermann's greatly prefer the Marion Red Sticks, which I mix w/ dried weeds or chopped cactus, depending on the day, 2-3X a week.


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## HarleyK (Jul 29, 2011)

This is what I can contribute... this thread answered the same question for me:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Mazuri-part-1#axzz1S1yJGrl3

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Mazuri-part-2#axzz1S1yJGrl3


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## Madkins007 (Jul 29, 2011)

This topic creates so much discussion that I did a quick article on it, and a discussion thread. I will gladly incorporate other points of view, missed facts, etc. in the article so that when the question is asked again, we can point to it.

Article: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Prepared-Tortoise-Diets-yes-or-no#axzz1TXap6GBO

Discussion thread: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Discussion-Prepared-Tortoise-Foods-Yes-or-No#axzz1TXaKq8tE


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## MeganAlyse (Aug 3, 2011)

Does it need to be supplemented with vitamins/calcium? Does it include the necessary protein?


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Aug 3, 2011)

The two Russians I have now are willing to eat only a little bit of Mazuri Tortoise Diet, but the redfoot I used to have loved it. However, it was not the only thing I gave her. She also got fresh greens, tomatoes, and snails. In fact, I used the Mazuri only as something to give her when I didn't have anything fresh on hand. Why? Well, for one thing, although Mazuri is a combination of various foods, it is one item in itself, so I think tortoises don't feel like they're getting variety when they eat one particular type of mixture all the time. Moreover, despite Mazuri's nutritional formulation, it has to be softened for a small tortoise to eat it. Large tortoises can eat it dry, but even then, since tortoises get the vast majority of their moisture from their food, I think it's generally a good idea to moisten Mazuri before feeding it to your tortoise. Because it is softened, it does not offer resistance to the tortoise's beak. This can be compensated for by having a cuttle bone around, but if the tortoise doesn't need calcium, it is unlikely to use that. In contrast, tortoises that feed on tough, fibrous greens naturally wear their beak down. Plus, I think they actually enjoy doing that, too.

So, although I think Mazuri can be a useful and nutritious part of the diet, I don't think it should make up all or even most of it.


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