# WARM OR COLD FOOD?



## wellington (Jul 5, 2012)

This is kinda a dumb question. However, I am going to ask it anyway. Is it better to be feed our torts food cold, like right out of the frig, or warm, like room temp? Also, the water you use to hydrate the Mazuri or whatever pellet type food you use. Do you use cold or warm water to hydrate it? I have always wondered. Thinking they may actually like it better warm, as where they come from, my leopard, Africa, they wouldn't really get cold food. All thoughts welcomed


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## Kristina (Jul 5, 2012)

I feed greens and veggies directly out of the fridge. Mazuri I soak in hot water, because it soaks faster and more thoroughly, but it is cooled to room temp by the time it is served. I have never given any thought to cold vs. warm. It has never seemed to make a difference.


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## wellington (Jul 5, 2012)

It doesn't seem to make a difference with Tatum, my leopard either. Except Mazuri, he eats anything However, when other people post about having problems with their tort not eating, but with no outward signs of an illness, that is when I wonder if having the food warm or cold would make a difference.


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## reticguy76 (Jul 5, 2012)

Very interesting question and thought !!


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## Laura (Jul 5, 2012)

greens warm up pretty fast.. i don't do anything special.. just feed it. Mazuri.. my guys eat it dry.. but when I have soaked it, it lierally takes seconds to absorb water to make it soft. any temp.


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## Madkins007 (Jul 5, 2012)

In theory, food should be 'habitat temperature' since the disgestive system depends on heat to make everything work correctly, so cold food would just slow the processes down. I doubt it makes much real difference since as Laura said- it will warm up quickly.

As for Mazuri, lukewarm water would soften it faster, but remember that Mazuri itself does not recommend wetting it, and any water can leech out important nutrients. Nonetheless, when i use it (more rarely of late), I added a little water that it could absorb without any 'run off'.


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## wellington (Jul 5, 2012)

Madkins007 said:


> In theory, food should be 'habitat temperature' since the disgestive system depends on heat to make everything work correctly, so cold food would just slow the processes down. I doubt it makes much real difference since as Laura said- it will warm up quickly.
> 
> As for Mazuri, lukewarm water would soften it faster, but remember that Mazuri itself does not recommend wetting it, and any water can leech out important nutrients. Nonetheless, when i use it (more rarely of late), I added a little water that it could absorb without any 'run off'.



I never read the package. Will deff. use less water. I can't get him to eat it yet. But I keep trying. I kinda thought it would make more sense for the food not to be cold, but never read a mention of it, so figured it really wasn't a big deal either way. Yet, trying to make his life as close as possible to being in the wild. I figured, the food might be one more very small way of making it more natural. 

Thanks everyone for all the replies and thoughts/opinions. Any new ones always welcomed.


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## tyguy35 (Jul 6, 2012)

My guy wont touch cold mazuri


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