# ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food



## dannomite (Mar 11, 2009)

Hey everyone, I was wondering what your thoughts were on the ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food. I bought some for my Baby Sulcata as part of his diet until its nice enough to get him outside grazing.

Here is the URL. To me it seems like it has the right Fibre/Protein amounts. I know a lot of sites like Sulcata Station state that you shouldn't feed any commercial Tortoise foods and I can see why when I look at a lot of the other ones they have too much Protein but this one seems specialized for these Torts so I was wondering if its all marketing or if the food seems legit? I soak it with water and it gets very moist and smells nice and grassy.

Zoo Med Grassland Tortoise Food


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## egyptiandan (Mar 11, 2009)

From what I can see with the ingredients, it's the only one I'd recommend as a supplement. 

Danny


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## fel1958 (Mar 11, 2009)

dannomite said:


> Hey everyone, I was wondering what your thoughts were on the ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food. I bought some for my Baby Sulcata as part of his diet until its nice enough to get him outside grazing.
> 
> Here is the URL. To me it seems like it has the right Fibre/Protein amounts. I know a lot of sites like Sulcata Station state that you shouldn't feed any commercial Tortoise foods and I can see why when I look at a lot of the other ones they have too much Protein but this one seems specialized for these Torts so I was wondering if its all marketing or if the food seems legit? I soak it with water and it gets very moist and smells nice and grassy.
> 
> Zoo Med Grassland Tortoise Food



i use this when i feed mazuri.i soak it with the mazuri and they seem to like it.i usually use it once a week just for a change.


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## DuttonWebb (Mar 13, 2009)

My sulcata wont touch the stuff. I cant even dilute it with greens.


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## auerdoan (Jul 9, 2009)

Ive just started to try this out
my Leopard tort wont eat it alone
so when he opens his mouth to eat his spring mix im pushing some ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food in there sometimes he will take some on his own but im sure it will take some time

i understand everyones believes in there spring mix.

im trying to think this through.. in there natural enviernment they have a more fiberous meal and have evolved to eat this for perhaps thousands of years.

they may like this spring mix maybe because its smell

but im wondering in the long run what do we really understand about there health and there requirements.
so im going shooting for a 10 percent spring and 90 percent of there more natural food.over all i would really like to simulate there natural food lively grown in his pen.

this is going to take some research
to be continued


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## Greg T (Jul 9, 2009)

I bought some of this for my leopards, but they won't eat it. Even if I wet it and mix it in with the greens, they eat around it. I had to switch to mazuri, which they devour.

So you can try it because it is good stuff for them, but there is no guarantee they will eat it. Get a small bottle at Petco and try it out.


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## Madkins007 (Jul 9, 2009)

My opinion on all supplements, pellets, etc. is that they serve a real purpose in emergencies, can serve to help supplement a diet, can help large-scale operations control costs, and that there is probably nothing really wrong with the 'professional name brands' if you follow their feeding guidelines.

Having said that, one thing about Mazuri is that supposedly uses a molasses sweetener to encourage animals to eat it. This does not necessarily mean anything healthwise, it just means that the animals may not be choosing it over ZooMed for the health benefits.

My guys would not eat ZooMed- period- unless I crunched it up and sprinkled it over other things. 

Personally, my 'code' for food is to use as fresh/live, wholesome/organic, and varied as possible.


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## Maggie Cummings (Jul 9, 2009)

I don't understand you saying you want to feed a more natural diet...and that's pellets? I ain't never seen any tortoise in the wild chase down a jar of a commercially pelleted food products and get the jar open. I had never believed in feeding that stuff. But last winter I was given 20 pounds of Mazuri and started feeding it to Bob once a week or so. Because it was winter and that means that he's stuck inside for 7 months and he's eating grocery store greens and hay his poop was pretty soft. But when I started feeding the Mazuri his poop firmed right up. I use it as a supplement, only one of my tortoises won't eat it, and now my little Queenie won't eat anything but the Mazuri. When I first got her she ate anything green and grazed really good. But I gave her 4 Mazuri pellets one feeding and nowI am in a struggle to make her graze or eat anything green. She LOVES Mazuri. So I'm in a contest of wills with her. I am afraid she will win...


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## auerdoan (Jul 9, 2009)

Sounds like i need to look up this Mazuri.
i would nt call something in a bottle natural, but because it is in one, i wouldnt say it the furthest thing from natural.

remember the saying everthing in moderation.


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## Traveller (Jul 10, 2009)

I use the ZooMed and Mazuri.
The ZooMed pellets I soak and mix with the greens I feed
to our Leopard. She eats it but doesn't inhale it like she does with
the Mazuri.
I feed the Mazuri once or twice a week just for variety.
I'm not totally sold on feeding only pellets but it sure
makes it easier to get the fibre.
Have you ever tried chopping dry timothy hay, not an easy task.
Although maybe someone with more experience has
some tips?


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## Madkins007 (Jul 10, 2009)

I supplement the Red-foots greens with some chopped hay. To do it, I take a bag of mixed rabbit hays and sort of pull a wad out, then cut it into about 1.5-3" chunks with heavy scissors, letting the cut pieces fall into an clean ice cream pail. I'll cut until my hand gets tired and cut some more the next day. 

I figure if I can trick someone into helping me and loaning me their paper cutter/chopper, I can do the whole thing faster by having one person sort of line the stuff up while the other chops away.


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## raYchiLL (Jul 12, 2009)

I use the Zoo-MED Grassland Tortoise food and my torts absolutly love it. I mean granted after days of eating the stuff they are over it which is why they need a varied diet but they are all about it and I haven't had a problem with it. I was worried in the beginning cus another forum told me not to use it but once I stopped and jus tried to cut up the timothy hay or orchard grass and soak the grass and greens with hay my baby was too smart and knows how to eat around the hay. So in short I am mixing both methods plus the occasional treats  lol.


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## auerdoan (Jul 12, 2009)

maggie3fan said:


> I don't understand you saying you want to feed a more natural diet...and that's pellets? I ain't never seen any tortoise in the wild chase down a jar of a commercially pelleted food products and get the jar open. I had never believed in feeding that stuff. But last winter I was given 20 pounds of Mazuri and started feeding it to Bob once a week or so. Because it was winter and that means that he's stuck inside for 7 months and he's eating grocery store greens and hay his poop was pretty soft. But when I started feeding the Mazuri his poop firmed right up. I use it as a supplement, only one of my tortoises won't eat it, and now my little Queenie won't eat anything but the Mazuri. When I first got her she ate anything green and grazed really good. But I gave her 4 Mazuri pellets one feeding and nowI am in a struggle to make her graze or eat anything green. She LOVES Mazuri. So I'm in a contest of wills with her. I am afraid she will win...



im not saying the container looks natural. but if you look closely at food
its chopped plant.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 12, 2009)

raYchiLL said:


> I use the Zoo-MED Grassland Tortoise food and my torts absolutly love it. I mean granted after days of eating the stuff they are over it which is why they need a varied diet but they are all about it and I haven't had a problem with it. I was worried in the beginning cus another forum told me not to use it but once I stopped and jus tried to cut up the timothy hay or orchard grass and soak the grass and greens with hay my baby was too smart and knows how to eat around the hay. So in short I am mixing both methods plus the occasional treats  lol.



I only use a pelleted food for my tortoises once a week. The rest of the time they graze. But I think if you offer your tortoises a nice variety of dark, leafy greens the rest of the time, once a week is fine for a pelleted food. (Also, babies won't eat grass or hay until they get a couple years old.)

Yvonne


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## auerdoan (Jul 15, 2009)

Thanks Yvonne, im going to try that.

Auerdoan


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## Nay (Jul 15, 2009)

I haven't tried this yet but I use my small food processor for everything. How about hay? Just a thought.
Na


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## tortoisenerd (Jul 15, 2009)

That sounds great as long as the processor could handle it! I'd probably have a second cheap one to do that if it was me so I wouldn't have to clean out all the hay bits.


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## Italianlnm (Sep 28, 2009)

Does anyone know where I can buy a smaller bag of Mazuri? I have a hatchling, and I am afraid that buying such a big bag, it will expire before they can eat it all. 

Also, does it come in something other than the big pellets?


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## Greg T (Sep 28, 2009)

Do a search for mazuri in the "for sale" section and you will find a person who sells it in 3 pound bags. It only comes in one pellet size, but if you soak the pellets for a few minutes, they get soft enough for the torts to bite.

I'd try to feed the grassland and maybe alternate with mazuri to give some variety. I throw a little on the spring mix each night and they eat it all.


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## Sudhira (Sep 28, 2009)

My Greek says, yuck. Won't touch the stuff! Even when mixed with a tantalizing raspberry!


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## -EJ (Sep 28, 2009)

This is the argument I use... if you haven't used it you're against it and it has nothing to do with knowing what the product will do. 

I believe the zoomed diet is a marketing gimmick. I don't think too much research has gone into it. I've been following pelleted diets for about 15 years... never heard of the Zoomed diet until a couple of years ago.



maggie3fan said:


> I don't understand you saying you want to feed a more natural diet...and that's pellets? I ain't never seen any tortoise in the wild chase down a jar of a commercially pelleted food products and get the jar open. I had never believed in feeding that stuff. But last winter I was given 20 pounds of Mazuri and started feeding it to Bob once a week or so. Because it was winter and that means that he's stuck inside for 7 months and he's eating grocery store greens and hay his poop was pretty soft. But when I started feeding the Mazuri his poop firmed right up. I use it as a supplement, only one of my tortoises won't eat it, and now my little Queenie won't eat anything but the Mazuri. When I first got her she ate anything green and grazed really good. But I gave her 4 Mazuri pellets one feeding and nowI am in a struggle to make her graze or eat anything green. She LOVES Mazuri. So I'm in a contest of wills with her. I am afraid she will win...


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## Madortoise (Sep 29, 2009)

My husband brought it home one day and we tried giving it to my DT but she won't touch it, dry, wet or mixed with something fresh. She's pretty finicky about something new so we'll try again but I don't feel a need to push it down her throat since she has a pretty good varied diet already. The label says it corrects fiber and protein levels for normal growth and proper shell development...hmmm... it contains chopped grasses...ok....contains nutritious Dandelion Greens, Yucca, and other plants that tortoise love...yeah yeah, I can give her fresh ones...contains a source of live viable naturally occurring microorganisms...that could mean anything, really.


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## Madortoise (Sep 30, 2009)

Oh, to chop up some small amount of hay to sprinkle over other food, using a pair of scissors for herbs (has multiple blades) works great.


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## Italianlnm (Oct 1, 2009)

I have some of the Zoo Med but Tank or Bullet won't touch it.. I put it in there and they go to their hiding place.

I just found a website where you can buy Mazuri buy the pound and I am going to buy a pound or two, and give it to them once a week.


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## siwash (Oct 2, 2009)

Do you know if they ship? Can you please post the link to the site, Italianlnm... thank you!!


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## Traveller (Oct 3, 2009)

siwash said:


> Do you know if they ship? Can you please post the link to the site, Italianlnm... thank you!!



Hiya siwash. I just bought a 25lb bag of mazuri from Ren's in Aberfoyle, Ontario. They also sell 1lb bags. 
I can send you some but will have to calculate the shipping.
You might try posting on the Canadiansite for reptiles, that's how I got my first sample to try. 
I'm sure there are people in TO that use the diet.
If you'd like the info on Ren's depot pm me.
cheers


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## Isa (Oct 3, 2009)

Traveler, do you know if they ship the 1lb bag in Canada (I live in Mtl)?


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## Traveller (Oct 3, 2009)

Isa said:


> Traveler, do you know if they ship the 1lb bag in Canada (I live in Mtl)?



I'm pretty sure they would since the store is in Ontario.
incoming pm


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## Isa (Oct 3, 2009)

Traveller said:


> Isa said:
> 
> 
> > Traveler, do you know if they ship the 1lb bag in Canada (I live in Mtl)?
> ...



Thank you


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## siwash (Oct 3, 2009)

Italianlnm said:


> I have some of the Zoo Med but Tank or Bullet won't touch it.. I put it in there and they go to their hiding place.
> 
> I just found a website where you can buy Mazuri buy the pound and I am going to buy a pound or two, and give it to them once a week.





Traveller said:


> siwash said:
> 
> 
> > Do you know if they ship? Can you please post the link to the site, Italianlnm... thank you!!
> ...



Hey that sounds great... if you could look into the cost, I would gladly pay for a pound... let me know...

I wonder if that company ships?

thanks!!

I just went to their site... apparently they also have an Oakville location... both are not too far from me...But I'm a little confused.. it appears to be a dog/cat type place...grooming etc. Are we talking about the same "RENS" ??


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## Traveller (Oct 4, 2009)

siwash said:


> Italianlnm said:
> 
> 
> > I have some of the Zoo Med but Tank or Bullet won't touch it.. I put it in there and they go to their hiding place.
> ...





Yep that's the place.
The specialty diets are not on the website for some reason.
incoming pm


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## way2gfy (Oct 6, 2009)

I feed my DT this and he likes it very much. He didn't eat anything for the first week and then I finally got him to eat this stuff and some Wheat Grass. He gets Marigold, Dahlia and Hibiscus as well and he does some grazing too.

(Still) In the process of doing a pen for him in the backyard. Then I will be planting some Grazing Tortoise Seed from Carolina Pet Supply.


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## cuppidsarrows (Oct 9, 2009)

Yeah my little ones wont eat it alone but if I sprinkle it over their greens they don't even notice that its there. Its a really neat product.


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## GumbyGoat22 (Oct 12, 2009)

dannomite said:


> Hey everyone, I was wondering what your thoughts were on the ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food. I bought some for my Baby Sulcata as part of his diet until its nice enough to get him outside grazing.
> 
> Here is the URL. To me it seems like it has the right Fibre/Protein amounts. I know a lot of sites like Sulcata Station state that you shouldn't feed any commercial Tortoise foods and I can see why when I look at a lot of the other ones they have too much Protein but this one seems specialized for these Torts so I was wondering if its all marketing or if the food seems legit? I soak it with water and it gets very moist and smells nice and grassy.
> 
> Zoo Med Grassland Tortoise Food





my russian tortoise, elle, loves it! i mix a little bit of that with her greens. it adds a nice touch and a bit of extra fiber. i add timothy hay, too. i usually just wet the zoomed, chop the kale/collards/whatever greens i'm usuing at the time, sprinkle some calcium d3 powers, take a little timothy hay, and toss it all together and BOOM- she chows it.


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## samstar (Oct 14, 2009)

Today I fed my stars just Mazuri tortoise food and they finished every bit of it. Tomorrow I will mix Mazuro with hibiscus and a touch of calcium powder.


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## brymanda (Oct 20, 2009)

I did some "research" on pellets at the Reptile Expo in Daytona by asking around about people's opinions. Mazuri was apparently developed for Galapagos in zoos, but it contains a decent amount of protein so you need to be careful when feeding it to desert tortoises. I can't speak about the zoomed grassland tortoise diet, since I have redfoots, but I have the zoomed forest tortoise diet, which was recommended to me, and after turning their noses up at it for a few weeks, (I always have a couple pellets in the enclosure), my torts decided they love it and now they devour it (I dip it in their water bowl before putting it on their plate and it actually expands visually). That said, I use the pellets as kind of a side item to their regular greens and fruits and stuff. It's also nice as a "going out of town" food.


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## samstar (Oct 20, 2009)

brymanda said:


> I did some "research" on pellets at the Reptile Expo in Daytona by asking around about people's opinions. Mazuri was apparently developed for Galapagos in zoos, but it contains a decent amount of protein so you need to be careful when feeding it to desert tortoises. I can't speak about the zoomed grassland tortoise diet, since I have redfoots, but I have the zoomed forest tortoise diet, which was recommended to me, and after turning their noses up at it for a few weeks, (I always have a couple pellets in the enclosure), my torts decided they love it and now they devour it (I dip it in their water bowl before putting it on their plate and it actually expands visually). That said, I use the pellets as kind of a side item to their regular greens and fruits and stuff. It's also nice as a "going out of town" food.



Pardon my ignorance but is the Star tortoise considered a desert tortoise? I feed mine Mazuri mix with vegetables everyday.


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## brymanda (Oct 21, 2009)

I have no idea....


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## Starry night (Dec 1, 2009)

I think I have some of the most odd tortoises. They will not touch mazuri or that zoo med crap. I have fed them Repcal and they eat that stuff up like crazy. I only give them this about once a week and then feed them greens with which I add chopped grasses to. I use TNT and calcium 3 times a week and seems to be doing good so far.


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## galvinkaos (Dec 1, 2009)

I used the Zoomed when I was going to be out of town a few days. It doesn't wilt and dry out like spring mix, so I can leave a large amount for them and not worry for a day or two. I also have started adding a hay pile in their table if I am leaving for more than overnight. Doris and Maude demolish any food I give them. When we were having nice weekends and I was home I was putting them out in their enclosure and they hunted down every new weed that had sprouted since the last time they visited.

Dawna


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## Sudhira (Jan 18, 2010)

Out of the clear blue, I placed some Grassland Tortoise Pellets in the enclosure along with fresh greens and weeds, both my Greeks at moistened pellets AND greens, amazing. I had mixed some TNT in as well...go figure


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## XxDarkEuphoriaxX (Jan 19, 2010)

I feed my gopher tortoise exclusively grassland tortoise diet in the winter and it is outside for a good part of every day during the spring/summer/fall eating grass and weeds. It eats it (grassland tortoise diet) and its stools are always formed and I can see part of the grassland tortoise diet that wasn't digested in the stool. It seems pretty healthy and robust on this diet, I think it would be better that the Mazuri for my species of tortoise anyhow. I occasionally pick grass and weeds currently from outside to supplement with the occasional romaine lettuce treat. (once every few weeks not that often)


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## Isa (Jan 20, 2010)

Why dont you feed him escarole, dandelions, chicory... during the winter, they are very easy to find at the grocery store in the winter and you could feed the grassland tortoise diet as a suplement?


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## vickyb (Jan 20, 2010)

My Redfoot wont touch it.


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## Jupiterannette (Jan 20, 2010)

Wet the zoomed pellets and add a few drops of apple juice the smell works like the molasis in the mazuri diet, and they chow down! after a few days you can start giving it dryer and no apple juice or just some greens with it or what ever else you feed, and they go nuts... but i think the key is starting it asa "treat" to them, like oooo you want this i know you do... 

I have had dozer my 5yo sulcata 2 days, he never had it before me... and he is eating it.. this morning i put it in went to get the purified water and apple juice to wet it, and came back he had a chuck hanging from his mouth liek "what? im hungy!"

he also eats hay and spring mix.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 20, 2010)

Except that a redfoot tortoise really isn't considered to be a "grassland" tortoise. They go for more of the broad-leafed plants and weeds.


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## vickyb (Jan 20, 2010)

True Yvonne.


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## -EJ (Jan 21, 2010)

It's not true. Redfoots are as opportunistic as the next tortoise. They might show a preference for broad leaf plants but so do Leopards given the opportunity.



vickyb said:


> True Yvonne.




While the RF might not be considered a grassland tortoise it is very much so.



emysemys said:


> Except that a redfoot tortoise really isn't considered to be a "grassland" tortoise. They go for more of the broad-leafed plants and weeds.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 21, 2010)

mea culpa...


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## vickyb (Jan 22, 2010)

I love that song. Its from Enigma's first album: MCMXCaD

Anyway, point noted. I have started growing grass in her enclosure and she takes a munch on her way to the food bowl


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## fifthdawn (Jan 25, 2010)

I got bored and compared the ingredients of Mazuri and Zoomeds. I compared the list with ZooMed's Forest diet.

ZooMed - This is what Zoomed had that Mazuri doesn't.

Suncured Timothy Hay, Fish Meal, Dried Papaya, Dried Mango, Escarole, Endive, saPaprika Extract, Dried Dandelion Greens, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Direct-Fed Microorganisms (Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Enterococcus faecium, and Aspergillus oryzae), , Dried Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Garlic Extract, Anise Extract, Chinese Cassia Bark Extract, Ginger Extract, Horseradish, Juniper Extract, Natural Flavoring, Yucca schidigera, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of stabilized Vitamin C), Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Silicon Dioxide, Niacin Supplement,

This is what Mazuri has that ZooMed doesn't

Ground corn. Ground oat, soy bean oil, salt, L-lysine, nicotinic acid, colbalt carbinate, 


The items that they both had, I just crossed it off the list. Keep it mind this isn't exactly accurate. I cross off stuff that had similar name. Ex, Ground Soybean and Suncured Soybean. I considered them the same. Others were were different elements but purpose was both to provide Vit A, so I crossed those out as well. I think there were also stuff like zinc carbonate and zinc oxide, though I probably shouldn't but you get the idea of stuff I crossed out.

I'm starting to like what I see in the ZooMed pellets. I haven't compared it with the grassland diet, but I think the ingredients are almost the same. The forest had more since forest species have fruits in their pellets.


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## samstar (Jan 26, 2010)

fifthdawn said:


> I got bored and compared the ingredients of Mazuri and Zoomeds. I compared the list with ZooMed's Forest diet.
> 
> ZooMed - This is what Zoomed had that Mazuri doesn't.
> 
> ...



Thanks! The Zoomed seems interesting..


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## -EJ (Jan 26, 2010)

Please post your results after a few years.





fifthdawn said:


> I got bored and compared the ingredients of Mazuri and Zoomeds. I compared the list with ZooMed's Forest diet.
> 
> ZooMed - This is what Zoomed had that Mazuri doesn't.
> 
> ...


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## samstar (Jan 27, 2010)

My tort is hooked onto Mazuri, it's like a drug to him.


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## Livingstone (Feb 4, 2010)

Livingstone is the same, loves mazuri. I always soak it into a porridge consistency, he inhales it.


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 6, 2010)

I have fed redfoots some of this before...mixed with little mazuri. I would only feed like once or twice a week though


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