# Is Mazuri really good for tortoises?



## mercurysmom (Oct 3, 2012)

I've been buying Mazuri through a seller on here. He sends it in ziploc bags so i never knew much, but assumed it was just Mazuri. Which it is! But before I ordered some more, I asked him to send me the info about it. He sent me a picture of info straight from the larger bag that it came in... So here it is. 

The percentages worry me.. Does this sound right?

Protein: 15%
Fat: 3%
Fiber: 18%
Moisture: 12%

47% isn't accounted for
I thought torts needed high fiber low protein: looks like its pretty even to me. 

The first ingredient is ground soybean hulls. Second is ground corn. 

My sulcatas love it, it contains a lot of calcium: but I'm starting to think I might need to feed it very sparingly.


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## Tom (Oct 4, 2012)

The ingredients list impresses no one, but the results from feeding it are noticeable and impressive. It has been recommended to me many times by many very experienced and knowledgable people, and my results with it over the last couple of years have been excellent. I like to use it as a supplement and feed it a couple of times a week mixed with some greens.

To answer your title question: Yes. Yes it is.

BUT, do you really NEED it? No. You can raise healthy tortoises without it, but I think it is beneficial in many ways, and helps to ensure a good balance of nutrition and vitamins and minerals. If there are any unseen dietary descrepencies, due to whatever greens you are feeding, the Mazuri helps to balance these out and make sure they are getting all the nutrients they need.


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## mercurysmom (Oct 4, 2012)

So in a way, it's a lot like Ensure for kids. Kids get the vitamins and stuff that they need with this sugary good-tasting drink.. But drinking excessive amounts may be unhealthy. I had been giving my smaller torts unlimited Mazuri, every day. They'd usually eat a piece or two, and when they were finished I'd give the whole plate to my bigger guy: who eats every last leftover bit. I hope i havnt harmed them, I estimate I've been using it as an 80% staple...
Whenever I mix greens into it, they walk away. It's pure mazuri or bust. 
I put them outside every day to munch on grass, but I don't think they're getting much from that. 

I guess I need to make some more salads of fresh grass and greens from outside, to offer in the place of their daily Mazuri. Poor torts, they're gonna be mad! Lol.


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## Redstrike (Oct 4, 2012)

Tom said:


> The ingredients list impresses no one, but the results from feeding it are noticeable and impressive.
> 
> To answer your title question: Yes. Yes it is.



This cracked me up .


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## Tom (Oct 4, 2012)

Redstrike said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > The ingredients list impresses no one, but the results from feeding it are noticeable and impressive.
> ...



Are you a Phineas and Ferb fan too?


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## Arizona Sulcata (Oct 4, 2012)

For people like me and Tom who live in a warmer climate our tortoises have natural foods to graze on. For people in colder climates, especially in the winter, Mazuri is an excellent substitute.


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## Tom (Oct 4, 2012)

mercurysmom said:


> So in a way, it's a lot like Ensure for kids. Kids get the vitamins and stuff that they need with this sugary good-tasting drink.. But drinking excessive amounts may be unhealthy. I had been giving my smaller torts unlimited Mazuri, every day. They'd usually eat a piece or two, and when they were finished I'd give the whole plate to my bigger guy: who eats every last leftover bit. I hope i havnt harmed them, I estimate I've been using it as an 80% staple...
> Whenever I mix greens into it, they walk away. It's pure mazuri or bust.
> I put them outside every day to munch on grass, but I don't think they're getting much from that.
> 
> I guess I need to make some more salads of fresh grass and greens from outside, to offer in the place of their daily Mazuri. Poor torts, they're gonna be mad! Lol.



Give them some tough love Mom. They are going to try to wait you out and give you the sad eyes... Be strong. Don't give in. 

Seriously, if you quit cold turkey, they will not starve and they will be fine, but there is also no reason you can't wean them off slowly. You can simply reduce the Mazuri to greens ratio day by day, if you wish.


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## Redstrike (Oct 4, 2012)

Tom said:


> Redstrike said:
> 
> 
> > Tom said:
> ...



I've only watched it a few times with my two little cousins, but each time had me laughing out loud.

I'm a big Calvin and Hobbes fan.


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## Luckie (Oct 4, 2012)

It took a few tried to get my Red Foot to eat it but he loves it now!!


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## TortoiseBoy1999 (Oct 4, 2012)

Tom said:


> Are you a Phineas and Ferb fan too?



I LOVE Phineas and Ferb!!!!!!


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## Neal (Oct 4, 2012)

I feed mazuri regularly. For the most part, my tortoises are left on their own to feed on grass, leaves, and weeds etc...so they eat other things. In my mind, Mazuri just rounds out their diet.


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## DaisyDuke (Oct 4, 2012)

Where can O find this for my red foot?

I heard a few months back on a tortoise page that it got recalled. So it worried me. My red foot has me ER had it but it sounds like it might be worth a try.


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## yagyujubei (Oct 4, 2012)

mercurysmom said:


> So in a way, it's a lot like Ensure for kids. Kids get the vitamins and stuff that they need with this sugary good-tasting drink.. But drinking excessive amounts may be unhealthy. I had been giving my smaller torts unlimited Mazuri, every day. They'd usually eat a piece or two, and when they were finished I'd give the whole plate to my bigger guy: who eats every last leftover bit. I hope i havnt harmed them, I estimate I've been using it as an 80% staple...
> Whenever I mix greens into it, they walk away. It's pure mazuri or bust.
> I put them outside every day to munch on grass, but I don't think they're getting much from that.
> 
> ...



Despite what others may say, there's nothing wrong with feeding Mazuri everyday. I do - about half and half with greens, and with great results. Your analogy with ensure doesn't fit. It's a complete food.


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Oct 4, 2012)

I feed mazuri every single day as well. I rarely ever feed any type of greens anymore too (like once or twice a month). I have an assortment of different seeds from multiple sources that I grow so they can graze on that every day too. I'm more than satisfied with my results. I also have a group of recent imported tortoises and most of them were very lazy and lethargic when they came into my possession, now most of them come running at the sight of me and they have only been with me for a couple of months and I owe all of that to mazuri.


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## dds7155 (Oct 4, 2012)

Buy it from Mazuri ,, people selling it in baggies reminds me of 35 years ago when you could buy a pound of pot for 125.00 or so , sell 10 bags for 15.00 and you got 6 bags free for you self lol


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## mercurysmom (Oct 5, 2012)

Thanks all for your answers. Lmfao about the weed baggies. ;D
Ill be a tough mom and watch the intake. But it seems like people are happy with Mazuri. I'm happy with it too; and so are the tortoises.  so maybe ill cut Mazuri down to every other day, and some yummy green concoction on those other days.


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## mercurysmom (Oct 5, 2012)

"Don't limit my Mazuri!!!" 
Lol.


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## SOAEast (Oct 6, 2012)

I'll let you be the judge.

http://www.sulcata-station.org/faq.html#Feed


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## Yvonne G (Oct 6, 2012)

SOAEast said:


> I'll let you be the judge.
> 
> http://www.sulcata-station.org/faq.html#Feed



That's all we ask. Do the research and judge for yourself. Mazuri Tortoise Diet was manufactured for Galapagos tortoises at the zoo. It has been around for a very long time. One of our members, -EJ, used it exclusively for all of his tortoises and he posted pictures that show happy, healthy, smooth full grown tortoises. I use it once a week for my Aldabran tortoises. Many of our members use it. I don't recommend using only Mazuri, and even the instructions on the bag don't recommend that. You should use it in conjunction with natural foods, such as dark, leafy greens.

The Sulcata-Station information would be more readily accepted if they would update it every so often. Quite a bit of what you find on that site is very much out of date.


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## Camirdra (Oct 6, 2012)

Glad I found this thread. Just read the Sulcata station and it had me questioning Mazuri as well...

But my torts love it and seem to be doing quite well on it. I also buy mine from the Mazuri website in 25lb bags for $29.99. You can get 1lb bags for $12.49 and free shipping for up to 19lbs (and they are now shipping for a flat rate of $9 for 20-100lbs!)


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## Tom (Oct 8, 2012)

SOAEast said:


> I'll let you be the judge.
> 
> http://www.sulcata-station.org/faq.html#Feed



Just remember that Sulcata Station is just someone's opinion typed out and put on a website on the Internet. It is no different than if you, or I, or anyone else typed up our opinions and posted them on our own website.

I always find it interesting how people decide to weight one opinion over another. Everyone seems to have a different criterion.


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