# Mazuri Original vs. Mazuri LS



## 2turtletom (Feb 22, 2020)

I went to order Mazuri original on their website, and noticed they now recommend the two diets for difference species. Is this new? Have they always done this? We all know Mazuri original has never met a tortoise that didn't eat it. But clearly, their recommendation supposes that some species of tortoises need more insoluble fiber in their diets than others.

Original:
"Best Fed To: Mazuri® Tortoise food is best for tropical and omnivorous tortoises, such as the Burmese or Indian Star Tortoise, Elongated Tortoise, Red-footed Tortoise, Adult Box Turtles and Wood Turtles."

While Mazuri recommends the LS formula for the drier land species:
"Best Fed To: Mazuri® Low Starch Tortoise food is best for arid-zone and grassland herbivorous tortoises and lizards such as the Aldabra, African Spurred/Sulcata, Desert, Egyptian, Galapagos, Gopher, Greek, Leopard, Pancake, Radiated or Yellow-Footed tortoise, as well as Chuckwalla and Uromastyx lizards."

Interesting, isn't it? I feed original to my Kinixys homeana.

Perhaps they've been making this distinction all along, but I don't remember it. Am I losing it?   

Obviously, there are implications here, but I wonder if they are using any specific evidence to back up this distinction.


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## jsheffield (Feb 22, 2020)

Interesting that Russians aren't mentioned....

Jamie


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## ZEROPILOT (Feb 22, 2020)

Purina actually re formulated its chow to create the L.S.
On paper, it is superior.
The thing is that
A) A lot of tortoises don't eat it.
B) Its more difficult to soften and mix
And
C) There was nothing wrong with the original 5M21 formula.
It reminds me of COKE VS NEW COKE. Where the new and improved product had no place in the market.
If (And it's a big if) your tortoises eat the LS. Great. It may be a better food. But the original formula has been used by zoos, institutions and hobbyists for decades and the results are very good. Even though some of the ingredients seem suspect on paper.
It's not supposed to be a primary food for any species. It's to be used with other foods. But either formula is a good choice....As long as your tortoise will eat it. And neither formula is dangerous to any species.


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## Macca33 (Feb 22, 2020)

Just got some of the Mazuri formulated for tropical omnivorous tortoises in the mail this week. My redfoot loves it! I plan on feeding it infrequently however, and will stick to greens, veggies, and fruit. Thinking Mazuri will be a once or twice a month thing.


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## ZEROPILOT (Feb 23, 2020)

Macca33 said:


> Just got some of the Mazuri formulated for tropical omnivorous tortoises in the mail this week. My redfoot loves it! I plan on feeding it infrequently however, and will stick to greens, veggies, and fruit. Thinking Mazuri will be a once or twice a month thing.


Much more frequently is fine.
It's not harmful.


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## Tom (Feb 23, 2020)

Macca33 said:


> Just got some of the Mazuri formulated for tropical omnivorous tortoises in the mail this week. My redfoot loves it! I plan on feeding it infrequently however, and will stick to greens, veggies, and fruit. Thinking Mazuri will be a once or twice a month thing.


You don't "need" it at all, so once or twice a month should be fine. I like the food and find it to be a good supplement, so I offer it once or twice a week most of the time. In this case, you really can't go wrong either way.


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## bouaboua (Feb 24, 2020)

My Torts love and will eat both but we perfer LS. We only gave them once a while as a treat.


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## Macca33 (Feb 24, 2020)

...Mazuri seems to be a good source of calcium- is this correct? I have the ingredients label somewhere... If I'm feeding Mazuri and black soldier fly larvae and have a cuttlebone accessible, I shouldn't need to mess with powder should I? -maybe i should post the question somewhere else....


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