Dry Tortoise Foods

[Zerotrek]

I have been using Ectotherm's Sulcata Gold dry food for the past two years. It was cheap (10lbs for $35), my Sulcata loved it and he never seemed healthier. He is 4 years old and I fed him mostly home grown dandelion before I found the Sulcata Gold, it was a revelation and saved me much time and effort.

Unfortunately Ectotherm is located in the midwest US and it seems there business has been destroyed by the flooding there this past spring. It's been 5 months and they are still not back in business. I wish them the best, but have not been able to find a suitable replacement food, especially during winter months. I recently saw something called "Healthy Herp Tortoise Food Instant Meal". Has anyone tried this or can recommend other dried foods? Thank you.

P.S. He's never eaten hay, I've ordered it many times and tried moistening it, but no go. I've been feeding him some cactus I can order online, but this is much more expensive.

 

[Itort]

I would suggest Mazuri for your sulcata. What type of hay have you tried and where are you located ?

 

[Yvonne G]

Mazuri is even cheaper than your Ectotherm. You can buy 25lbs of Mazuri for around $18 or $20. If you have a feed dealer in your area who handles Ralston-Purina products, he can order the Mazuri Tortoise Diet for you. It will have to be special ordered, but they can and will do it.

Yvonne

 

[Zerotrek]

Thank you I will try the Mazuri Tortoise food. I live on Long Island, NY and I have tried Timothy, Bermuda & Orchard. I'm also considering Oxbowhay.com's Hay Cakes, has anyone tried this?

 

[Zerotrek]

Thank you for the info.

The cheapest I've found the Mazuri is $34 for 25lbs direct from Mazuri add in $15 shipping and it's about $50 for 25lbs, still much cheaper then Sulcata Gold. Most other places I checked wanted $40 to $50 for 25lbs and another $40 for shipping.

I don't think I have any feed places near me, do they sell it much cheaper in bulk at the feed dealers? I tried to find dealers online, but could find any on the Purina website. I'll keep looking.

Thanks again.

---

I found some feed dealers near me on the Purinamills.com website. I will try them on Monday.

 

[jlyoncc1]

I live in NJ and I order it right from my feed store. I think I paid around $25 for the huge bag.

 

[Zerotrek]

It's been quite a while, but I wanted to post some information I found.

First I hear through Turtle Stuff (http://www.turtlestuff.com) that Ectotherm (http://www.ectotherm.com) will be back in business soon and their first item in production will be Sulcata Gold.

Second, I found a few Mazuri bulk feed dealers through the Purina Mills website (http://www.purinamills.com). Strange this website never comes up when you search Purina, Ralston Purina, Nestle Purina or whoever else owns Purina now. Maybe Purina Mills was not or is not part of Purina.

Anyway I contacted 4 or 5 dealers within 25 miles of my home and three offered to order the 25lb bag for about $25. One strangely offered to do it for $35.

I will be picking up the bag in about a week.

---

One more quick question if anyone can answer. One of the reasons I preferred Sulcata Gold was it does not contain soy, corn, wheat or sugar, all of which I believe is in Mazuri Tortoise food (https://www.mazuri.com/PDF/5M21-5E06.pdf). Can anyone tell me what if any the negative effects of these ingredients are for Sulcatas?

Thank you.

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's a list of the ingredients for Mazuri:

https://www.mazuri.com/PDF/5m21-5e06.pdf

(Sorry, its a PDF file and I don't know how to copy/paste the words)

and here's a list of ingredients for Sulcata Gold:

NGREDIENTS: Rice flour, Suncured Timothy Hay, Suncured Big Blue Stem Grass, Suncured Bermuda Grass, Fresh Organic Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia sp.), Vegetable Oil, Calcium Propionate, Beta Carotene, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Ferrous Fumerate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Glutamic Acid, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Arginine, L- Lysine, Leucine, Aspartic Acid, Folic Acid, Glycine, Manganese Carbonate, Cystine, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Alanine, L Threonine, L Tyrosine, Valine, DL Methionine Hydroxy analogue, Biotin, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Serine, Histidine, Dried Kelp, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Artificial Color.


So, you are correct in that Mazuri does contain soybean hulls, corn and wheat along with molasses (sugar?), but I've been using it for some time now, and so have others here on the forum, and these ingredients don't cause a problem. What do you have against soybeans, corn and wheat? (Not arguing...just want to learn)

Yvonne

 

[Zerotrek]

I have nothing against those ingredients, but I don't know if Sulcata tortoises do. I read this from the Sulcata Station website (http://www.sulcata-station.org):

"2. AVOID giving your tortoise foods that contain high levels of protein. This means that you should NEVER give your sulcata tortoise the following foods:

* Cheese or dairy products of any kind
* Cat or dog food of any kind
* Legumes (peas, beans, green beans, soybeans or soy-based products like tofu)
* Commercially-available "tortoise diets" (such as Pretty Pets, Mazuri, Zoo Med, etc.)
* Grains and Grain products (corn [maize], wheat, barley, rye, etc.)"

Since they specifically say "NEVER" give sulcatas Mazuri I figured something in it is not good for them.

I have never read anything negative about Sulcata Gold and they state their product does not have any of those ingredients.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not arguing just for the sake of argument, but merely to get more info from you. I think that someone who manufactures a product or is one of the main players in getting the product sold is not the one I would trust to gain info from. Naturally, they want you to buy their product. I have it on good authority from someone who has no interest in how much money Mazuri makes, that Mazuri was made with tortoises in mind. It has been selling the product for quite a while and I've heard nothing but good comments about it. One of the fellows here on this forum put up a bunch of pictures of his tortoises, including leopards, sulcatas and Aldabrans, and the tortoises looked beautiful. These had been on a diet of greens and Mazuri for long enough to see how well the product was working for him.

Bottom line: Mazuri is a good product, as I'm sure Sulcata Gold probably is too, however, Mazuri is cheaper, so I'll stick with it.

Yvonne

 

[Zerotrek]

I'm not arguing either, Sulcata Station has nothing to do with Sulcata Gold, they do not make it nor recommend it. I believe they use to be a Sulcata rescue and suggest only feeding certain grasses, weeds, leaves and edible flowers as well as some occasional vegetables. They strongly recommend against Mazuri and any products containing soy. I am trying to gather as much information as I can to weigh pros and cons. I do appreciate your feedback.

 

[maevamichelle]

Would Mazuri Tortoise food be ok for my leopard tortoise? He's a 7/8 months old hatchling. At the moment I'm using watercress, timothy hay, and Garden Salad found here at Petsmart, all topped w/ RepCal VitD3 suppliment. He doesnt seem too enthusiastic about eating ever, mostly it's me hand feeding him until he's interested enough to eat a few leaves. I'm a little worried he's not getting enough.
I've got him under a 100watt PowerSun which keeps his basking area btw 90-95 for around 10-12 hrs a day. And he's always got access to fresh water, and I soak him daily. I dont add anything to the water but after reading Danny's thread on Bird liquid vitamins I guess I should?

 

[Greg T]

I'm not an expert on babies since my leo's are 3 and 4 years old. I feed them some mazuri (after softening with water) along with their spring mix and they eat every bite of it. One of them actually digs through the lettuce leaves to find the mazuri chunks first. Many people on this site directed me towards mazuri a while back and I have been very pleased so far.

 

[maevamichelle]

TY Greg for the come back^^ I'll grab some to use and mix in a little bit get him used to it for later

 

[-EJ]

I've found Mazuri for from $13 to $45 for the 25 lb bag. I currently pay $26 a bag.

On the protein... ask how much is 'too much' and how did they come to that #? Then ask is it dry weight or wet weight?

Mazuri does not have 'too much' protein... but I've only been using it for only 10 years... and it's only been around for over 25 years...

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have always been absolutely against feeding my tortoises any commercially pelleted food products. I never ever heard of a wild tortoise chasing down a bag of Mazuri and getting it open. Then a person on this forum printed some pictures of his tortoises on another list and printed some comments about Mazuri. I was impressed by everything he said and the pictures of his tortoises. He has been feeding Mazuri for about 10 years. I don't have permission to use his name, but I will say his tortoises are beautiful and it is he that convinced me that Mazuri was not as evil as I had felt all these years. All I had to do was see his tortoises, no pyramids and just smooth beautiful carapaces. A picture is worth a thousand words and the pictures of his tortoises sold me on Mazuri...About that same time a friend was culling down her animals and she sent me about 25 pounds of Mazuri. So now it's winter and there's no graze so I start supplementing my Sulcatas feed with Mazuri. I fed them about a cup of moistened Mazuri and some grocery store greens and some collected leaves and weeds and grass hay and blossoms. Within 2 weeks my larger tortoise who has always had wet ukky poops is pooping some beautiful poops and there isn't anymore black ooze from him. I've now been using Mazuri for about a year, it is great as a supplement, but I also add greens and the collected weeds etc.
I have just bought 25 pounds from my local feed store. He specifically orders it for me with his regular store orders. I paid $26 for 25 pounds.
I want to say that I use Mazuri as an addition to all the greens and locally grown grass hay and the various weeds and leaves and blooms I can find. Mazuri is not the most of what I feed...
Tortoises need a diet that is varied and I feel that all the weeds and blossoms and leaves and hay I feed are the best part of their diet. Mazuri is strictly used as a winter supplement. When my tortoises get to go out and graze I will stop using it for the summer...I hope this helps...
I mostly don't agree with the opinions expressed on Sulcata Station, and the care sheet needed to be updated the last time I looked at it.
They put out a contradictory message. They say to not use Mazuri but you can feed veggies? That's just wrong! Rarely veggies. Sulcata are opportunistic feeders and will eat anything, so it is up to us to feed them in the best way possible, so when I see someone who has beautiful tortoises and he has been feeding Mazuri for 10 years, to me that's experience and I believe him...

 

[Karyn]

Very well said, Maggie.

You raise excellent points. When I had a discussion with me vet about dry tortoise food (she recommends Mazuri), she pointed out that the key was variety, and at certain times a year, that variety is a bit more difficult to achieve. While she advocates strongly a fresh diet, she also says that Mazuri does add variety and is an excellent supplement.

Thanks for your input,
Karyn

 

[tortoisenerd]

I did quite the research about Mazuri and tortoise foods in general, as I want the best for my tort (he's quite spoiled). I feed my little guy some as part of his diet 1-2 times a week to help with the variety. Since he's a hatchling, when I'm feeding it with other greens he can't even finish a pellet (soaked and crumbled). I have a pound in the freezer and I imagine it will keep well. I think it's one of the few animal foods that has been well researched and documented, and frankly not even marketed (I had not ever heard that Purina made a huge line of exotic animal foods).

Maggie-I think I know who you are talking about, or else I also read a great story with pictures of torts raised on Mazuri.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You probably do know who he is. I'm not hiding anything, I just don't have permission from him to throw his name around...

 

[-EJ]

I can imagine who this idiot is you are talking about... do you really think he knows what he is talking about?????
This might be the post...
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10222&highlight=formulated+diet
but the server seems to be screwed up.
...but then you have to ask why the lazy bum has not posted an update. That post is almost a year old.

The dude should be shot... if he is going to make all these claims he should at least follow through.

As to throwing his name around... who cares... it's been used in far worse context.

I have always been absolutely against feeding my tortoises any commercially pelleted food products...