Mazuri tortoise pellet types

[Nsav]

As a new leopard tortoise owner, I had no idea what I was doing when I entered into the local Pet Smart to buy some tortoise chow to supplement Desmond’s greens. So I bought a bag of them all: Mazuri 5M21, Mazuri LS, ZooMed Grassland Diet, and some Fluker’s Tortoise food that looked like Fruity Pebbles. And then I let Des do a taste test. We’ll, he wouldn’t go within 10 ft of the Zoomed Grassland Diet (and his enclosure is only 36”x24”). He ate the Mazuri LS sparingly, like a little kid eats his veggies, but he devoured the 5M21 like it was the last pellet on Earth. It was like offering someone a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream after a Grateful Dead show. Although some of the ingredients in the 5M21 are on the questionable side, and I initially felt a bit guilty about that, one can’t deny that it’s like manna from above if you’re trying to get a baby tortoise to put on some mad Gs. And so, he’s been sticking with it ever since. I mix it with his greens and he has been getting bigger on a steady basis. Anyone want a free jar of Fruity Pebbles?

 

[Megatron's Mom]

I started mine on both right away when I got them. I read on here that they tend to not like the LS but a friend game me some and I snuck it in on their other foods. I soaked it then crumbled/smeared it all over their food. Now they eat both types without hesitation. I thought about trying the some kind that was at the pet store but was unsure.

 

[dd33]

If a tortoise will eat the LS formula I see no reason to feed the original style. If a tortoise will eat the original style but not the LS it would be worth the time and effort to get them to switch. If someone came to this forum and asked if they should feed their tortoise soybeans and corn they would be laughed off. The LS was developed as a better product, they continue to produce the old style because animals are addicted to the junk food version and people complain that its too hard to get them to switch to the new stuff.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'd like to PIN a post showing all 3 Mazuri types

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If a tortoise will eat the LS formula I see no reason to feed the original style. If a tortoise will eat the original style but not the LS it would be worth the time and effort to get them to switch. If someone came to this forum and asked if they should feed their tortoise soybeans and corn they would be laughed off. The LS was developed as a better product, they continue to produce the old style because animals are addicted to the junk food version and people complain that its too hard to get them to switch to the new stuff.

They can and do become absolutely addicted.

 

[dd33]

They can and do become absolutely addicted.

Our Aldabras and Galapagos are addicted to LS. They can smell it from a considerable distance and pace frantically until you set the trays down.

Our Radiateds are very resistant to switching to LS and they still get more of the original type than I care to admit.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Our Aldabras and Galapagos are addicted to LS. They can smell it from a considerable distance and pace frantically until you set the trays down.

Our Radiateds are very resistant to switching to LS and they still get more of the original type than I care to admit.

They truly enjoy it.
It's fun to watch them step over expensive, premium stuff and get the Mazuri

 

[Megatron's Mom]

If a tortoise will eat the LS formula I see no reason to feed the original style. If a tortoise will eat the original style but not the LS it would be worth the time and effort to get them to switch. If someone came to this forum and asked if they should feed their tortoise soybeans and corn they would be laughed off. The LS was developed as a better product, they continue to produce the old style because animals are addicted to the junk food version and people complain that its too hard to get them to switch to the new stuff.

That is interesting, I guess just buying one type would be nice. For some reason I thought I read to make sure they eat both.