Im a newbie so don't make fun of me but I see you guys talkign about Mazuri but I don't know what that is can you guys help me? Is it nessacery to feed your tortoise that?
Mazuri?
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Mazuri is a manufactured tortoise food made specifically for tortoises. It is OK to feed to many species but definitely not required.
www.mazuri.com
www.mazuri.com
Is it reccomended for tortoises?
There are some who don't like to use it but on the whole I think it's a good way to round out your tortoises diet. What kind of tortoise do you have ?
i am thinking about getting a red footed tortoise just doing reserch right now
The official name is Mazuri Tortoise Diet. You can order it anyplace that sells Purina products. I get mine from a feed dealer. If you buy it that way, it usually costs around $23 for a 20lb bag. Some of the red foot folks here on the forum feed it to their tortoises, so I know that RFs will eat it. However, its always best to feed as close to a natural diet as possible. There are plenty of greens, veggies and fruits that are suitable for RF tortoises and then you can use the Mazuri as a supplement instead of a main stay, if at all.
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Simply put-"No", Mazuri isn't necessary. I absolutely agree with Yvonne's post above. Mazuri should not be considered a replacement for any natural foods that tortoises will eat.
I like how Josh phrased it. Its a good way to round out your torts diet. It is certainly not a necessity, but it IS good for them. I think its a good idea to feed them some mixed with greens a couple of times a week.
I think of it kind of like a protein/vitamin shake. Helps insure that they are getting all the nutrition that they need.
I think of it kind of like a protein/vitamin shake. Helps insure that they are getting all the nutrition that they need.
A quick background: Mazuri makes zoo-quality bulk processed animal feeds, mostly in pellet forms. The Tortoise Diet was specifically designed for the giant tortoises, but is used by zoos all over the place for most of their tortoises with few reported problems from the food itself.
Many animal nutrition experts suggest feeding captive animals a mix of about 50% good 'naturalistic' foods, and about 50% good processed diets. The idea is that the two parts will reinforce each other, providing elements the other half lacks, etc.
Mazuri is one of the two highest regarded tortoise 'chows' sold in the US with the other being ZooMed Natural Tortoise Food. Both have pros and cons. Mazuri is the better value in bulk, but it also uses molasses as a sweetener which seems to attract tortoises- that is, they often go for the Mazuri first and often leave other foods alone.
Some people are concerned about the grains component of the chow, but the grains are 'unlocked' through processing so they can be used by the tortoise. This happens for humans too- we cannot eat very many grains without processing or milling them first.
Many animal nutrition experts suggest feeding captive animals a mix of about 50% good 'naturalistic' foods, and about 50% good processed diets. The idea is that the two parts will reinforce each other, providing elements the other half lacks, etc.
Mazuri is one of the two highest regarded tortoise 'chows' sold in the US with the other being ZooMed Natural Tortoise Food. Both have pros and cons. Mazuri is the better value in bulk, but it also uses molasses as a sweetener which seems to attract tortoises- that is, they often go for the Mazuri first and often leave other foods alone.
Some people are concerned about the grains component of the chow, but the grains are 'unlocked' through processing so they can be used by the tortoise. This happens for humans too- we cannot eat very many grains without processing or milling them first.
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