Question about Mazuri

[Amanda81]

I am needing to order some Mazuri so I'm checking sites and I start seeing that there is a Mazuri and a mazuri LS, I have sulcata and leopards, which kind do I need? I do not want to have to pay a bunch of shipping charges so I figured I would just get a big bag, should last awhile, couple months anyways so I really don't want to end up with the wrong kind.

 

[G-stars]

I would check with your local livestock feeding stores. Sometimes you can order it through them and save on the shipping. I just get regular mazuri not the ls one, as long as you have a good varied diet.


— Gus

 

[Amanda81]

Ya I attempted to check w my local feed store, they were suppose to check and let me know the following Monday, that was weeks ago. So when I attempted to follow up on it, noons seemed to know anything about it. Tortoises are not common pets in the area I live, we only have one pet store that even sales supplies for reptiles and those supplies consist if a couple light fixtures, those coil bulbs that are bad and some food for aquatic turtles. I have got pretty use to ordering online and paying shipping, so a shipping charge every couple months ain't to bad. I just want to make sure I get what in suppose to.

 

[G-stars]

As far as I know most people on here use the regular one.


— Gus

 

[Tom]

The LS type is a good food, but it will not get all mushy and mix well with other foods when you soak it. Most of my torts just ate around it. I got them to eat it by mixing it with regular Mazuri that was soaked.

For my purposes the regular type works better.

 

[leigti]

Is there any ingredient difference between LS and regular? Or is it the form that it comes in?

 

[Tom]

Is there any ingredient difference between LS and regular? Or is it the form that it comes in?

Yes. Totally different ingredients, taste, smell, size, color, and of course if performs differently when soaked as mentioned before.

 

[Len B]

I feed both. I don't know if the extra cost of the LS is worth it yet, Time will tell, maybe..What I like about the LS is the size, at first I didn't like it being so much smaller than the original. after using it for awhile I have found that the smaller tortoises can and will eat it dry. When it is wet it has some texture. that may help with beak maintaince even when offered wet. The original when wet is like oatmeal and the LS is like shredded wheat. I wish they offered both types in both sizes.

 

[leigti]

Yes. Totally different ingredients, taste, smell, size, color, and of course if performs differently when soaked as mentioned before.

Then how does a person determine which type is good for their tortoise?

 

[Tom]

Both are good. What size and species of tortoise(s) are you wanting it for?

In most cases, I think the regular type is better.

 

[leigti]

Both are good. What size and species of tortoise(s) are you wanting it for?

In most cases, I think the regular type is better.

I don't plan on buying any for my tortoise. But I noticed the original question was she would like to know which one she should buy for her tortoises and nobody has seem to answer that yet.

 

[Amanda81]

I found both types on tortoise supply website. As they describe it, the regular is for tortoises needing higher protein/lower fiber and the LS is for tortoises needing higher fiber/ lower protein.
I ordered the LS type, I ordered it from Mazuri.com, it was nearly $45 for 25# bag, but I got me a 20% off coupon and they only charged $5.99 shipping so that's not to bad.
I did notice the LS was a smaller pellet too. I'm kinda curious to see how that works, expectially since it doesn't mush up as the other does. I have always mushed up what I give them, even the Sudans get theirs mushed up, mainly cause I hide their multivitamin and calcium supplement in it. I am going to switch to a liquid supplement so with the smaller pellet, I won't have to mush the Sudans up anymore. I will see how the baby's do but I will probably just continue mushing theirs either way

 

[Dizisdalife]

I am needing to order some Mazuri so I'm checking sites and I start seeing that there is a Mazuri and a mazuri LS, I have sulcata and leopards, which kind do I need? I do not want to have to pay a bunch of shipping charges so I figured I would just get a big bag, should last awhile, couple months anyways so I really don't want to end up with the wrong kind.

There really isn't a wrong kind. They are essentially the same formula. The LS formula, and this is from memory, has a little more fiber and a little less protein than the regular formula. It also contains Timothy grass hay as a fiber source which the regular or original does not have. If it was the only food source for my sulcata I would probably choose the LS formula. Since my sulcata gets lots of grass, leaves, and weeds, and Mazuri is a relatively small portion of his diet, I don't feel that it matters much. I am currently feeding from a bag of the LS formula. I do agree with Tom that the LS is more difficult to mix with other foods. At first, that was a concern, but after 6 months of feeding the LS it doesn't seem to be a big deal.

 

[Tom]

even the Sudans get theirs mushed up, mainly cause I hide their multivitamin and calcium supplement in it. I am going to switch to a liquid supplement so with the smaller pellet, I won't have to mush the Sudans up anymore.

I would not recommend this practice. Mazuri is "balanced" nutrition. When you add supplements to it, you upset the balance. I would add your supplements where they are needed, like with some of the common grocery store greens that are already low in calcium.

 

[parrotlady]

I think it is personal preference. I buy the regular kind, buy a bag of Timothy hay pellets at the feed store. Then I mix the two, I find by doing this, I increase the fiber content and it costs less.

 

[Tom]

I don't plan on buying any for my tortoise. But I noticed the original question was she would like to know which one she should buy for her tortoises and nobody has seem to answer that yet.

I see what you are saying.

Amanda, both will work for your herd. I find the LS easier to feed to larger tortoises. I would buy the regular one for a while and try the LS when they get bigger. To me, if you are going to buy the LS because of the timothy hay and lower fiber, you could just buy timothy hay cubes for a lot less money, soak them, and mix it in with other greens. My preference even above that is to just use plain orchard grass hay. I leave a pile of orchard grass hay in all my enclosures and all my tortoises nibble at it all day long.

 

[Amanda81]

Ok. I see what your saying about adding the supplements to something already balanced w them. I originally sprinkled the supplements on their green stuff but they wouldn't eat it so I started putting it in the mazuri, thought i was being sneaky. I am switching over to liquid supplements so I will just start putting it back on their greens.
So thinking about what you said, do I need to even give supplements if I'm giving mazuri twice weekly? I am going to continue to give grass and weeds as long as I can, today's high is a whopping 50 so I gathered it all today and gave it to them cause I wasn't sure if the Sudans should come out their shed, playing on the safe side, I made them stay in. But eventually the grass and weeds will b gone, that leaves me hay, mazuri, and grocery store stuff. So I'm thinking I will need to give mazuri daily along with hay. So will supplements even be needed?

 

[Tom]

I do think it is a good idea to give a little bit of calcium twice a week to growing giants on non-Mazuri days.

 

[Amanda81]

So my mazuri delivered today. Of course I broke it right open and gave everybody some. It is smaller then what i was using and darker in color. It also has a slightly different texture (I guess this is the word I'm looking for) I got about 2 cups and soaked a few minutes in hot water and then took about 10 little pieces and put in hot water for the baby's. I went ahead and served Marvs peewees and Jeff's semi hard. (Left the baby's soaking while I feed the big guys). They had no complaints. They gobbled it right up. Pigs they are. I split the baby's up between the quads and the leopards. The quads gobbled it up as well, no complaints. The leopards, they nibbled at it but wasn't real impressed. I figured they will do better w it over time. I also have a little of the other left so I will probably start mixing theirs and just slowly switch them over to the new stuff.