taste for mazuri only

[tyguy35]

Ok so, my guy has like a taste for mazuri right now I'm having trouble getting him to eat anything else. He sees leafy studf takes a few bites sees mazuri and boom destroys it. I tried be harsh and bot offered mazuri but I don't want to starvehim any ideas.

 

[expo tort]

Tough love. NO MORE MAZURI!!!! He won't starve himself he will eat other things.

 

[Tom]

Chop up some greens while soaking some Mazuri. Once its all mushy, mix it all together thoroughly. Once each piece of the greens is coated with the Mazuri, he should eat it all. Gradually use less and less Mazuri, and don't ever offer Mazuri all by its self again.

 

[Neal]

Tough love. NO MORE MAZURI!!!! He won't starve himself he will eat other things.

I have seen this happen with Mazuri specifically. They will develop a dependency on Mazuri and refuse other food items, even to their death.

 

[tyguy35]

Ya I don't want him to die by eating this only

 

[Neal]

Ya I don't want him to die by eating this only

Let me clarify. I didn't mean to suggest that a mazuri-only diet would lead him to his death. I can think of at least one prominent tortoise enthusiast that keeps several tortoises successfully on a mazuri-only diet.

What I meant, is that if you stop the mazuri cold turkey if it isn't eating other foods...the tortoise may not eat anything at all and eventually perish.

 

[dmarcus]

I would go with Tom's idea, I use that same trick on mine. Just cut up greens or what ever else you want to feed really small and mix it with with the mazuri so the tortoise can't pick it out.

 

[expo tort]

Sorry I thought it worked on the same principal as when they only eat things like strawberries. I feel bad.

 

[tyguy35]

Basically what I did to get him to eat it in the first place

 

[EricIvins]

What is the issue? I, and alot of other people feed Mazuri exclusively and have had zero issues for years.......

 

[yagyujubei]

No more beef stew kids, eat your salad instead.

 

[tyguy35]

I would just prefer a varied diet

 

[Sulcataman]

Tom is exactly correct. And also the "tough love" idea will work good too. Instinct and survival will kick in. Also, what i did was take grass and wet it, then I compressed it into cubes to resemble the mazuri. I tricked them. They will not starve themselves. One of mine I rescued did the same thing. I just made a pile of the grass forage I grow for them and wetted it first. After a couple days, they eat it likes its their last meal.

 

[dmmj]

Tough love works on a healthy adult tortoise, I would not use it on young and or sick ones.

 

[tyguy35]

I got him eating other stuff again. I notice he eats a ton more outdoors then indoors

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He wont touch mazuri outside only grass lol

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Quit feeding Mazuri and he'll eat other things. Then only offer it as a treat once every few weeks.

 

[ThatDamnSasquatch]

My two yearling CH Redfoots both eat Mazuri much more aggressively than their greens, but I found that they each have other preferences as well. One now loves squash and the other zucchini, so I compromise and they get each of these with greens and as long as I see little triangular bites taken out of each, they continue to gt each. Any day I see that the Mazuri is gone and the veggies are whole, the Mazuri just disappears for a few days. Tough love.