Will not Eat Mazuri or Zoo med Grassland ..

[Nisi]

I have been struggling for months now to get weight on my leopard Juggalo. He is still bouncing from 35g to 37 grams. I weight him every day to make sure he doesn't lose weight. He doesn't like the Mazuri, I had him on the Mazuri LS. since that is all they offer in stores so I just order online the regular Mazuri. I seen on a post from Pearly to feed graded cucumber and mix a pellet or two wet, he eat a little last night. I tried the Zoo med grassland food he wouldn't even look at it. I soaked both foods in carrot juice. At this point my husband thinks I am crazy. . I am taking him to the Vet on Monday. No shots are going to be given to my little guy, I want his waste checked for worms or parasites. Does anyone else have any suggestions to help him gain some weight. i seen on a post about superworms? I spoke to our breeder and he told me if he is eating just greens and no chemical diet he will be a very very slow grower like in the wild. Any suggestions would be grateful.

Thank you

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Are his temps at least 80 degrees?
Food can't be digested with temps lower than that.
Also, Mazuri is not needed. It's great. I use it. But it's not necessary at all.

 

[Nisi]

His hot spot temp is 100-98 before mist and after mist, low spots are 85-83. at night doesn't get lower then 82 humidity is 77-82 percent. will he grow slow with just the greens?

 

[Jodie]

They grow at their own rate. How was he started? Hot and humid or dry? Outside? Your temps and humidity is good. Do you also soak daily? In the summer I fed my hatchlings straight weeds and leaves. They are growing fine. All you can do is provide an ideal environment, which you are, and continue to offer a variety of food. I would not go the tough love route with such a small baby. Feed too much regularly, so as he picks and chooses he still gets enough.

 

[Nisi]

I believe he was started open enclosure and a humid hide. not 100 percent sure. he was in an open enclosure for 1 week with me then went to a closed one from all the advice from you and everyone else. We soak him daily I was doing twice a day but stopped I was worried he was pooping out everything that went in and not getting any gain from that. I always give plenty of food just in case. I am crossing my fingers I was reading old post about cucumber grated with two wet mazuri pebbles he eat some of that so I am hoping this will hook him.

 

[Neal]

Make a Mazuri sandwich. Place a soaked piece of Mazuri in between two pieces of lettuce and smoosh together firmly. For hatchlings I will cut this sandwich up into tiny pieces and they usually cannot help but eat some Mazuri when they're going after the lettuce.

 

[Nisi]

good idea I will try this as well
Thank you

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Forgive me for this question please, why don't you feed him what he would normally eat? Grass and weeds. Get "Spring Mix" from the produce section, add some flower petals, grape leafs, weeds, green leaf lettuce, romaine, and green leaf store stuff. I have never seen a tortoise open a can or bag of Mazuri in the wild. My point is this. You are forcing him to eat something, 1. he does not like obviously, and 2. he does not recognize as food. For now feed him food you collect from outside, mix with store produce. Then after he has grown some and put on weight, then you can try Mazuri. I use it myself, but first you feed a baby what HE recognizes as food. When he's older, then you can force the Mazuri.

But it is my experienced opinion that if you keep doing the force Mazuri food he does not like and won't eat enough of, he will die.
He needs tortoise food not a commercial food that is really made for older animals.

 

[Nisi]

Forgive me for this question please, why don't you feed him what he would normally eat? Grass and weeds. Get "Spring Mix" from the produce section, add some flower petals, grape leafs, weeds, green leaf lettuce, romaine, and green leaf store stuff. I have never seen a tortoise open a can or bag of Mazuri in the wild. My point is this. You are forcing him to eat something, 1. he does not like obviously, and 2. he does not recognize as food. For now feed him food you collect from outside, mix with store produce. Then after he has grown some and put on weight, then you can try Mazuri. I use it myself, but first you feed a baby what HE recognizes as food. When he's older, then you can force the Mazuri.

But it is my experienced opinion that if you keep doing the force Mazuri food he does not like and won't eat enough of, he will die.
He needs tortoise food not a commercial food that is really made for older animals.

Maggie,
No need for forgiveness... he doesn't eat what he doesn't want, I don't force him to eat it.. Of course I am feeding him his Greens and weeds. My tort isn't gaining weight on just eating greens and weeds. I was told to feed him mazuri along with his greens to gain weight. from the breeder and people here. BECAUSE I am scared he is going to DIE. Since I had him since July 8th he arrived to my house at 33 and he is only 35 grams now.

Thank you

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

The Mazuri sandwich sounds like a good Neal idea. If the muggets are wet, do it like a spread on a lettuce. Or wet down what he eats with a spray bottle and crush a Mazuri pellet in your hand and sprinkle it on the weeds and green yummies he does like, and eats. And be patient. Tortoises teach us that.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Maggie,
No need for forgiveness... he doesn't eat what he doesn't want, I don't force him to eat it.. Of course I am feeding him his Greens and weeds. My tort isn't gaining weight on just eating greens and weeds. I was told to feed him mazuri along with his greens to gain weight. from the breeder and people here. BECAUSE I am scared he is going to DIE. Since I had him since July 8th he arrived to my house at 33 and he is only 35 grams now.

Thank you

OK, now I understand, I apologize. Do you know that his light and environment are correct? No disrespect, just asking....guess I came a little late to the party...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Did you receive your "regular" Mazuri yet?
I'll bet he eats it.
When/if you offer it, only use a little bit. Tortoises that eat the regular Mazuri for the first time will often go on a mini hunger strike and not want to eat anything else until they get Mazuri again. You may or may not have this issue. I certainly have.

 

[Fredkas]

I believe he was started open enclosure and a humid hide. not 100 percent sure. he was in an open enclosure for 1 week with me then went to a closed one from all the advice from you and everyone else. We soak him daily I was doing twice a day but stopped I was worried he was pooping out everything that went in and not getting any gain from that. I always give plenty of food just in case. I am crossing my fingers I was reading old post about cucumber grated with two wet mazuri pebbles he eat some of that so I am hoping this will hook him.

(I am not very good in english)
I am super newbie. But i want to give you some hint.
Do not worry about soaking will make him poop too much. It is not gonna happening. Although the recommendation is one soak a day, you can make it twice a day. Whatever you choose, do not think that soaking too long will make him poop too much. . The important thing about soaking is you really need to keep an eye of the water, luke warm water, do not use cold one. (Mine soak twice a day.)

I have similar problem with you last time. But mine is not so picky, he eat almost everything but a little that not enough to make him gaining weight. It happens like that and i keep trying adding a lot of other veggies until i reach one of his favourite, he eat like crazy, from that time, he started to eat like a pig.
Mazuri sure helps, but veggies will make them gain weight too, believe me. It is just if they eat enough or not. Do not worry about pooping. Several days ago mine poops out 10gr out of his little 90gr body. It is scary, but the other day, he is not pooping and gain all the weight back. The poop is something that he need to throw away. Do not worry too much.

My newbie suggestion is keep searching what can make him crazy. Once he is crazy to eat, his stomach will tell him to eat more and more, that is when he become "pig" and will eat everything.

Some tort favourite food, if he don't like it, then try others, every tort is different:
- prickly pear cactus
- hibiscus
- grape leaves
- mazuri
Above is well known food that they like.
My version, more local veggies, i am afraid you can't find it:
- indian lettuce, mine go crazy if he sees it, this lettuce farmer consider turtle as a "pest" because turtle always eat it all up. (From this you can tell how much a turtle / tort loves it)
- pinto peanut
- water spinach, this is controversial food, better offer this veggies only twice a week at its MAXIMUM. Mine become pig because of this veggies.
- cucumber, this also not very good food as it has nothing in it. It only water with very little nutrient, but tort loves it very much. Too much that they can be addicted to it and won't eat others food. Some expert here recommend only adding cucumber juice to good food to trigger the eating behaviour.

I read a thread which i believe @Pearly made it. Good way too to help you. I forget the thread name. She will willingly to point you there.

Hope i can at least give you some hint.

 

[Raymo2477]

I have two leopards. One was static in weight for almost six months, then one day growth hit. He gained a few grams each week and is a huge two year old now. As long as the tort isn't loosing weight AND your conditions are good, I wouldn't fret.

 

[Pearly]

(I am not very good in english)
I am super newbie. But i want to give you some hint.
Do not worry about soaking will make him poop too much. It is not gonna happening. Although the recommendation is one soak a day, you can make it twice a day. Whatever you choose, do not think that soaking too long will make him poop too much. . The important thing about soaking is you really need to keep an eye of the water, luke warm water, do not use cold one. (Mine soak twice a day.)

I have similar problem with you last time. But mine is not so picky, he eat almost everything but a little that not enough to make him gaining weight. It happens like that and i keep trying adding a lot of other veggies until i reach one of his favourite, he eat like crazy, from that time, he started to eat like a pig.
Mazuri sure helps, but veggies will make them gain weight too, believe me. It is just if they eat enough or not. Do not worry about pooping. Several days ago mine poops out 10gr out of his little 90gr body. It is scary, but the other day, he is not pooping and gain all the weight back. The poop is something that he need to throw away. Do not worry too much.

My newbie suggestion is keep searching what can make him crazy. Once he is crazy to eat, his stomach will tell him to eat more and more, that is when he become "pig" and will eat everything.

Some tort favourite food, if he don't like it, then try others, every tort is different:
- prickly pear cactus
- hibiscus
- grape leaves
- mazuri
Above is well known food that they like.
My version, more local veggies, i am afraid you can't find it:
- indian lettuce, mine go crazy if he sees it, this lettuce farmer consider turtle as a "pest" because turtle always eat it all up. (From this you can tell how much a turtle / tort loves it)
- pinto peanut
- water spinach, this is controversial food, better offer this veggies only twice a week at its MAXIMUM. Mine become pig because of this veggies.
- cucumber, this also not very good food as it has nothing in it. It only water with very little nutrient, but tort loves it very much. Too much that they can be addicted to it and won't eat others food. Some expert here recommend only adding cucumber juice to good food to trigger the eating behaviour.

I read a thread which i believe @Pearly made it. Good way too to help you. I forget the thread name. She will willingly to point you there.

Hope i can at least give you some hint.

Hi, thanks for the alert, @Fredkas. @Nisi, somehow I have missed your posts and don't really know your whole situation. Just wanted to say very belated welcome and about feeding babies, if they are warm enough and have good habitat where they feel safe you can try chopping very finely or even blending his food. Try different textures/consistencies and keep trying until you figure it out. I keep the Redfooted so i can use fruit and protein as a lure. I have a detailed thread on feeding with lots of detailed instructions and pictures. Try to find it throught the SEARCH feature here. I think it's in general Diet section. Just go to "diet", then in "search" type in "Pearly's tips of feeding picky eater" and it should come up. One of my babies was like that too and i was worried he wouldn't make it. He is 14 months old now and weighs over 1lb 2oz. Good luck to you and keep us posted

 

[Pearly]

Also just wanted to throw this out there, that ZOOMED forest tortoise pellets are the LEAST favorite ones of my babies. I only add couple soaked pellets to their salad and they'll eat it mixed in like that but would never just go for the pellet itself, like they do Mazuri or the other brands.

 

[Nisi]

Thank you for the information. He does eat he just isn't gaining weight I took him to the vet Monday they said he looks great beside a little neck infection from wet food they think. I just am so worried about his weight pretty much not moving in 2 months