Mazuri tortoise diet- do you agree with ed

[EJ]

I just thought it important to note here is that you did what most keepers do in that you experimented with formulas that you thought would be beneficial to your tortoises. The Mazuri product is formulated by people educated in animal nutrition so I would think that they would have a little better idea of the nutritional requirements of these animals than either you or I.

Your results show that you didn't get it quite right in the case of the Hermans but can you be sure to attribute it to diet or something else such as genetics, environmental conditions...

To add another note here... I was surprised to see the results of the poll so far because I would expect to see 100% against. Also, if you answered honestly (for those who said 'No... except when or for...' that's actually a Yes... you use manufactured diets) the percentage would actually be higher in agreement.

Originally Posted by egyptiandan64

I have already experimented with diet for my tortoises quite a while back. This was before mazuri, I used rabbit pellets as a base diet mixed with greens for all my tortoises. I tried to find the lowest protein pellets, 12%, that I could find. I did this to add fiber, nutriton and bulk to their diet as winters are very tough to get weeds and produce is in just as short of a supply. The Redfoots, Yellowfoots, Leopard and hingebacks did just fine on this diet. Elongateds, Greeks, Russians and Marginateds did okay, but not great. Hermanns were the worst of all. They grew flat and some just grew between their costal and marginal scutes, making a round Hermanns, as well as being flat.
I gave this diet up as not being acceptable for the Testudo, but did still do it for the Redfoots, Yellowfoots and Hingebacks. So I've already done all the experimenting I think I need to do with prepared foods when it comes to Testudo. I can say I won't do it again.
I will definately say something if I have any trouble giving mazuri to my Redfoots. They only get it usually once or twice every 2 weeks.

Danny

[sarah]

Originally Posted by EJ

To add another note here... I was surprised to see the results of the poll so far because I would expect to see 100% against. Also, if you answered honestly (for those who said 'No... except when or for...' that's actually a Yes... you use manufactured diets) the percentage would actually be higher in agreement.

[/quote]

Oh ed you do make my laugh, you sent me a nasty pm when i put this up. Because it was 100% no and you thought you taken control and changed everyone opinions.

Well i know you voted yes, and we do have members here who are just out to cause trouble (as with most sites) and other members from the USA.

In your other post you said that when you were feeding greens they were not hitting the spot nutrition wise! why was this? was it because you were feeding cabbage! no wonder!

15 years use of this diet is nothing in a tortoise life we do not know the problems it causes, more research needs to be done 15 YEARS IS NOT ENOUGH.

I am VERY shocked to read some of the above posts that certain people use pellets sometimes, the damage these things cause is horrible. I have some deformed tortoise rehomers with me who were fed these things, and now in my care with some tough love eat weeds that are NATURAL.

[wildlifewarrior]

lol nasty pm's i have had a few of them from him as well....so childish. i understand these are your views and it is up to you to do as you wish, but on a forum where new members come to seek advice , they don't need u saying how good pellets are.

"The Mazuri product is formulated by people educated in animal nutrition so I would think that they would have a little better idea of the nutritional requirements of these animals than either you or I. " edward get a grip.....a few people that studied food at college and uni made up a food mix.....u think that is better than year and years of weedsa nd greens that people have been feeding them....not to metion the other few millions of years that the tort has been eatting these them selfs.

u even stated that u feed this diet to your geckos............u must be a rubbish lizard keeper, i know many many lizard keeper that wud disagree with u so much, espically when u said u feed it to iggys. you also stated that u had a leopard in 1979 and died in 2004.......that wud make it the second oldest leo in captivity. as a lizard keeper i feed my insect eating lizards...erm...insects, and any herbivous ones with be feed silmimar things to torts and have honey,bee pollen and fruit mix.

edward u must be in ur 40-50s soemthing like that, i am 17 andf know better than you. u either just like to argue or have really bad husbandary.

[helen1]

OFF topic

Nasty pm's seem to be prevelant...trying to be reasonable here folks...this medium of communication as I have said sooooooo many times leaves itself open to this as nothing can beat a face to face where misunderstandings can be ironed out; how many times have we all read what we wrote and read the reply and gone "oh that isnt what I meant"?

As I said nasty pm's are flying around...I have had a few..oh and none of them from Ed.

Please lets move on this is a waste of our efforts.

[terrypin]

Originally Posted by wildlifewarrior

lol nasty pm's i have had a few of them from him as well....so childish. i understand these are your views and it is up to you to do as you wish, but on a forum where new members come to seek advice , they don't need u saying how good pellets are.

"The Mazuri product is formulated by people educated in animal nutrition so I would think that they would have a little better idea of the nutritional requirements of these animals than either you or I. " edward get a grip.....a few people that studied food at college and uni made up a food mix.....u think that is better than year and years of weedsa nd greens that people have been feeding them....not to metion the other few millions of years that the tort has been eatting these them selfs.

u even stated that u feed this diet to your geckos............u must be a rubbish lizard keeper, i know many many lizard keeper that wud disagree with u so much, espically when u said u feed it to iggys. you also stated that u had a leopard in 1979 and died in 2004.......that wud make it the second oldest leo in captivity. as a lizard keeper i feed my insect eating lizards...erm...insects, and any herbivous ones with be feed silmimar things to torts and have honey,bee pollen and fruit mix.

edward u must be in ur 40-50s soemthing like that, i am 17 andf know better than you. u either just like to argue or have really bad husbandary.

hi im sorry but i have to say although i rarely agree with Ed,s ideas or feeding regimes i find he makes some valid points and has a vast amount of experience in chelonian care so to me he is a valuable member of this forum also how can you say he is a rubbish lizard keeper i think that is rude and uncalled for at least he does keep lizards if you get my drift.

terry aged 51 years

[wildlifewarrior]

terry i never said he was a rubbish lizard keeper....i said if he feeds pellets to his lizards then he must. ye aof course uncalled for but so was the nasty pm's in the past he has sent me.......ur right i don't keep torts..........but i have looked after them in the past and i used to work for a guy who bred turtles and my aunty keeps many torts....just cuz they don't stay at my house does not mean i don't no anything. this is far too bitchy for my liking......i don't say stiff to help unless it has been said to me int he first place. if u are really that angry and upset about me being a member on here and not keeping a tortoise at my house then i will leave as the last thing i wanna do is go upsetting u or anyone else. terry don't remember saying anything to u. nevermind.

think i might stop speaking now as we need to get friendly again, so turn that frown upside down.

[linda]

please see my thread in general re nasty pm's

when i first got shelly we tried him with pellets and he turned his nose up at them... wouldnt touch them... so it was his decision to go 'au naturel' so from then on, its weeds to go!

i cant see how the nutrition that tortoises need can all be in pellets mind you.... its just pellets, but the choice they have with weeds, fruit etc seems so much more beneficial, and healthy... thats just my opinion

so i suppose i let shelly decide his fate and he chose the weeds, lol!

I have also said NO because iam lucky to live in a area that i can pick most weeds on my way home from school each morning !!!
I dont see the point of buying a food that is not as good for the torts as the REAL thing !!! and they are free !!!!
I have never and would not start now to feed anything other then natural weeds for my meds !!
My leopards get a bit of wet Graze on mixed in with the fresh grass and weeds
sharon x

[pawsplus]

Originally Posted by stells quoting Mazuri

Nutrazu® Tortoise Diet has been designed for Galapagos tortoises, but may be useful for other species of dry land tortoises. Feed approximately 2-4% of body weight. It is not necessary to add water. Feed consumption will vary with temperature. Feed with good quality grass hay. Fresh fruits and vegetables (less than 20% by weight of total diet) may also be provided if desired

OK, it clearly states here that the diet should be fed w/ good quality grass hay. And yet Ed has stated he feeds this INSTEAD of hay.