Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wanted to make a brief post about Mazuri's crocodilian diet.

I had visited Gatorland a few weeks back and was informed that they were using Mazuri crocodilian diet, among other items with their animals. I also visited St.Augustine and found the same. So I bought a couple bags of the diet to experiment on my own animals.

It's to early to tell how it will affect growth but of 9 crocodilians I've tried it on 7 have become pretty fond of it, 1 is a sampler, and 1 will not eat it.

3 animals(Nile crocodiles) will be getting it exclusively as an experiment.

The diet comes in 2 sizes, a small pellet for young animals and a larger pellet for larger animals. I pay $39 for a 50lb bag. Which is expensive but in comparison to the normal fare of steaks, roast, rodents, and chicken it's a bargain.

One negative appears to be that the binder makes the waste a little more 'thick', but this is a minor negative.

All in all from first impressions it seems to be a product worth using in the diet of a captive crocodilian. And for a private keeper makes feeding much easier.
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

Thanks Chris. Can you please tell us where to get it? I can't find it anywhere. Even the Mazuri online store doesn't sell it.
-----

1.1 Womas, 1.0 Australian Olive Python, 1.0 Centralian Carpet Python, 1.0 Jungle Carpet Python, 1.1 Cape York Spotted Pythons, 1.0 Australian Water Python, 1.0 Albino Green Burmese, 1.1 Loxocemus bicolor (New World "Pythons" ), 1.2 Peruvian Red-Tail Boas, 2.1 Hog Island Boas, 0.1 Belem Brazilian Red- Tail Boa, 0.0.1 North American Wood Turtle, 0.0.2 European Pond Turtles, 1.0 Leucistic Alligator Snapper, 0.0.1 FL Red Belly, 0.0.1 Concentric Diamondback Terrapin, 1.3 Crested Geckos, 1.0 Yellow Ackie, 1.0 Yellow Bearded Dragon

I went to my local feed store and ordered it from there.

Most people should have a feed store that orders from mazuri in their area.
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

Its distributed by Purina Mills and they are sold all over the place.

I might try some also. Does it foul the water bad like Burris Gator Chow??

Thanks!

>>I went to my local feed store and ordered it from there.
>>
>>Most people should have a feed store that orders from mazuri in their area.
>>-----
>>CDieter
>>'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

Yes, I think the water will be fouled more quickly, but not necessarily from the diet. The waste the crocs produce copious amounts of waste I am guessing from the binder in the pellet.

The diet itself doesn't foul the water as the animals I feed it to consume all the pellets. Several love the stuff, the animals that have rejected it don't get it. That is other than as an experiment to see if they'll take it.
The Ultimate guide to Crocs in Captivity

-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

Do you think there is a way to contact the manufacturer and get a sample package? I think this stuff sounds really good, but since you say that some crocs wont take it, it would suck to spend that much money at one shot and then they not eat it. Do you know if there is any such thing?

Thanks,

Chris

I don't know about a sample package. I'd be glad to send you a sample if you'd like. You'll just have to cover the postage.

My suggestion after using it for a few weeks is to order the smaller pellets. The larger ones seem to sink and foul the water.
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

So with something like this, would it replace the current diet completey or would you continue with rodents, beef and chicken, etc in addition to the premade feed?

I use it as a supplement, although with several smaller animals I plan to use it as the primary diet. I've raised alot of crocodilians and I would like to see how they progress on this diet as a primary source of food.

I have my doubts the pellets will work as a primary diet for adult animals given the volume that would be needed. However,It could be a useful supplement.
The Ultimate Guide to Crocs

-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

About how big are the "biscuits"?

You can fit maybe 5 or so in your hand.

I'll try and post a picture tomorrow. I have one on my home computer of Israel Dupont holding some for me.

Or i'll just take a new photo tonight.
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

Israel Dupont had made mention of this feed before and I had been meaning to look into it more, so now that my attention has been brought back to this, I have a few questions.

I know this stuff helps to improve growth rates and what not, but can it enforce an unhealthy growth rate? Is there a suggested feeding set for a certain size crocodilian with this stuff?

While I am interested in getting some, I dont want something that can make the alligators grow abnormally fast. They are seem to be growing at a rather steady rate at this point, and I like that, but just dont want to add something to the diet that can make them grow at an unhealthy pace.

Furthermore, which size pellets would be good for 3.5ft gators? They have two feed sizes in there. What would you recommend as an appropriate size.
I have already called one large feed store and they have informed me that in order to order it for me there would be a minimum order of 25 bags. That's a croc! (pun intended).

Anyways, thanks for your time Chris.

Best Wishes
Chris

>>Just wanted to make a brief post about Mazuri's crocodilian diet.
>>
>>I had visited Gatorland a few weeks back and was informed that they were using Mazuri crocodilian diet, among other items with their animals. I also visited St.Augustine and found the same. So I bought a couple bags of the diet to experiment on my own animals.
>>
>>It's to early to tell how it will affect growth but of 9 crocodilians I've tried it on 7 have become pretty fond of it, 1 is a sampler, and 1 will not eat it.
>>
>>3 animals(Nile crocodiles) will be getting it exclusively as an experiment.
>>
>>The diet comes in 2 sizes, a small pellet for young animals and a larger pellet for larger animals. I pay $39 for a 50lb bag. Which is expensive but in comparison to the normal fare of steaks, roast, rodents, and chicken it's a bargain.
>>
>>One negative appears to be that the binder makes the waste a little more 'thick', but this is a minor negative.
>>
>>All in all from first impressions it seems to be a product worth using in the diet of a captive crocodilian. And for a private keeper makes feeding much easier.
>>-----
>>CDieter
>>'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

>>I know this stuff helps to improve growth rates and what not, but can it enforce an unhealthy growth rate? '

I'm not sure what an unhealthy growth rate is necessarily. An animal that grows fast, is healthy, and has proper bone structure has optimal conditions. I think a premade diet brings a greater probability of success than the usual fare people offer.

"Is there a suggested feeding set for a certain size crocodilian with this stuff?'

They have small pellets for younger animals, larger biscuits for bigger crocs.

>>
>>While I am interested in getting some, I dont want something that can make the alligators grow abnormally fast. They are seem to be growing at a rather steady rate at this point, and I like that, but just dont want to add something to the diet that can make them grow at an unhealthy pace. '

Again I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Young animals grow fast, and while I'm sure you can make an animal grow incorrectly, I'm not sure he can grow at an unhealthy pace. Even with this diet crocs will grow steadily, just steadily faster than the more typical diets. But not necessarily in all cases.

What I have found to be of immediate benefit is in the distribution of food among a group of animals housed communaly. When I feed mice, beef, poultry, etc despite my best efforts there is often an uneven distribution of food. Over many feedings it likely evens out but the prepared diet allows each animal access to a virtually unlimited food source relatively unhindered by the numbers. At least with my scenarios.

But we'll see, I don't have much experience with it yet so much of what I say is based upon the experiences of others with the prepared diets.

>>
>>Furthermore, which size pellets would be good for 3.5ft gators?'

This I can answer directly. Get the larger pellet. They'll eat the smaller also but the larger will work well for your alligator.

>>I have already called one large feed store and they have informed me that in order to order it for me there would be a minimum order of 25 bags. That's a croc! (pun intended).'

I'm sorry to hear that about your feed store. My store just calls it in and they throw it on the truck they get every week. 25 bags is alot of croc diet. And expensive to boot. If you want to try it perhaps I can get it for you and have it shipped to you. I don't know how much it would cost additionally though so it might not be worth it.

I'd try another feed store or a few first.
The Ultimate Guide to Crocs

-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

Ok, I was just curious. I have been noticing that many claim that causing a reptile to grow faster than it normal growth rate can actually negatively effect their health. As it is stated on croc farms and whatnot, the breeders use "growth enforcement techniques" to get the animals to get larger sizes at a faster pace for faster harvesting, but this should not be taken upon by the herpetoculturist. So are you saying that this is actually false? I just don't want to turbo boost growth in them, and cause it to hurt them in the long-run.

So pretty much, it hurts them more to slow their growth rate, but is ok to boost it without any long-term negative effects?

Thank you for your help

Chris

P.S> Did you receive my email? I wasn't sure whether the email account you used for kingsnake.com is still active.
Thanks again

>>Ok, I was just curious. I have been noticing that many claim that causing a reptile to grow faster than it normal growth rate can actually negatively effect their health.'

I've come to this point on this topic. Many people claim many things. In my own experiences in many animals-going all the way back to my days as a monitor breeder- faster growth doesn't produce any noticable harm. In some animals it produces obesity and that is the real problem.

A good diet and good conditions will produce good steady growth. Animals are usually only constrained by poor diet and poor conditions. Now don't misunderstand, I'm not talkign about jamming so much food into them they explode. Just that I doubt the use of any of these diets will produce a negative effect on the animals health. As a matter of fact I suspect the opposite would more than likely be true.

' So are you saying that this is actually false?

No, 'm saying it's a food and a complete one at that, properly used the animal will only benefit.

>>
>>So pretty much, it hurts them more to slow their growth rate, but is ok to boost it without any long-term negative effects?
>>

I always come back to this question. What is a normal growth rate? The oft cited 12 inches a year? You have to now your own animal and monitor each animals health and progress. Some simply grow faster than others. The only long term problems I could see are skeletal problems-which I feel are unlikely, and obesity- which again I feel is less likely on this diet than the usual fare of fatty chicken, beef, and rodents captive animals get.

But again- I'm going alot by what I've seen and heard and my own experiences are still pretty young.

>>P.S> Did you receive my email? '

Yep, I got it this morning and will reply to you sometime today.

>>
>>
>>
>>
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

This seems to be an interesting supplement - will try to get some, when coming to Florida in late October.Its unfortunately impossible to buy this diet here in Europe or importing it in smaller amounts.
Thanks for the hints, Chris and Izzy.
CSG´s Tomistoma Task Force

At Gatorland, we have started using this product exclusively for our crocodiles in the Jungle Crocs of the World pavilion and feeding shows. These crocs were used to getting chicken for such shows, and were not eager to accept the Mazuri diet at first. Our trainers for that program started soaking the nuggets in chicken 'juice' and the crocs now accept them.
-----
Israel Dupont
Winter Haven, FL