Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 9 month old sulcata used to eat hay/grass great with calcium on it. But about 1 week ago, he stopped eating it well. Recently he is only eating Mazuri diet. What could this mean? I just dont understand why he might be being so fickle...it just doesnt make any sense.

I guess i could look on the bright side and say, hey he's eating, but why wont he eat his usual timothy hay and fresh cut grass? I use reptical (phos free). I know mazuri has a lot of protein and isnt the best thing, but that is all he will take down. Any help is appreciated !

thanks
Hunter

Yeah I have the same problem with my redfoot. He only takes a few bits of fruit and greens but that Murzui he eats it all!

Odds are he won't starve to death if you switch him back to his old diet. After a while he should come around.

Another option is to mix the Mazuri with his grass and hay...and slowly reduce the amount of Mazuri over a week or two.

This is exactly what i am doing, mixxing and mushing mazuri (about 5 pellets) with his grass and hay to get him to eat it!
thanks so much
hunter

There is nothing wrong with feeding Mazuri... At least I can't find anything wrong with it (and I'm always looking). It does not have 'too much' protein although I've still yet to understand what is 'too much' or 'too little' protein.

I'd suggest you feed the Mazuri once or twice a week and always have the hays/grasses available. The tortoise will not starve and will browse on the grasses when it is hungry.

Most tortoises that like Mazuri will eat it to an extreme and do have to be physically limited to it's availability but I still highly recommend it as a major component in any captive tortoises diet.

>>My 9 month old sulcata used to eat hay/grass great with calcium on it. But about 1 week ago, he stopped eating it well. Recently he is only eating Mazuri diet. What could this mean? I just dont understand why he might be being so fickle...it just doesnt make any sense.
>>
>>I guess i could look on the bright side and say, hey he's eating, but why wont he eat his usual timothy hay and fresh cut grass? I use reptical (phos free). I know mazuri has a lot of protein and isnt the best thing, but that is all he will take down. Any help is appreciated !
>>
>>thanks
>>Hunter
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

mines loves it *soooo* much! i give it to junior only twice a week, and i dose him with his vitamins/calcium at those times, since it sticks to the damped mazuri really well and it's a good way to ensure that he'll eat it all!

when i first checked the stuff out i was worried ("crap, i just spent $10 on a can of stuff that smells like dog food, he's not gonna like it!" but boy was i wrong... it's like filet mignon as far as he's concerned.