>"Alayne Avery <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: No grain Zupreem?
>
>Noticed last time I was at store that Zupreem now has a no grain
>variety. This should be better than regular, no?"

Hi Alayne, I thought that the "no-grain" sounded good also until I read
the ingredients list for this food:

This is off the Zupreem web site:
"Ingredients -- Grain-Free Ferret Diet

Chicken meal, Sweet potatoes, Peas, Chicken fat (preserved with mixed
tocopherols), Potato protein, Salmon, Venison, Natural chicken flavor,
Fish meal, DL-methionine, Choline chloride, Taurine, Dried chicory
root, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Yucca schidigera extract,
Dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus
acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, Dried
Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Vitamin E supplement,
Niacin, Manganese proteinate, Copper proteinate, Zinc sulfate,
Manganese sulfate, Copper sulfate, Thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1),
Vitamin A supplement, Biotin, Potassium iodide, Calcium pantothenate,
Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), Vitamin
B12 supplement, Manganous oxide, Sodium selenite, Vitamin D supplement,
Folic acid"


I personally don't like that of the first five ingredients, three
are potato and peas. These are just starches, or, in other words,
carbohydrates, which is something to avoid with ferrets. Just about all
kibble will have potato, peas or tapioca in it as a "binder" to hold
the food together but three binders out of the first five ingredients
seems to be over kill to me.

Have you ever tried Natures Variety Instinct cat food? Their rabbit
formula is a big hit with most of my fuzzies. In all truth, I was
concerned when I read on their web site that their source for rabbit
meat is China but, after a lengthy conversation with one of their
company reps and multiple reassurances of the testing they do on meat
in China and after it reaches Natures Variety here in the US, I feel
comfortable feeding this kibble.

I am, for the time being, continuing to feed Evo Ferret. I am keeping
a close eye on it, though.

All of this highlights one thing: an appropriate ferret kibble is hard
to find.

Bonnie and the gang at Nikki's House Ferret Rescue

[Posted in FML 6765]