I've caught the occasional post from people on the FML who have encountered
pet store owners who keep their ferrets in cedar bedding, especially those
who keep them in aquariums with limited air exchange.  Last night, after
visiting one of our local pet stores to buy litter (I use the recycled
newspaper pellets) I saw a ferret starter kit produced by Rolf C. Hagen
Corp. of Mansfield, Mass. that included red cedar shavings as part of their
kit.  I asked the store clerk about it and they told me that they recommend
against cedar shavings and their own ferrets are kept in wire cages with a
pelleted litter.  I was still upset at the idea of this company packaging
cedar shavings with their starter kit since it implies that cedar is safe
and appropriate for ferrets.  People with no information to the contrary
may keep their ferrets in cedar bedding for years.  So, I decided to
research the topic and write Rolf C.  Hagen Corp.
 
Here's what I've discovered about cedar:
 
The active irritant in cedar is plicatic acid and red cedar (Thuja plicata)
contains the highest concentrations although eastern white cedar and
Japanese cedar also contain it.  Exposure to plicatic acid can cause or
exacerbate asthma,rhinitis or conjunctivitis in humans and animals and the
damage can be progressive; asthmatics who are continuously exposed to cedar
(occupationally) experience deterioration in their asthma over time.
Plicatic acid has been shown to cause an array of pathological changes
consistent with inflammatory and allergicreactions.  These include increased
concentrations of eosinophils, immunoglobulinE (IgE), T-cells, histamine and
substance P (a neuropeptide involved in pain transmission).  In humans, it
can lead to a decrease in forced expiratory volume (FEV--a measure of lung
capacity and ability to breathe freely) and destruction of alveolar,
tracheal and bronchial epithelial cells.
 
I would be happy to provide the references I've found, and if asked nicely I
may also do a full toxicology database search, too...but I'm a poor grad
student and I have to pay for the tox searches.  Perhaps such information
may help sway pet store owners.
 
For anyone else who wishes to write the manufacturer of this starter kit,
the address on their box is: Rolf C. Hagen Corp., Mansfield, MA 02048.  (No
street address but that should get it to them with the zipcode.)
 
--Jeff Johnston  ([log in to unmask])
  Check out Ren & Stimpy (my two happy happy joy toys) on the Web:
  http://doomsday.phy.duke.edu/ferrets   (our local shelter ferts are there,
                                          too for folks in North Carolina)
[Posted in FML issue 1403]