I had a breeder recently tell me of the hard time she was having with her
ferrets and so after listening to her and her mentioning she changed her
food, I asked her what she changed the food to and she said Mazuri.  Well
I know we tried Mazuri for 3 months (back about 10 years ago, I believe),
one litter of kits born had black stained crooked teeth.  This mom had a
health litters the past two times.  We were not sure what caused it but
after looking at the ingredients and finding that the label was inside
the bag which included the preservatives including ethoxyquin.  We
stopped using the food and no other problems ever arose after that.
Maybe a coincidence, maybe luck, but either way, we stopped using the
food.  About three years later, studies came out on that perservative
and it's effects on animals.
 
Now this gal, started using the Mazuri as a main food about 6 months
ago and has nothing but problems.  So I thought I would look and see if
the ingredients changed.  And low and behold, they did not change the
ingredients.  So I found a site with information from Vets and their
studies show ethoxyquin can cause liver cancer and other health problems.
Please check out this site.  I have also included a ingredients listing
directly from Mazuri's site.  I know a lot of people are using this food
but I thought you might like to know a little more about the food.
 
 
Please check out this site: http://shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/jesse.htm
 
Mazuri has a chemical called ethoxyquin which can be harmful to ferrets.
This chemical can cause birth defects as welll as according to the
studies liver cancers and other health problems.
 
"Harmful chemicals and preservatives are added to both wet and dry food."
"Other preservatives include ethoxyquin (an insecticide that has been
linked to liver cancer) and BHA and BHT, chemicals also suspected of
causing cancer."
 
Mazuri(r) Ferret Diet
 
Description
Mazuri(r) Ferret Diet is an extruded, high energy, nutrient dense,
palatable, dry diet, which provides the nutrients needed for complete
life cycle feeding of ferrets.
 
Features and Benefits
 
Highly palatable, extruded diet - Easy to digest.
Contains urine acidifiers.
Nutritionally complete life cycle diet.
High nutrient content.
Contains natural vitamin E.
High density - Low stool volume.
 
Product Form
 
Rod shape extruded particle: 3/8" to 7/16" length - 5/32" diameter.
5M08: 25 lb. net weight paper sack.
5EE3:  5 lb. resealable poly bag.
 
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein not less than 38.0%
Crude fat not less than     20.5%
Crude fiber not more than    4.0%
Moisture not more than      12.0%
Ash not more than            7.5%
Ingredients
Poultry by-product meal, poultry meal, ground corn, porcine animal fat
preserved with BHA, dehulled soybean meal, corn gluten meal, poultry
digest, poultry fat preserved with ethoxyquin, dried beet pulp, soybean
oil, phosphoric acid, salt, brewers dried yeast, fish oil, fish meal,
taurine, choline chloride, calcium propionate (a preservative),
pyridoxine hydrochloride, DL-methionine, menadione dimethylpyrimidinol
bisulfite (vitamin K), d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (natural source
vitamin E), thiamin mononitrate, vitamin A acetate, cholecalciferol
(vitamin D3), biotin, folic acid, ETHOXYQUIN (a preservative), zinc
oxide, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12 ), calcium pantothenate, riboflavin,
calcium carbonate, nicotinic acid, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate,
manganous oxide, calcium iodate, ferrous carbonate, zinc sulfate,
cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite.
[Posted in FML issue 5142]