Mazuri Animal Feed Guide: Species, Formulations, and Where to Buy
Mazuri is the feed brand zoos, research institutions, and professional breeders specify by name. Built from the ground up for exotic and wild species and not adapted from a domestic pet formula, it's why Mazuri shows up on approved vendor lists at AZA-accredited zoos and university animal care programs across the country.
This guide covers every major Mazuri formulation by species, how to choose the right one, and what to look for in a supplier.
What Is Mazuri Animal Feed?
Mazuri is a specialized exotic animal nutrition brand owned by Purina. Each diet is developed around published nutritional research for a specific species, often in collaboration with zoos, wildlife biologists, and university animal science departments.
That's different from how most exotic animal feeds are made. Most start with a general formula and adjust it. Mazuri starts with the animal.
The result is a product line that institutional buyers trust for one specific reason: it works for the species it's designed for, and the nutritional profile is consistent from bag to bag. For research facilities and accredited zoos, that consistency is not optional.
What Animals Does Mazuri Make Food For?
Mazuri makes species-specific diets for more than 50 animal categories, including:
- Tortoises and reptiles
- Rats, mice, and small mammals
- Primates
- Birds (parrots, waterfowl, ratites, softbills)
- Koi and aquatic animals
- Marine mammals and sea turtles
- Hoofstock and wild herbivores
- Ferrets, chinchillas, and hedgehogs
The sections below break down the key formulations in each category.
Mazuri Tortoise and Reptile Diets
Which Mazuri tortoise diet is right for your species?
The tortoise lineup has more variation than most people expect, and getting it wrong matters.
- Mazuri Tortoise Diet - standard maintenance formula for most tortoise species
- Mazuri Low Starch Tortoise Diet - lower starch for desert-adapted species, including sulcatas, leopard tortoises, Galapagos, and Egyptian tortoises that are prone to metabolic issues on high-carb diets
- Mazuri Juvenile Tortoise Food - smaller pellet size with adjusted nutrition for hatchlings and young tortoises
- Mazuri Aquatic Turtle Food - floating pellet formula for freshwater turtles
- Mazuri Herbivorous Reptile Diet - for plant-eating lizards, including iguanas and uromastyx
- Mazuri Bearded Dragon Diet - grain-free with added calcium
Desert species like sulcatas and leopard tortoises don't do well on the standard formula long-term. If you're feeding those species, the low starch version is the right choice.
Mazuri Rodent and Small Mammal Diets
What is the best Mazuri diet for breeding rats and mice?
Mazuri Rodent Breeder 6F (5M30) is the go-to formula for breeding colonies. It has higher fat content to support reproductive performance and is the most sourced Mazuri SKU among professional breeders and research facilities.
Other rodent and small mammal formulations include:
- Mazuri Rat Diet - maintenance formula for non-breeding adults
- Mazuri Mouse Breeder Diet - optimized for mouse breeding programs in research settings
- Mazuri Chinchilla Diet - high-fiber formula matched to chinchilla digestive requirements
- Mazuri Hedgehog Food - complete diet for captive hedgehogs
- Mazuri Ferret Diet - high-protein formula for ferrets
Using a maintenance formula for an active breeding colony affects performance over time. Match the formula to the life stage, not just the species.
Mazuri Primate Diets
Which Mazuri formula is right for zoo primates?
Primate nutrition is one of the most species-specific categories in the Mazuri lineup. Zoo collections with multiple primate species typically carry more than one formula.
- Mazuri Primate LS Biscuit Large - for great apes and Old World monkeys
- Mazuri Callitrichid Gel - for marmosets, tamarins, and small New World primates. Many callitrichids won't accept dry food. The gel format exists specifically for this reason.
- Mazuri New World Primate Diet - for capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and related species
- Mazuri Leaf-Eating Primate Diet - high-fiber formulation for colobines and other folivores
For zoo primate managers selecting formulations across a mixed collection, the species determines the format, not the other way around.
Mazuri Bird Diets
What Mazuri diets are available for exotic birds?
Mazuri covers a wide range of bird species, from companion parrots to commercial waterfowl operations.
- Mazuri Large Bird Diet - for large parrots and psittacines
- Mazuri Small Bird Diet and Mini Bird Diet - for smaller companion birds and finches
- Mazuri Softbill Diet - iron-sensitive formula for toucans, mynahs, and similar species
- Mazuri Small Bird Breeder Diet - higher protein and fat for birds in active breeding programs
- Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance Diet - for ducks, geese, and swans
- Mazuri Waterfowl Starter - for ducklings and goslings
- Mazuri Ratite Diet - for ostriches, emus, and rheas
Iron storage disease is a real risk in softbill species. If you're feeding toucans or mynahs, the iron-sensitive formula is the right call, not the standard bird diet.
Mazuri Koi and Aquatic Animal Diets
What Mazuri products are available for fish and aquatic animals?
- Mazuri Koi Floating Pond Nuggets - available in small (2mm), medium (4mm), and large (5mm) pellet sizes based on fish size
- Mazuri Koi Platinum Nuggets - premium conditioning formula for show koi
- Mazuri Aquatic Turtle Food Gel - gel-based format for freshwater aquatic turtles
- Mazuri Sea Turtle Diet - developed with sea turtle research and conservation programs
- Mazuri Shark and Ray Supplement - pellet supplement for elasmobranchs in aquarium settings
- Mazuri Marine Mammal Diet - used by aquariums for dolphins, sea lions, and related species
Pellet size matters for koi. Fish under 6 inches do best on the small pellet. Over 12 inches, move to the large pellet. Feeding an oversized pellet to smaller fish reduces intake and wastes feed.
Mazuri Hoofstock and Herbivore Diets
What Mazuri diets are available for zoo hoofstock and wild herbivores?
- Mazuri Wild Herbivore Diet - browser formula for deer, giraffe, antelope, and related species
- Mazuri Llama and Alpaca Diet - formulated for South American camelids with appropriate mineral balance
- Mazuri Mini Pig Mature Maintenance - for potbellied and miniature pigs
Zoo hoofstock collections with mixed species often need more than one formula. A browser like a giraffe has different nutritional requirements than a grazer like a zebra.
How to Choose the Right Mazuri Formula
Three questions to ask before ordering:
1. What species are you feeding?
Start with the animal, not the category. Mazuri builds formulations around specific species research. A sulcata and a red-footed tortoise are both tortoises but they don't need the same diet.
2. What life stage?
Breeder and juvenile formulations have higher protein and fat than maintenance diets. Matching the formula to the life stage matters as much as matching it to the species.
3. What feeding format does the animal accept?
Mazuri produces biscuits, pellets, floating pellets, and gel diets. Some species won't accept certain formats at all. Callitrichids are the most common example since many require the gel format.
Not sure which formula fits your animal? Call 1-800-262-5258. The team has been sourcing Mazuri for zoos, research facilities, and private keepers for over 35 years.
Where to Buy Mazuri Feed
What should you look for in an authorized Mazuri dealer?
Two things matter most: verified stock and proper storage conditions.
Animal feed stored at high temperatures or high humidity loses nutritional value before the expiration date. For institutional buyers running accreditation-compliant programs, the storage conditions of your supplier are part of the sourcing decision, not an afterthought.
Exotic Animal Supply is the largest Mazuri feed dealer in the world. Four climate-controlled warehouses in Fort Worth, Houston, Orlando, and Durham maintain inventory below 70°F at 50% humidity with continuous temperature monitoring and documented pest control programs.
Orders placed before 2 PM EST ship the same day. Local pickup is available next business day at all four locations. For zoos, research institutions, and professional breeders managing recurring orders across multiple SKUs, that infrastructure is what a consistent supply actually looks like.
Shop the full Mazuri range or contact us for bulk pricing and institutional orders.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mazuri Animal Feed
Is Mazuri owned by Purina?
Yes. Mazuri is a brand owned by Purina, which is a subsidiary of Nestlé. Purina developed the Mazuri line specifically for exotic, wild, and zoo animals rather than domestic pets.
Where can I buy Mazuri feed?
Mazuri is sold through authorized dealers. Exotic Animal Supply is the largest Mazuri feed dealer in the world, with four climate-controlled warehouses in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. Orders placed before 2 PM EST ship the same day.
Is Mazuri good for exotic pets?
Yes. Mazuri diets are used by zoos and research institutions, which means the nutritional standards are higher than most consumer pet foods. Private exotic pet owners benefit from the same formulations professional facilities use.
What is the difference between Mazuri Tortoise Diet and Mazuri Low Starch Tortoise Diet?
The low-starch version has reduced carbohydrates for desert-adapted species like sulcatas, leopard tortoises, and Galapagos tortoises. These species are prone to metabolic issues on high-starch diets. Most other tortoise species do well on the standard formula.
What is Mazuri Rodent Breeder 6F (5M30)?
It is a high-fat rat and mouse diet formulated for active breeding colonies. The higher fat content supports reproductive performance. It is the most sourced Mazuri SKU among professional breeders and research facilities.
Does Mazuri make food for primates?
Yes. Mazuri makes several primate-specific formulas, including biscuit diets for great apes and Old World monkeys, gel diets for callitrichids like marmosets and tamarins, and high-fiber diets for leaf-eating primates.