So you are getting a new mouse as a pet! Congratulations! You’re going to has to experience many happy years with your tiny furry friend.
After you decided that you wanted a mouse, one of the questions that popped into your head probably was, “what do pet mice eat? Are they like dogs, and they are allergic to chocolate? Can I give him some of my fast food?” Instead of getting on the Internet and looking around for hours to find the answers to these questions, we did it for you! Here is a simple guide on pet mice and what you can feed them.
First, it’s essential for you to know that mice need to have a wide variety of foods in their diet. Unlike rabbits, mice cannot consistently live and be healthy on a minimally nutritious diet. They need far more than pellets and a small amount of vegetables. Another important piece of information you should know is that mice are omnivores. Unlike other rodents, they are able to digest small amounts of meats along with dairy.
Their Basic Diet
No matter what type or species of mouse you have, the foundation of its diet should be pellets. Mice need to have pellets present at every meal. Mice can enjoy a wide variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, dairy, meat, eggs, and other types of food.
1. Fruits
There are quite a few fruits that your mouse will enjoy. However, because of the sugar content, only give fruits to a mouse once in a while. Fruits are not everyday snacks. Even though fruit is healthy, too many fruits in their diet will cause a mouse to develop diarrhea, along with insulin problems. These foods should be a once in a while treat, and they should not be served in large portions. Here are some of the most basic fruits mice love.
Pears, melons, plums, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, apples, bananas,
2. Vegetables
Mice are huge fans of fiber, and they love to eat it whenever they can. So, you should provide your mouse with a serving of vegetables every single day.
Carrots, peas, broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, chicory, sweet peppers, peas, brussels sprouts, bok choy, spinach, parsley, celery, tomatoes
3. Meat/Dairy
Much like the fruit above, you cannot feed a lot of meat to a mouse. They should only be given small scraps, and it’s not a good idea to feed them meat every day. Mice should only be fed lean meats because if they eat too many fatty foods, they could get indigestion and diarrhea.
Scrambled or boiled eggs, cheese, milk, chicken, turkey, beef,
4. Pellets
Unlike fruits, sugary vegetables, and meat, pellets are to be fed to mice every single day. Pellets are nutritionally fortifying to have fiber, fats, vitamins, and minerals help keep your mouse healthy. When you select a pellet for your mouse to eat, make sure that it has healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, and plenty of fiber. Select a pellet brand that does not have too many additives because a mouse’s digestive system is quite sensitive.
5. Small insects
Now we’re not suggesting that you go into your backyard and pick up some crawling creatures for your mouth to nibble on. If you ever let your mouse go outside to frolic and play, do not be surprised if they start digging in the ground or catch grasshoppers or crickets. Mice are forest creatures who scavenge on anything they can find. Here are some of the insects that they are known to eat.
Grasshoppers, worms, centipedes, and crickets, beetles, and roaches
6. Other foods
Remember that mice have been around since the dawn of time, and they’ve invaded every civilization on Earth. They are Master scavengers who adapted to every environment they could think of on the planet. So they’re able to eat a wide variety of food even if those foods are not particularly good for them.
Cooked beans, chickpeas, lentils, seeds mixes, garbage, old bread, sawdust, hay, old cheese, hair, leather, and so much more
Never feed your mouse these foods
In this section, we will explain the different types of foods that mice cannot eat and why they cannot eat them. It’s not enough to know what they can eat; you also have to know what they cannot. A gap in this knowledge can cause you to accidentally hurt your mouse and cause them indigestion, pain, food poisoning, or death.
1. Citrus fruits like lemon, limes, oranges, etc
Because of their accident nature, mice should not be fed citrus fruits. If they’re accidentally fed citrus fruits, they will develop indigestion, diarrhea, dehydration, and a loss of appetite. And do not give them orange juice or any other type of citrus juice.
2. Processed sugary snacks made for humans
Although you may want to share your sugary sweets with your mouse friend, not a good idea to do so. The sugar we eat is Farm more concentrated then what a mouse’s digestive system can handle. If you feed your mouse sugary snacks too often, they can develop diabetes and insulin problems.
3. Certain Vegetables and fruits
Like most rodents, there are certain foods that natural, but nice should not eat them. Eating these types of foods will cause extreme diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, and lethargy. When it comes to fruits, never feed your mouse the pits of the fruit. The seeds in many fruits contain chemicals that can kill mice or cause them to be in extreme distress
Onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, frozen vegetables, cooked vegetables, garlic, wheat, lettuce,
Conclusion
- A mouse needs a wide variety of foods in order to consume a well-rounded diet.
- At every meal, they should have a serving of pellets
- Mice are omnivores as they can eat meat and dairy
- Serve fruits to mice once in a while, and not in large servings
- Never feed your mouse citrus fruits or processed sugary snacks
- You should not serve thawed frozen veggies to mice or vegetables that have been cooked
- They are not hunters, but they will eat insects from time to time
- Don’t surprise if your mouse tries to get into the trash
