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Have you ever wondered what do mice eat? Well, certainly mice have the same needs as we humans do and that is food, shelter, and comfort. When these things are available mice will take every chance to be comfortable and mind their own business.
Although it may not be that common, there are people who have mice as pets. Now when you have a pet it is your natural duty to feed them and so if you have a mouse as a pet then you will surely have the question of what do mice eat.
In this article, I will help you with this very basic question of what do mice eat. As we grew up we always saw in cartoons that mice love cheese. You have to admit, we all have seen Jerry’s love for cheese in Tom & Jerry, and even in other animations where there is a mouse.
This is the very reason why a lot of people have the mindset that when it comes to mice they definitely eat cheese. Well, cheese isn’t really on the list of their favorite food and there are many other things that they eat, and only feeding cheese to your mouse is not evidently a healthy diet. So, let’s find out what do mice eat.
What Do Mice Eat?
Mice are rodents and omnivores, so they require a variety of nutritional supplements in their diet. So, as a pet owner, it becomes your responsibility to make sure that your pet has a healthy and nutritional diet.
When you look for things that mice eat, there are many advertisements that say the food for other rodent pets like hamsters, rats, and gerbils. However, even though all rodents have similarities in food requirements, these foods may not be exactly ideal for mice.
The following are the options from which you can choose to feed your mice:
Fruits
Yes, fruits! Mice do eat fruits and sometimes also love them. Although mice like to eat things on a drier side, fruits are something they enjoy eating. They enjoy eating fruits and can eat a variety of them. The following are some of the fruits that you can feed your mice:
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Apples
- Peaches
- Limes
- Pears
- Melons
- Plums
- Oranges
- Berries
Vegetables
Mice are foragers that spend their time digging and looking for food. They generally like to bite stuff and prefer food that is chewy. This is why they like to eat vegetables as they can have a nice bite and chew them. You can feed your mice vegetables like,
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Tomatoes
- Corn
- Brussel Sprouts
- Beans
- Parsley
- Asian greens
- Peas
- Cabbage
- Endive
- Kale
- Herbs
- Celery
Special Food
You can also feed your mice with mouse or rat pellets which are originally designed for laboratory mice or rats. These pellets are nothing but blocks or pellets of essential minerals, proteins, vitamins, and more necessary supplements and nutrients that your mouse may need.
These pellets are hard brown colored blocks that are generally rectangular in shape and sometimes maybe circular. They are good for the teeth trim of your mouse and they render all the nutrition that mice require to stay healthy.
Other Things That Mice Eat
As I even mentioned earlier, mice like their food dry. There are a few other things that you can feed your mice and they are as follows,
- Cooked/Raw Pasta
- Boiled Eggs
- Pulses
- Mealworms
- Apple Wood
- Cheese
- Dog Biscuits
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Rat muesli
Dietary Requirements Of Mice
Now that you know what do mice eat, let’s get to the dietary requirements of a mouse. The dietary requirements of a laboratory mouse and a pet mouse are very different. A laboratory mouse needs to have a diet of specific nutritional value whereas a pet mouse does not need it as such.
According to certain researches, a regular mouse is recommended the following:
- Potassium- 2 grams
- Calcium- 5 grams
- Phosphorous- 3 grams
- Protein- 180 grams
- Manganese- 10 milligrams
- Sodium- 0.5 grams
- Iron- 35 milligrams
- Fat- 5%
Along with the necessary food supplements, fresh and clean water should also be provided to mice at regular intervals. Just like us humans, even mice need to stay hydrated all the time. Some fruits and vegetables render hydration but that is not enough and so water is a necessity.
What Should Mice Not Eat?
As we have covered the topic of what do mice eat, while we are at it let me also tell you the things that mice should not eat. Well, even though mice may eat something they like there are certain foods that are not healthy or safe for mice to consume.
The following are a few things that you should avoid feeding your mice:
- Candy
- Cookie
- Chocolate
- Peanut Butter
- Bacon
- Salt Blocks
Basically, food with high fat and sugar content is something your mice shouldn’t be eating. Just take care of these few things and you will be good to go.
The Bottom Line | What Do Mice Eat?
To conclude it all and answer the question of what do mice eat, you should give them everything they need, as in all the nutrients that their body requires to keep them healthy. Mice require all the things like potassium, fat, iron, calcium, etc in their diet.
You should just keep in mind to not feed them things like bacon, cookies, etc. All these things answer the question of what do mice eat as well as what they shouldn’t eat. If you make sure to follow everything mentioned in this article, then you would not have to worry about their health much.
