table of contents
- vegetarians and omnivores
- food
- A to E
- F to I
- K to N
- R to Z
- Other foods
- frequently asked Questions
Mice are not liked and interested by everyone. Whether mice want to be caught by bait or fed out of love for animals, it's always worth knowing what food they eat.
In a nutshell
- House mouse conditionally vegetarian
- wild mouse eats almost everything
- own "favorite foods"
- can survive for days without plant/animal food sources
vegetarians and omnivores
House mice are often referred to as vegetarians, but this is only true if they can find enough plant-based foods. Otherwise, she eats whatever is available. In an “emergency” this also includes insects. This distinguishes them from wild ones mice only slightly, which as omnivores also have meat on the menu.
food
The foods are listed below in alphabetical order mice take for their nutrition. Since they have a very sensitive sense of smell, they can pick up the smell of food even from a long distance. The mice follow them, which then also lures them into residential buildings.
A to E
- carrion (rare)
- Apples (for seedless feeding)
- Avocado (too much is toxic)
- bananas
- Tree bark (only in "emergency")
- Berry
- pears
- leaves
- Bread and bread crumbs
- acorns
- strawberries
- Peanut Butter (one of our favorite foods and great for baiting)
F to I
- fennel (herb and tubers)
- meat (cooked)
- Cereals (staple food)
- grass (staple food)
- cucumbers/cucumbers
- oats
- Insects such as crickets, snails, larvae and worms
K to N
- Cheese (it attracts with a strong smell, but is rarely eaten)
- carrots
- Potatoes (too much raw harmful)
- cherries
- kiwis
- clover (especially field mice)
- foxtail millet
- Kohlrabi
- herbs (especially basil, dill and chamomile nutritious)
- pumpkins
- Liverwurst
- Corn
- plums
- Nuts (staple food)
Tip: that kuhe represents the most ideal bait for catching mice is a myth. They do not prefer cheese. Rather use peanut butter, bacon or chocolate spread, because no mouse can resist these delicacies and sometimes takes a risk.
R to Z
- Rape (especially field mice)
- rice flakes
- raisins
- salami
- Salad (especially endive)
- seeds (staple food)
- Ham
- Bacon, roasted (one of our favorite foods and great for bait)
- Candy of any kind (especially chocolate, which makes it ideal as bait)
- Pet food, both dry and wet food
- watermelons
- grapes
- root
Notice: Mice collect food and store it in their nests for the upcoming winter season. They don't hibernate, but if they don't have enough to eat, they hibernate to reduce energy expenditure.
Other foods
In addition to food and animal feed, a mouse can also feed on cellulosic materials such as cardboard and wood. She does this when nothing else is available but the body is craving food. This allows her to stay alive for a few days and escape starvation without additional food or plant parts.
Notice: Chewed plastic objects are also often discovered – especially bags. This is usually not due to hunger. They either try to gain access to the contents by gnawing or they collect the fibers to build a nest. They nibble on cables, metals and concrete only to shorten their teeth.
frequently asked Questions
Mice are mammals. The baby mice are fed breast milk until their teeth are formed. This is the case from around three weeks of age. Then they are usually able to bite, slowly leave the nest and start looking for food on their own. Orphaned babies are fed with special rearing milk for kittens in sanctuaries. You can buy them in any well-stocked garden and pet store. You too can use it to raise babies if necessary.
Cities provide an ideal habitat for mice and rats. They are particularly attracted to the rotten smell of food. This is mainly due to rubbish bins and containers. In densely populated areas, where, for example, residents of multi-family houses with numerous residential units have to dispose of their waste, mice can hardly be avoided. Here they will find more than enough food.
Rats chop up hard foods while mice tend to grind them up. There are no significant differences in the choice of food, except that rats can eat correspondingly larger foods due to their larger size. This even includes little mice.
Above all, sugary food such as chocolate and sweetened cornflakes quickly leads to obesity in a mouse, from which it dies quickly. But also fresh legumes such as peas, beans and lentils, aubergines due to the toxin solanine, any type of cabbage and spicy foods such as chips are safe for mice Keeping pets taboo. High-fat food such as potatoes fried in oil or deep-fried French fries can also significantly shorten the life of a mouse.