What Do Mice Eat

When you were a kid, your parents, guardians or teachers probably warned you not to leave crumbs around, because a mouse would come along and eat them-seemingly answering the proverbial question, "What do mice eat?" Alas, it runs deeper than that. While it is true that mice will go after that good old piece of cheese, they can be surprisingly picky-and just as open-minded.

In The Wild
Mice are generally herbivorous creatures when not domesticated, meaning that they feed on leaves and fruits and vegetables. This isn't because they're necessarily making a life choice of any kind, or choosing to make a statement-it's just that they're very small, and, therefore, have a hard time preying on other animals. They'll eat meat if there's meat to eat-but at the end of the day, they're in line behind animals much bigger than them, as well as hawks and other circling birds.

In Your Home (Wanted)
In captivity, mice eat very similarly. The main ingredients for a healthy mouse diet are grains and seeds, with dry food maintaining a balanced nutrition for them.  Hamster mixes also suffice, as long as you remove some of the nuts or sunflower seeds. Mice and hamsters share a soft spot for fruits and vegetables, with veggies such as cucumber, salad, and tomato and produce such as pears and apples as their basic foods.

The Cheese Myth
It's often assumed that mice are all about the cheese. Well, yes and no. Yes, in that they will eat just about anything, and aren't as selective about their choice of food as, say, rats (believe it or not). No, in that it's really the people trying to catch the mice that are all about the cheese. Cheese became the mouse bait of choice because its consistency makes it stick to traps.

Do They Eat Their Young?
If you keep them in an overcrowded cage, near a lot of noise, or in another condition of hustle and bustle, a mouse can eat its spawn. If the litter is too large or one baby mouse is weak or has a birth defect, it might happen. Stay on top of your pet's breeding and make the proper accommodations for its young to avoid this unfortunate occurrence.