Mice are adaptable omnivores, consuming a wide variety of foods. Their ability to thrive in diverse environments, from wild fields to human homes, stems from their flexible dietary habits. Understanding what mice eat offers insights into their behavior and helps manage their presence, especially in residential settings. These small mammals frequently forage, eating multiple times throughout the day to meet their energy demands.
Diet of Wild and House Mice
Wild mice have a diverse diet, primarily eating plant-based materials like seeds, grains, and vegetation. Seeds and grains are particularly favored due to their rich carbohydrate and fat content, providing essential energy. They also consume fruits, berries, leaves, and stems for necessary vitamins and minerals. Occasionally, wild mice supplement their diet with insects, small invertebrates, and carrion, a valuable protein source, especially during breeding seasons.
House mice, while sharing natural preferences, adapt their diet to their immediate environment, often thriving on human food sources. In dwellings, they become opportunistic scavengers, consuming food scraps and pet food. Their diet can expand to include items like corn, oats, cereal, rice, and even meat when other options are scarce. This adaptability allows them to sustain themselves on a wide range of available food items. They typically eat approximately 15 to 20 times per day, consuming small, frequent meals to support their high metabolism.
Common Household Attractants
In homes, mice are drawn to foods high in carbohydrates, fats, and sugars. Pantry items like unsealed cereal boxes, rice, pasta, and other grains are significant attractants, offering a readily available energy source. Mice easily gnaw through paper and plastic packaging to access these foods. Baked goods like bread, cakes, and biscuits are also highly appealing due to their rich carbohydrate content.
Sweet and fatty foods, including chocolate, butter, lard, and dried fruit, are strong lures for mice, providing concentrated calories. Mice often prefer peanut butter over cheese, though they consume almost any available food source. Pet food, whether dry kibble or birdseed, is another common attractant, providing an easy and consistent food supply. Discarded food waste in trash cans also serves as a constant source of sustenance.
Foods That Are Harmful to Mice
Certain human foods can be detrimental or toxic to mice. Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound toxic to mice, especially in darker varieties. Small amounts may not be immediately fatal, but can lead to digestive problems, obesity, and metabolic issues due to its high sugar and fat content. Grapes and raisins are also harmful, potentially causing kidney damage and diarrhea, though the exact mechanism is not fully understood.
Avocado contains persin, a toxin dangerous to small mammals like mice. The skin and pit contain higher concentrations of this substance. Citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons, are highly acidic and can cause upset stomachs and diarrhea. Dairy products, while occasionally consumed, are not naturally part of a mouse’s diet and can lead to allergies or digestive upset due to their high fat content.