Can Pet Mice Eat Oranges? 5 Things to Consider

Mice can eat a wide range of fruits and orange is definitely on their list. There are certain vegetables you can feed them too.

There are also the ones that can be harmful to them and should be avoided. This is why it is important to do research on what you can feed them and which are the ones that you cannot.

Now orange in big amounts can upset the digestive system of your mouse but in small dosages, it can be actually healthy.

Feeding them the peel is something you should avoid but the other parts of it are fine, including the seeds. The parts that are edible for mice are going to energize them, making them more active.

Because of their sugar content, all fruits should be fed in moderation. Of course, it is much easier to remove the peel of a banana than of orange but if that’s the only fruit you have at home, then go ahead.

Can Pet Mice Eat Orange Peels?

You need to get rid of the peel before you give that orange to your pet. The peel of an orange is a lot different from its soft core. It can contain wax, chemicals and certain bacteria. Most of these are used to keep the oranges fresh while they transport them from the orange tree plantation to the market.

They might be harmless to people but a pet as small as a mouse is surely going to feel its negative effects. If a mouse would get orange with the peel on, he would only eat a small part of it just to get to the juicy part anyway. But offering them only the peel can turn out to be a big mistake.

This is especially true if your pet has never tried it before. No matter what you feed your mouse, he has to get used to it first. Introduce new foods to him with baby steps every time.

Can Pet Mice Eat Orange Seeds?

While orange seeds are not part of their natural diet, you can feed them to your mice every now and then. Us, humans eat orange seeds because it comes with various health benefits. It is basically an antioxidant and contains lots of fiber.

As your mouse chews on it, all that fiber comes out, which is good for its health. It also contains a rather big dose of Vitamin C that gives the immune system an extra layer of defense. Your pet will be more energetic during the nighttime when he is most active.

It is especially recommended to feed your mouse orange seeds if it suffers from digestive problems. When the digestive system weakens, a single seed can solve the whole problem.

How Often Can Pet Mice Eat Oranges?

No matter which fruit you are about to feed to your mouse, you should only offer it as a treat. Let the little guy eat his main meal, then wait a little bit and give him a piece of fruit. Do this a couple of times a week and your mouse will be happier than ever.

They are always happy to eat something that contains sugar even though it is not healthy for them to consume much of it. Sugar is like a drug for them. Scientists even tested that feeding mice Oreos has the same effect on them as feeding them highly addictive drugs.

This might seem like an interesting experiment to you but it’s not something you should try at home. Oreos are extremely unhealthy and there are much healthier biscuits and cookies that you can buy for your mouse. However, it is a great demonstration that mice can’t stop eating sugar if they have access to it.

Can Mice Drink Orange Juice?

As long as it is fresh, your mouse is definitely not going to hesitate to drink some orange juice. They enjoy its specific taste mainly because of the sugar content. Sugar is also what makes it harmful for them in bigger doses and can cause diabetes.

Orange juice is probably something you should only offer them after they have finished their main meal. It should be considered as a fine dessert that provides them with some extra energy.

Can Mice Have Diarrhea from Eating Orange?

Don’t feed your pet huge portions of orange, especially if it’s his first time eating it. Your mouse has to get used to it first, otherwise it can easily cause diarrhea. Give your mouse a tiny piece of it at first and then wait for at least 4 hours to find out whether it causes diarrhea or not.

If yes, try feeding him an even smaller amount next time. Keep in mind that you don’t have to feed oranges to your pet, it is just one of the many options. There are plenty of other treats you can offer him after his main meal. Either way, it is worth a try because mice enjoy living on a diverse diet.

It is all about offering them something new to be excited about.

Wrapping Up

Pet mice are more than willing to eat oranges because it contains sugar and tastes great. It is yet another one of those fruits that you should feed them as a treat. These treats should be offered to them once or twice a week, not more. You definitely don’t want to end up with an unhealthy and fat mouse.

Keep that little guy on a healthy diet and occasionally offer him something special to chew on. There are many other fruits, biscuits, sugar-free cookies and vegetables to offer. Orange juice and the whole juicy part of the orange can be fed to a mouse, including the seeds.

The peel, however, is something you should definitely avoid. Hopefully, we have answered all your questions here about pet mice eating oranges. We have tried our best to include all the do’s and don’ts when it comes to this particular topic.