Can Pet Mice Eat Grapes? 3 Things to Consider
Grapes and raisins are actually two of the foods you should avoid feeding to your pet mouse. These are not only poisonous to mice but to other pets that people usually keep in the house as well. The main problem with grapes and raisins is that they cause kidney failure.
This is a serious health problem and even a small amount of the fruit can lead to serious consequences. It contains a toxic substance that researchers don’t know much about. Besides raisins and grapes, there are also other foods that should be avoided at all costs when it comes to pet mouse diet.
Some of them cause diarrhea and other mild health conditions, while others can be really toxic. Below, we are going to take a look at other toxic foods that you shouldn’t feed to your pet. We are also going to include some healthy options in case you want to surprise your mouse with some treats.
Other Foods that are Toxic to Pet Mice
Other foods that are really bad for the health of your pet mouse include raw meat, chocolate and candy. In fact, chocolate and other sweets are toxic to other household pets as well. People can fall into the mistake of thinking that pets enjoy the same foods as them.
After all, who could resist some delicious top-shelf chocolate? It seems like the perfect treat for everyone. It’s high-quality and costs a lot so it is hard to imagine that pets don’t like it. Unfortunately, pets will eat almost anything you give them so they might eat that chocolate as well.
This is why you need to be aware of the fact that these are toxic foods for them and feed them something healthy instead. Now we are going to continue by recommending some delicious and healthy treats for your pet mouse.
Good Treats for Pet Mice
Pet mice absolutely love it when you chop some vegetables into tiny pieces and feed some to them. Various fruits and even commercial foods fall into the category of healthy treats. You can feed them treats up to twice every week, a quarter of a teaspoon each time.
Fruits and vegetables need to be peeled and prepared with the size of the mouse in mind. The tinier the pieces, the easier it will be for your mouse to eat the treat. Popular fruits to feed them include bananas, apples, berries, avocados, melons and pears.
When it comes to vegetables, you can chop up some parsley, celery, broccoli, carrots or peas. Besides fruits and vegetables, mice also enjoy eating various seeds, nuts and grains. For example, you can buy them sunflower seeds and bird seeds and feed them as a treat.
These contain plenty of fat but at least they are somewhat healthy and your pet mouse will eat them up to two times a week anyway. At the pet store, you can also find packages of commercial mouse food that are labeled as threats.
Before buying any of those commercial foods, it is best to check the ingredients in the description. Those that contain a lot of sugar or artificial flavoring should be avoided because they are rather unhealthy. You should also avoid those that contain a huge amount of corn or nuts.
Will Wild Mice Eat Grapes?
Wild mice are not much different from pet mice and grapes are just as toxic to them as to any other small rodent. They would surely not eat it out in the wild but if you would catch a hungry wild mouse, he would probably eat it if you would give it to him.
The main foods that wild mice look for include various grains, seeds, vertebrates, carrion and invertebrates. Of course, there are other plant-based foods that are good for them but these are the ones they can commonly find.
Since they are omnivores, the list of foods they can eat is quite extensive. Nevertheless, they are picky and their sophisticated smelling helps them decide what to eat. Grapes usually do not fall into the list of foods they choose to eat.
Wrapping Up
We can conclude that grapes and raisins are actually two of the worst foods you can give to your mouse. They are absolutely toxic and would only cause kidney failure. Considering the wide range of options that you have when it comes to feeding your mouse, you really won’t need to feed them grapes, ever.
There are cheap fruits, vegetables and seeds that are healthy and your pet mouse will be more than eager to eat them. However, it is still important to learn about these toxic foods in case you find some at home. It can be tempting to give your pet whatever you are not in the mood to eat.
