Do Pet Mice Need Salt Licks or Mineral Chews?

Salt licks and mineral chews are two things that are absolutely not necessary in a well-balanced pet mouse diet. The thing is that mice get plenty of those from the average healthy mouse diet anyway. Not to mention commercial foods that are specifically made for fancy mice.

In a high-quality package, all the minerals, protein, vitamins are there and it is also salty enough. However, we are not trying to say that you can’t buy mineral chews or salt licks if you want to. They are not going to be bad for your pet if you offer those in moderation.

They are just like every other treat you can feed to your mouse. You should feed either of these to them up to two times a week. In terms of food, they fall into the same category. In bigger amounts, it is not healthy and will only cause digestive problems.

Can Salt Kill a Mouse?

Feeding a lot of salt to your mouse is not only unhealthy but it can potentially kill your pet. It is better not to give more salt to your pet even though he likes it or seems like he wants more. Of course, these little rodents like something that has an intense taste, it is only natural that they do so.

But since you are their caretaker, you can limit the unhealthy foods they take into their system. Not to mention that consuming a lot of salt can affect the brain of your little rodent as well. The blood flow in their brain will be reduced as a result of the changes that salt makes in their belly.

If you care about the cognition of your mouse, then it is best to keep salt intake at a minimum. Of course, there is nothing wrong with occasional treats but it can do harm if you feed them every day.

Can Pet Mice Eat Himalayan Salt?

Himalayan salt is probably the best option when it comes to giving salt licks to your pet. There are often iodine and other additives in other types of salt. One example is table salt, which should be avoided except if you know for sure that there is no iodine in it.

You can buy Himalayan salt and provide some extra sodium for your little rodents. However, there are still healthier treats that this type of salt. But this is not to say that mice are not going to like Himalayan salt. They are going to be just as addicted to it as to any other type of salt one can buy.

Can Mice Eat Salted Sunflower Seeds?

Salted sunflower seeds fall into the category of moderately unhealthy snacks that fancy mice can eat as treat. Something that contains an excess amount of salt should not be one of the main foods in a healthy pet mouse diet.

It should rather be balanced with lots of fruits, vegetables, worms, insects, seeds and grains. Some cooked meats are acceptable as well. Anything else counts as junk food for mice and should be offered occasionally.

Can Mice Eat Salted Peanuts?

Yet another junk food that is simply too salty to be considered as a main course portion when it comes to mouse diet. If you want to feed them to your mouse, you are going to have to choose between salted peanuts and salted sunflower seeds.

Or choose two days on the week and give them the former than the latter on another day. This is another thing that you should keep in mind, that you can’t fill their diet with too much junk food. It is very unhealthy, as mice can only eat so much salt.

They need free space for other, healthier foods in their belly.

Is Salt Bad for Pet Mice?

In small amounts, salt is not particularly bad for your mouse. The risk for health problems will only rise dramatically when you feed them a lot of salty foods. Therefore, you should not do so in a daily basis for sure. Also, treats can be sweet and fatty as well and variety is always important when it comes to diet.

When it comes to which foods are harmful to mice, it turns out that any food can be harmful. For example, mice can eat a lot of fruits and have diarrhea afterward. Fruits also should not be fed to them every day because they contain a lot of sugar.

Everything should be fed in moderation, which is why it is important to plan the whole diet beforehand. This allows you to buy the foods you need at the pet store and relax for the upcoming weeks. It takes a significant amount of time for such little rodents to consume that much food.

In fact, one of the foods that mice are the most attracted to is salt. This is widely used by people who want to get rid of wild mice in their houses. Obviously, their preference to salt leads them to consume more and more of it, which can potentially kill a mouse.

Wrapping Up

We can conclude that pet mice don’t particularly need salt licks or mineral chews to be included in their diet. They are going to be just fine without these two treats. If you want to introduce some variety into their diet, however, then you can definitely try it.

Although a completely healthy mouse diet might seem boring, keep in mind that the well-being of your pet always comes first. If feeding them the same few foods every day is what it takes, then it is worth to go for it. Treats can be offered two times per week and it is enough to get your pet excited.

You can use these opportunities to offer them some live food and just let their hunting instinct come out. Or offer them something tasty that they can enjoy, for which salt licks and mineral chews are great options.