Why is My Pet Mouse Not Eating? 5 Common Reasons

Is your pet mouse not eating? Then there might be several reasons for that, and we will cover all of this in this article.

There might be several reasons for your mice not eating, but these problems might be simple ones to solve, or it might take a bit longer and some veterinary intervention.

But in most cases, you should proceed calmly and investigate all of the underlying factors and things that seem to be happening with your mouse.

It can be as simple as feeding them the wrong type of food, or it might be slightly more serious such as a disease, infection, or anxiety or stress.

Whatever the reason might be, there is still some room to solve these issues if you put some time into it. Hopefully, it is nothing serious, though.

In any case, we will tell you everything you need to know about why your pet mouse is not eating and what you can do to solve this issue without problems.

Why Is Your Mouse not Eating? 5 Common Problems

Here are the 5 most common problems why your mouse is not eating, and how you can easily solve them.

1. Sickness

One of the most common reasons why your mouse is not eating is due to sickness. If your mouse is sick, it might not eat. It could be something small and solvable that can be solved with antibiotics and some veterinary intervention.

In other cases, it can be something a bit more serious that can’t be solved that quickly. In those cases, you should look for other additional symptoms your mouse is showing.

If your mouse is only not eating and there are no additional symptoms, then it can be a relatively simple problem or disease that can be solved easily.

But in more serious cases, additional symptoms can reveal more serious health problems that are causing your mouse not to eat. Look for additional symptoms like:

• Lethargy or excessive running around
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Changed appearance – scruffy appearance
• Additional visual problems that you can see right away

If you see any of these problems, then you should act immediately and visit your vet who can hopefully solve the problem you’re having.

2. Constipation

Another reason for the mouse not eating is constipation. When it is constipated, it is not able to excrete what it has eaten before. It might have eaten something indigestible or a piece of food that’s too large to digest.

In that case, you’ll have to give the mouse a helping hand. If you notice only that your mouse is not eating, but also you might notice some signs of depression and lethargy, then it’s probably a case of constipation.

You might do well to visit a vet, and you might also try to find some solutions. You can buy some medicines in your local pet store, and ask around if they have something for constipation for mice. This is solvable and next time, be careful with the food you’re feeding to your mouse.

3. Anxiety and Stress

Even humans don’t eat when they are overly stressed and anxious, and the same can be said about mice. If they experience a great deal of stress, then they will reject the food, and you will also see unusual behavior.

They might become excessively restless, but they might also become lethargic and will start to hide around.

Some stress is completely normal, especially if your mouse is fresh and new to your environment. It will take some time for them to get used to the new surroundings.

However, if you have owned your mouse for a while, then there might be an underlying problem that needs solving.

Namely, there might be an external factor that’s causing the additional stress. It might be because they might be exposed to dangers. Other aggressive animals might cause stress, as well as inappropriate living conditions.

So take a look at their environment and see if there’s anything that’s potentially causing stress. Noise might also be stressful for mice.

4. Toxic Food

Sometimes, it’s the food that’s causing them not to eat, and this is perfectly normal. If you offer them the wrong type of food, they will instantly reject it, just like human beings would if you offered them something they don’t like.

For starters, mice are allergic to some types of food and these types of food are even toxic to them. This includes foods like chocolate, which contain some things that mice are allergic to, and they will refuse to eat it.

Some other types of food will also not be tolerated, and mice will reject it. This might also happen when the mouse doesn’t like the food you’re offering to them.

5. Pregnancy

Lastly, another potential reason for mice not eating: is pregnancy. You would expect the mice to become hungrier once they are pregnant, which is very common in the early and middle stages of pregnancy.

However, in the later parts of pregnancy, it is perfectly normal to see the mice to reject food and not eat.

The female mouse will stop eating completely just before she gives birth, and this might happen several days before they give birth, or it could be a few hours before that.

In any case, this is perfectly normal for pregnant mice and it’s something you should keep in mind when you have pregnant mice around you.

Conclusion

Mice not eating is a common problem, and there are several potential issues causing it. Sometimes, it’s because they are sick or they might have a digestive problem.

In those cases, it’s important to act fast and make sure they get the right treatment before it’s too late.

In other cases, it’s something fairly simple and easily solvable. If they are pregnant, they might not eat for a few days before they give birth.

It’s also normal to see them reject foods that contain toxins, such as chocolate. In any case, consider these factors and make sure you do all you can for your mice.