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Home > Pet rats > Can Mice Eat Strawberries? What You Need to Know

Can Mice Eat Strawberries? What You Need to Know

Can Mice Eat Strawberries

Mice are omnivores and eat a variety of plant and animal materials. Your pet mouse’s main food are species-appropriate pellets from the pet store, but you’ve heard that mice also like strawberries. You wonder, “Are strawberries safe for my furry little friend to eat? Are there other fruits and vegetables can I feed it that are safe for mice?”

The short answer is, yes, mice can eat strawberries!

We’re here to help answer these questions, so read on to learn more about what foods are safe for your mouse and what foods you should avoid.

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Can Mice Eat Strawberries?

wild mouse eats ripe strawberries from a small bucket
Image By: Lesya Girl, Shutterstock

The short answer is, yes, mice can eat strawberries. Wild mice run across a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and meats as they wander through the world. These furry wanders often run across wild strawberries during their travels. They’ll often eat every part of the strawberry, including the stalk, the berry, and the roots of the plant.

For mice in captivity, you’ll need to prepare the strawberry for your pet. Rinse the strawberry thoroughly, remove the stalk, and cut it up into smaller pieces before putting it into your mouse habitat.

Strawberries are high in vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system. They also contain compounds called antioxidants that help prevent chronic health issues. Strawberries have a high sugar content and too much of this sweet fruit can cause gastrointestinal upset in your mouse. It’s recommended that mice receive strawberries as a special treat and not as part of their daily diet.

What Other Food Can Mice Eat?

Wild Wood Mouse Eating Blackberry
Image Credit: Rudmer Zwerver, Shutterstock

You’re giving your mouse the recommended pellet food containing mealworms recommended by your vet or the local pet store, but you’ll want to supplement your pet’s diet to make sure it’s getting all the necessary nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Mice are natural foragers, and they eat a wide variety of food in the wild, so you’ll be able to supplement your pet’s diet easily from your own refrigerator.

Here are some of the fruits and vegetables that you can feed your mouse:

  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries and raspberries
  • Apples
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Peas
  • Broccoli
  • Parsley

Remember, feed these foods in moderation to your mouse to avoid gastrointestinal upset. A varied diet will make sure your pet has the nutrients it needs to live a healthy life.

What Foods Should Mice Not Eat?

We’ve spent some time discussing all the delicious fruits and vegetables that you can feed your mouse to supplement its diet, but what about foods that should be avoided?

Here are a few foods that should be avoided to keep your mouse healthy:

  • Cheese is not a good idea to feed your mouse as it has no nutritional benefit. Your mouse might even become ill after eating it so it’s best to leave the cheese to the mice in cartoons.
  • Grapes and raisins are poisonous to mice and should not be a part of their diet at any time. They will become very ill and may even die, so make sure to keep grapes and raisins out of their reach.
  • Rhubarb and its leaves are also poisonous to mice. It can cause gastrointestinal upset and even death.
  • Lettuce is also a food to avoid feeding your mouse as it will likely cause diarrhea.
mice eating
Image Credit: Nature_Blossom, Pixabay

What Kind of Pellets Are Best?

There are a variety of pellets available on the market and it’s tough to know which are the best for your pet with so many choices out there. Recommendations for protein content fall between 14–18% with about 4–5% fat content.

Here are a few pellets that meet the nutritional requirements of mice:

You can place their pellets and other food in a ceramic bowl. You can also appeal to your pet’s instincts and spread any food and teats you give them throughout their habitat. Mice are natural foragers and will enjoy digging through their bedding to find their food and it has the bonus of battling boredom.

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Conclusion

Pet mice can eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries! Apples, blueberries, parsley, carrots, and broccoli are just some of the foods you can give your mouse to ensure it receives a while rounded diet. You should avoid giving your mouse grapes, raisins, cheese, and lettuce as these can all cause serious health issues in your pet.

A good rodent pellet is essential to ensure your pet gets the right amount of protein. Drop your pet’s daily food allowance throughout its enclosure so it can forage for its meal, just as its brethren do in the wild. A healthy diet for your pet mouse is essential for a happy pet and it never hurts to give it a strawberry now and then!


Featured Image Credit: LankaP, Shutterstock

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