What Can Pet Mice Eat? (Different Foods to Try)

There is often a bit of a misconception about what is and isn’t safe for per mice to eat. It’s not difficult however. What can pet mice eat that’s healthy and safe? I will be covering some popular foods and treats.

Mice love fruit and vegetables, which often comes as a surprise. These should be fed in moderation and as treats. But mice will happily eat up scraps and bits of fruit and vegetables you give to them.

You should avoid feeding them too much grain and seeds as they can be high in sugars and fat. Mice are guilty of overeating and can become sick through being overweight and eating too much sugary food.

Can Pet Mice Eat Strawberries?

Yes. Remove the top of the stalk from the strawberry and give them a wash. Slightly softer strawberries are better, and you can help by cutting them up. These should be used as occasional treats and in moderation.

Can Pet Mice Eat Bananas?

Yes. Mice enjoy eating bits of banana and if you cut them into pieces of slices you will see them holding on and having a nibble.

This is always fun to watch. Bananas are fine as an occasional treat, it’s easy to break a little off if you’re eating one.

Can Pet Mice Eat Blackberries?

Yes. Blackberries are fine. The good thing about blackberries for a lot of people is that they grow wild and freely. Mice will eat them if they come across them in the wild, so don’t be afraid to pick some and feed them to your mice.

Can Pet Mice Eat Blueberries?

Yes. Blueberries are full of good nutrition and are the perfect size for mice to hold and carry around. A few blueberries as a treat will be well received and you can feed this to them.

Can Pet Mice Eat Raspberries?

Yes. Much like blueberries and blackberries, your mice are going to love you for giving them some raspberries. The leaves are also good for their digestion and I know some people give them these to help with diarrhea.

The only downside is the red mess they might make everywhere!

Can Pet Mice Eat Carrots?

Yes. Pet mice love eating carrots. I eat a lot of carrots myself and usually drop some little bite-size chunks into their cage as a treat once a week or so. They never last very long, that’s for sure.

Can Pet Mice Eat Grapes?

No! Grapes are poisonous to mice and will cause them to be very sick, or worse it can be fatal. They will still eat them given the chance, so don’t give them the chance.

Never attempt to feed them grapes, grape skin or anything else to do with grapes.

Can Pet Mice Eat Cheese?

No. Although there is an obvious connection between mice and cheese portrayed on TV, in adverts, cartoons etc. It’s not a suitable part of their diet and I do not recommend giving them cheese.

This does come as a surprise to most, but it’s definitely not a good idea.

Can Pet Mice Eat Alfalfa Hay?

Yes. It’s not recommended as a source of food but mice will eat some when it’s in their cage. They will mostly use it to gnaw on and shred, but don’t worry if they eat some.

Can Pet Mice Eat Lettuce?

No. This is another food that I strongly recommend you do not give to your mice. Lettuce has a tendency to cause stomach upsets and diarrhea. It’s not pleasant and is potentially very dangerous.

Can Pet Mice Eat Almonds?

Maybe. Some nuts do not agree with mice, and too much in their diets is a bad thing. For acting on the side of caution I would recommend not giving them almonds.

But they are not poisonous to mice in small amounts so don’t stress if they got their little claws on a bit.

Can Pet Mice Eat Apples?

Yes. Mice do eat pieces of apple and enjoy this as a treat. Never give them the core or seeds through as they contain traces of harmful chemicals.

These parts of the apple are potentially harmful to mice, I recommend cutting some small pieces of the main part of the apple for them.

Can Pet Mice Eat Pineapple?

Yes (very occasionally). My mice love pineapple, it’s very sweet though so I only give them very small amounts on rare occasions. Don’t forget to make sure there are no seeds too.

The seeds are located just underneath the skin, they look like black specs and are quite small so check the piece you’re giving your mice.

Can Pet Mice Eat Mango?

Yes. Again, only feed them little bits of mango as an occasional treat but I’m sure you’ll find that they love the taste of mango and will eat it.

Can Pet Mice Eat Cashews?

Yes. Cashews are fine for your mice in small amounts. Make sure they are unsalted and don’t have any other flavoring or additives of course.

Can Pet Mice Eat Walnuts?

Maybe. This is another nut that my mice absolutely love but I’ve heard different things from mice owners giving them to their mice.

Some people say they are fine, but I know a couple of occasions when it caused the mice to have upset stomachs so I stay away from giving my mice walnuts.

Can Pet Mice Eat Lab Blocks?

Yes (but). Lab Blocks are specially formulated blocks of food that are commonly used to feed lab mice as it’s cheaper and easier than fresh foods.

While they will be fine from a nutritional point, lab blocks aren’t the best. Your mice will appreciate food mixes and some of the foods listed in this article as treats.

Can Pet Mice Eat Chocolate?

No. Mice are partial to a little chocolate but it’s toxic for them and will cause them some problems so keep it well away from them.

You can find chocolate drops specially formulated for mice in pet stores if you really want to treat them.

Can Pet Mice Eat Mushroom?

Yes. I’m aware that there are lots of different types of mushrooms, to keep it simple I use the common garden mushrooms we use in fry-ups and I peel off the skin. Fine in small amounts as a treat.

Can Pet Mice Eat Oranges?

No. Keep all citric foods like oranges, limes, and lemons well away from your mice. They can cause allergic or adverse reactions so they are a definite no.

Can Pet Mice Eat Bell Peppers?

Yes. If you’re cooking with peppers you can cut a little off and give it to your mice. Don’t give them the seeds, just the stalk or a bit of the main body of the pepper.

I’m not sure if the color of the pepper matters. Maybe you’ll find your little ones prefer one over the other.

Can Pet Mice Eat Cucumber?

Yes. Mice love cucumber. I always take the skin off with a peeler before giving it to my mice as I know they prefer the inside, but it’s fine to give them the skin too.

Cucumber is good because it provides moisture and stays good for a day or two as well.

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This article should have given you plenty of ideas and helped clear up what is and isn’t safe for your mice to eat.

As a rule of thumb, always put safety first. If you are in doubt about anything or think it’s giving them an upset stomach don’t or stop feeding it to them.