# Food list in mouse book..



## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

I have a paperback book mostly for it`s archive value! But it has a pretty decent list of `grains` in it that mice eat:

Wheat
Oats
Barley
Buckwheat (I don`t have this as yet)
Corn (I take this out of my mix)
Rice
Millet (La Plata - whatever that is?)
Canary seed
Sunflower seeds (I feed as an occassional treat only as they are high in fat)
Grass seed
Hemp
Linseed

I feed all the above except Buckwheat, grass seed and corn. I remove the corn for health reasons, but wondered about the grass seed? There are so many kinds of grass seed out there, it does`nt say which type is best? Anyone ever fed grass seed to their mice? Does`nt say anything about feeding animal proteins accept to say that a mouse`s diet consists of `starchy grains` but in the wild, a mouse will take the odd caterpillar, insect or spider, but they won`t hunt these. It just states that nursing mothers will sometimes crave animal proteins in the form of a small piece of lean bacon or mealy worm. So I`m happy to keep my diet meat free. At least until I have conclusive evidence that mice actually require animal proteins in a maintenance diet.


----------



## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Oh they love grass seed we used to get mice at work nesting in the sacks lol.Mice are not choosey when there hungry especially the wild mice.They tended to eat the bowling green seed which is much more expensive but contains a wider range of grass species Chewing Fescue , slender red Fescue and brown top bent they would eat it all, the amenity mixture contains the Ryegrass Racing mouse.I give the mice Groats too racingmouse which is paddy rice what the Java sparrow likes too eat.


----------



## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

geordiesmice said:


> I give the mice Groats too racingmouse which is paddy rice what the Java sparrow likes too eat.


I don't understand this bit.Groats are unprocessed oat hearts not paddy rice.Or did you mean you feed rice as well?


----------



## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

We used to have a wee shop that sold all sorts of seeds and grains and you could just go in and buy a kilo of grass seed but the shop closed many years ago so I have no outlets around here now really to buy it. I do see grass seed sold in boxes in places like Poundland and Allworths, but I`m not sure whether this is a decent seed or just something they sell to gardiners to sprinkle over their lawns!

It`s best to buy it naturally and be sure it has`nt been treated with anything. I don`t suppose grass seed would be tampered with but these days you never know. :roll:


----------



## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I dont think its a seed anyone would buy to feed mice but it just shows you the diversity of food stuffs a mouse will eat and we havnt to be to particular in what we buy.Im going to buy some feed in tomorrow and make the next batch up. The only fault I find is I put the feed in small ceramic bowls for all the mice but two tanks I scatter feed and what a mess that makes it wastes food too I find, so im going too get a few more dishes and glass drinkers.The spiny mice they store food so they clean up after them lol but if you just tip food onto the bedding you would be cleaning out every day.The lab cages I have they get in a mess too with the food.


----------



## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

My food dish is a round ceramic flower pot holder! :lol: It`s low sided, glazed (so does`nt absorb urine or moisture) and the mice can sit in it as it`s about 4" inches in diameter and 1" inch high.  Found in all garden centres and sometimes chariry shops!!! I find rodent dishes are too small, too tall sided or plastic and easily tipped over, so I use the ceramic pot holders as they are brilliant feeding stations.


----------



## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

When buying grass seed, make sure it hasn't been treated with fertilizers!


----------



## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

That`s my fear. If I buy it loose, it has no analysis on the bag. If I buy it boxed, it might say that it`s just lawn seed or grass seed of a certain variety but have other things added or has been pre-treated with something or sprayed. I think I`ll leave grass seed off my list to be honest until I`m sure the seed is just that. Seed. I was just curious really because it was on the list in this book.


----------



## AnnB (Jan 14, 2011)

My harvest mice love grass seeds. I just pick a variety of seeding grasses fresh from the garden, rinse them under the tap and feed them to the mice (they choose the types they prefer). The fancy mice aren't so keen on them so they only get some occasionally.


----------



## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

Thanks Anne! I don`t have a grass lawn anymore though! :lol:


----------



## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Loose grass seed you buy by the llb or in sacks is not treated with anything , so your safe.Its too expensive too feed mice.


----------



## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

I doubt I would be able to source any organic stuff around here though. I used to be able to buy it locally, but things have changed and outlets for this sort of thing ave diminished sadly. Health food shops don`t extend their range to grass seed sadly!!! :lol:


----------

