# Can You?



## bubbles&amp;squeak

Can you feed fancy mice any of these?:

 Greek yoghurt?
 Greek yoghurt with honey (already in it)?
 Tomatoes?
 Cheese (yes, i know that its a myth that they looove cheese, but will they eat it?)
 Rich Tea Biscuits?

Can you give 'Jenga' blocks to mice as a chew toy? They are little wooden cuboids - don't know what wood though!

Thanks guys!xxxx

Bubbles&Squeak xxx


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## morning-star

bubbles&squeak said:


> Can you feed fancy mice any of these?:
> 
> Greek yoghurt?
> Greek yoghurt with honey (already in it)?
> Tomatoes?
> Cheese (yes, i know that its a myth that they looove cheese, but will they eat it?)
> Rich Tea Biscuits?
> 
> Can you give 'Jenga' blocks to mice as a chew toy? They are little wooden cuboids - don't know what wood though!
> 
> Thanks guys!xxxx
> 
> Bubbles&Squeak xxx


tomatoes are fine but you'll want to cut them up as they don't seem interested unless the skin is broken. 
cheese you can feed them (some love it some don't) but I wouldn't give them very much as it's very fatty.

I think you can feed them rich tea but I think digestives would be more healthy.

as for the yoghurt I'm not sure.


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## Matt Haslam

why?


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## morning-star

also jenga blocks are a no no I think they are made from pine.


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## sys15

i don't do it anymore, but i used to give cheese scraps to my rodents, especially nursing females and peromyscus mice. not a myth, they loved cheese.

the only reason i don't continue to do so, is that i now prioritize my dog, who also loves cheese.


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## bubbles&amp;squeak

Why? Because I wanted to try out new treats for my mice xx thanks guys... Won't give them jenga blocks then xxx Thanks again xxx


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## SarahY

I would avoid all processed human food, too much salt, sugar, fat, etc. Especially cheese, much as I love it, cheese is just a lump of congealed fat and no good for any animal.

Feed them plain, simple food only; you'll have happier, healthier mice


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## Wight Isle Stud

I see the stupid myth about Pine is rearing its head again-Mice have been chewing holes in pine boxes for at least 120 years.No ill effect whatsoever.


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## Matt Haslam

The issue with pine is that fresh pine leeches a mild toxin. Processed pine, basically anything you might buy is safe. As has already been said .


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## morning-star

Matt Haslam said:


> The issue with pine is that fresh pine leeches a mild toxin. Processed pine, basically anything you might buy is safe. As has already been said .


its the sap far as I know I just like to air on the side of caution. -why bother when there's lots of fruit woods and roots/vines etc that are far better (and look nicer than a jenga block)


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## bubbles&amp;squeak

So they can have the jenga blocks to gnaw??x


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## sys15

SarahY said:


> cheese is just a lump of congealed fat and no good for any animal.


butter is fat. cheese is fat + protein. basically what every mammal is programmed to spend it's life seeking, as they are typically in scarce supply in natural diets.

so of course they love it. whether it is good for them depends on whether their regular diet leaves them deficient in either or both of those nutrients, or whether it already provides them in excess.


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## MojoMouse

bubbles&squeak said:


> So they can have the jenga blocks to gnaw??x


You seem to be a bit fixated on these jenga blocks. If you _really_ feel the need, by all means put them into the enclosure. The wood's old and dry so probably won't hurt them. I wouldn't though because I don't know what they've been treated with.


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## SarahY

sys15 said:


> SarahY said:
> 
> 
> 
> cheese is just a lump of congealed fat and no good for any animal.
> 
> 
> 
> butter is fat. cheese is fat + protein. basically what every mammal is programmed to spend it's life seeking, as they are typically in scarce supply in natural diets.
> 
> so of course they love it. whether it is good for them depends on whether their regular diet leaves them deficient in either or both of those nutrients, or whether it already provides them in excess.
Click to expand...

As pets they get a balanced diet, so why feed them something so unhealthy?


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## Cait

SarahY said:


> cheese is just a lump of congealed fat and no good for any animal.


Personally, I don't like cheese for this exact reason. Yuk!



SarahY said:


> As pets they get a balanced diet, so why feed them something so unhealthy?


Yep there are better ways to give fat and protein. Since mice can be intolerant of lactose (as humans can) there are plenty of other foods to choose from. I'm sure mice would eat cheese if you gave it to them, but there's no reason to do so. Generally they get what they need in this regard from the seeds, nuts and dog food we use in their dry mixes.


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## sys15

SarahY said:


> As pets they get a balanced diet, so why feed them something so unhealthy?


well, i'd actually disagree with both statements - i don't know that all pet mice get a balanced diet, although i suppose the majority probably do. and i don't think cheese is an unhealthy. at all. it is energy dense, which is not the same thing.

as far as why do it - i guess i'd turn that around. why not? the original poster obviously _*wants*_ to give her mice something in addition to their regular diet. if it makes her happy, why not? one need only glance at the wide variety of protein and fat %s available in different lab diet mixes to see that there isn't a single perfect % if either that mice need - that there is a pretty broad range of possible diets which they can eat and thrive with.


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## SarahC

I've given rich tea and digestive biscuits a try.The mice liked them well enough but they have a drawback.They absorb any moisture in the environment,whether it's in the cage or atmosphere and are quickly spoiled.Seeded bread is better and they are keen on that.


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## bubbles&amp;squeak

Ok, thanks. No Jenga blocks and no cheese, thanks guys!xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Kelser

As for the yogurt issue, I only feed my mice fat-free, plain yogurt. I think greek yogurt MIGHT be okay, but then again, mice are lactose intolerant, so too much of it might not be safe. But before giving mice new treats you should definitely do your research- also, I'm not fond of the Jenga Block idea, but in truth I've never tried using pine products because I've heard they're unsafe.


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## bubbles&amp;squeak

okay, thank you!x


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## sys15

btw, the ratio of fat/protein in most cheeses is about the same as the ratio in eggs. and cheese also has much more calcium.


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## bubbles&amp;squeak

Thank you.


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