Proper Diet

Components of a Balanced Diet:
🐁 1. Water
🌱 2. Full-grain-based food (pellets or multi-element)
🐁 3. Fresh and dried herbs
🌱 4. Vegetables
🐁 5. Twigs, roots
Additionally:
🌱 hay, fatty seeds, fruits, treats.

List of approved products (click here).

1. WATER

Mice need constant access to fresh water. The water should be tap water, filtered, or from a good-quality source (depending on your location). Spring bottled water is also suitable.
Water should be provided in a clean water bottle or dish. Plastic dishes are more challenging to clean, and you should ensure that they are made of non-toxic plastic (polypropylene, HDPE, Tritan, PLA). Some mice may decide to chew on plastic, resulting in the entire contents of the dish spilling out. Glass water bottles must be regularly checked as they can sometimes get stuck.

2. BASIC FOOD

Food for mice is the most crucial and fundamental component of their diet. It must be available at all times and should contain a variety of grains and seeds. Avoid fatty foods, and it's best to buy food without animal proteins such as mealworms or other animal-based proteins - feeding mice animal protein increases the risk of cancer and obesity. More information here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=704161861372300
In the case of breeding, pellets are given. It is essential to balance the nutritional components perfectly for proper development in young mice.

3. FRESH AND DRIED HERBS

These are vital for diversifying the diet and provide mice with many nutrients. Dried herbs are best mixed into their food and should be given daily, while fresh herbs can be alternated with vegetables. It is a good idea to introduce a variety of foods from a young age so that the young mice learn new tastes. This will help reduce picky eating in the future.

4. VEGETABLES

Vegetables complement the diet, and a small amount (e.g., a slice of carrot per mouse) should be given 2-3 times a week. Introduce new vegetables gradually, observing the mouse's reaction to the new product. If diarrhea or bloating occurs, contact a veterinarian immediately.

5. TWIGS, ROOTS, BARK

Mice's teeth grow throughout their lives, so adding a few twigs or roots (in line with the list of approved products) to their bedding allows them to wear down their teeth.

6. SUPPLEMENTS AND TREATS

In small quantities, you can give mice treats. High-quality purchased treats should not contain sugar, salt, milk, or other harmful ingredients for mice in their composition. It is best to choose treats with a good composition (e.g., cookies from "Gryzonie w Kokonie" or homemade) or natural treats (e.g., fruits, buckwheat, various bran, bee pollen, etc). You can also include high-quality soft hay in the diet, either as nesting material or for chewing and supplementing the diet with fiber. Hay should be frozen for 2 days before feeding - hay contains the highest number of external parasites.

Article written by Kalina Koriat.