Temporary food...

by AnonymousMouseOwner Wed 22 Nov 2017, 5:47 pm

So, my food order is taking longer to come than I expected, and I'm out of mouse food. What should I feed? For the past 2 days they've been having my hamster's food, but that's too high in protein and I'm afraid they'll get hot spots. My order should come in 2 more days, on the 24th, but what can I feed them until then?

Also, it seems like they eat a lot, are they just being picky eaters and eating around the less tasty food and I'm not noticing? The younger group of girls, in the tank with a footprint of the 20 tall, goes through a scoop of food a day, and my scoop is probably about 1/4 of a cup. That seems like an abnormal amount of food for 4 girls to go through daily. My older group in the 20 long takes a little longer, I give them a scoop about every other day. Then the boys also need theirs refilled every other day. Are they leaving the pellets and I'm missing it? Should I dig through the bedding to see if they've kicked all the little colored pellets out and just ate the seeds?

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Wed 22 Nov 2017, 6:49 pm

Are you stuck with only what you have in the house, or can you get out to the grocery? For only a few days, how about some multi-grain baby porridge, Cheerios, Grape-Nuts, non-iceberg-lettuce salad greens, sweet potato, banana? Those are some of the things I relied on to sustain my little April, who mostly wanted nothing to do with real mouse food, thank you very much. She was much more interested in what I was eating, to the point of sometimes pulling my lower lip down to try to crawl into my mouth to have a look around.

In fact, this time last year I had a ton of Subway coupons, and we'd stop in just before closing time on the way home from work (yes, she commuted with me) to grab a tuna sub, and we'd sit in the car back in the parking lot, with the heater on, and share the parts she could eat -- a little bread (they had RYE!), a little spinach, a little green pepper, a little tomato, a taste of tuna salad. OH such a happy little mouse! Then she'd have regular seed mix for overnight.

by Rodents rock! Wed 22 Nov 2017, 7:11 pm

MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop wrote:Are you stuck with only what you have in the house, or can you get out to the grocery? For only a few days, how about some multi-grain baby porridge, Cheerios, Grape-Nuts, non-iceberg-lettuce salad greens, sweet potato, banana? Those are some of the things I relied on to sustain my little April, who mostly wanted nothing to do with real mouse food, thank you very much. She was much more interested in what I was eating, to the point of sometimes pulling my lower lip down to try to crawl into my mouth to have a look around.

In fact, this time last year I had a ton of Subway coupons, and we'd stop in just before closing time on the way home from work (yes, she commuted with me) to grab a tuna sub, and we'd sit in the car back in the parking lot, with the heater on, and share the parts she could eat -- a little bread (they had RYE!), a little spinach, a little green pepper, a little tomato, a taste of tuna salad. OH such a happy little mouse! Then she'd have regular seed mix for overnight.

That is the cutest and sweetest story about you and April. Made me smile Very Happy

by CallaLily Wed 22 Nov 2017, 9:29 pm

I don't think a couple more days with the hamster mix will hurt.

I feel like my mice have been eating more lately too. Can't hurt to dig around and see if they've just stashed most of it somewhere so you can get a better feel on when to refill their dish. I try to pay close attention to how much food is lying around during weekly full cleans - too much I cut back, hardly any I feed more, a little extra stashed around I know I'm good.

by Blessed Wed 22 Nov 2017, 9:38 pm

Mice just have big appetites in general.
But I personally advise against feeding them other animals' food...even a hamster's food. If it's not made for mice, excluding some human food, then it's probably not real good on them to eat, as I think it can give them the runs.
So, yeah, as @MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop mentioned, if you can get out to the store to get them other mouse food, do it. Smile

Or, if that's not an option, I'd suggest dry oats and dry, non-sweet cereal; such as Crispy Rice, Cheerios, Oat Squares (or whatever they're called), etc. Just don't give them chocolate-flavored cereal or cereal with food-coloring. And also you could give them fruits...but not acidic ones...or some veggies such as lettuce or something, and almonds. A few tiny chips, or cheese or peanut butter in very small amounts should be fine, too. Thumbs Up

by AnonymousMouseOwner Wed 22 Nov 2017, 10:10 pm

Blessed wrote:Mice just have big appetites in general.
But I personally advise against feeding them other animals' food...even a hamster's food. If it's not made for mice, excluding some human food, then it's probably not real good on them to eat, as I think it can give them the runs.
So, yeah, as @MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop mentioned, if you can get out to the store to get them other mouse food, do it. Or, if that's not an option, I'd suggest dry oats and dry, non-sweet cereal; such as Crispy Rice, Cheerios, Oat Squares (or whatever they're called), etc. Just don't give them chocolate-flavored cereal or cereal with food-coloring. And also you could give them fruits...but not acidic ones...or some veggies such as lettuce or something, and almonds. A few tiny chips, or cheese or peanut butter in very small amounts should be fine, too.

I've never seen a suitable mouse food on the market, it's all junk honestly. Here on our forum we recommend 2 different parakeet foods, or a certain dwarf hamster food. I've tried them all, and found the 2 parakeet seeds to be the best.

Oxbow mouse food is made of mainly hay, which isn't what mice eat naturally, and causes them to have a lack of all the nutrients they need + it has no variety. Kaytee Fiesta mouse food is just pure junk. Mazuri mouse food has crazy high protein and no variety. I guess you see where I'm going here? Lol. There just isn't a suitable mouse food I've seen.

The parakeet seeds aren't perfect either, but they are much better than the mouse foods on the market. I really don't see how it'd give them the runs, it's just seeds, grains, and maybe a little dried fruit/veggies. It really depends on what brand you are giving them Smile

Even fresh veggies can give them the runs, but that doesn't mean that veggies are bad for them.

I don't think I'd give mine any cheese or raw peanut butter. Mice can be allergic to peanut butter and are lactose intolerant. I've tried giving mine fresh veggies and fruits, but while my boys do, my girls never eat them unfortunately. I do give them oats as treats, so I will definitely give them some of those to help fill their tummies. We don't buy cereal in this house anymore, since someone in our household is lactose intolerant and can't have milk, so they can't have milk + cereal, and the rest of us just don't like cereal Laughing

We do have a box of cereal we got for free though, it's like cheerios but it's on off brand, I can give them a few of those. I do have some crispy rice cereal too that I usually give them as a treat, since it's sugary. Thank you for your input!

by AnonymousMouseOwner Wed 22 Nov 2017, 10:12 pm

CallaLily wrote:I don't think a couple more days with the hamster mix will hurt.

I feel like my mice have been eating more lately too. Can't hurt to dig around and see if they've just stashed most of it somewhere so you can get a better feel on when to refill their dish. I try to pay close attention to how much food is lying around during weekly full cleans - too much I cut back, hardly any I feed more, a little extra stashed around I know I'm good.

Okay thank you CallaLily! I'll continue feeding them that then, with some extra healthy treats on the side.

I know, right? I mean, I know mice eat a lot, but I feel like lately they have been eating excessive amounts. Getting ready for winter, I guess? Lol. Okay that sounds like a good idea, thank you!

by AnonymousMouseOwner Wed 22 Nov 2017, 10:14 pm

MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop wrote:Are you stuck with only what you have in the house, or can you get out to the grocery? For only a few days, how about some multi-grain baby porridge, Cheerios, Grape-Nuts, non-iceberg-lettuce salad greens, sweet potato, banana? Those are some of the things I relied on to sustain my little April, who mostly wanted nothing to do with real mouse food, thank you very much. She was much more interested in what I was eating, to the point of sometimes pulling my lower lip down to try to crawl into my mouth to have a look around.

In fact, this time last year I had a ton of Subway coupons, and we'd stop in just before closing time on the way home from work (yes, she commuted with me) to grab a tuna sub, and we'd sit in the car back in the parking lot, with the heater on, and share the parts she could eat -- a little bread (they had RYE!), a little spinach, a little green pepper, a little tomato, a taste of tuna salad. OH such a happy little mouse! Then she'd have regular seed mix for overnight.

What are grape nuts? Where can I find them? I've never heard of those! We do have non-iceberg lettuce greens and bananas, I can give my boys those, but my girls don't like veggies/fruits and won't touch them. Aww, that story was so sweet, she sounds like she was a good, sweet mouse!

by Rodents rock! Wed 22 Nov 2017, 10:38 pm

Grape Nuts is a cereal.

My mouse's main diet is the parakeet food. I also give a little hamster food. He also likes millet spray. And I give him organic "Cheerios". I also make sure he always has a Milk-Bone dog biscuit as he likes to munch on them and they are good for keeping his teeth worn down as Mickey doesn't really chew on wood chews. He has them available to him though.

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Thu 23 Nov 2017, 9:58 am

Rodents rock!: As cute and sweet as the story is, it can never be as cute and sweet as April was. Thank you.

AnonymousMouseOwner: Grape-Nuts is a whole grain cereal made of wheat and barley, with no sugar added. It comes in little rock-hard bits that soften quickly in something moist. I buy a store-brand equivalent to save money. April loved to crunch on them, and I find them delicious in plain yogurt and French vanilla ice cream. And you are correct - April was a good, sweet mouse. Just the best. Thank you.

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