For those who use homemade mixes..

by jay.mayhem Mon 11 Dec 2017, 7:51 pm

Hey all! I figured that since I can't find a conclusive answer anywhere I'd create a topic (even though there are many similar ones.. oops). I got into looking at my mice's food today and I don't like it. I can't seem to find foods that don't contain harmful ingredients (corn, chemicals, etc) and I'm looking into making my own mix.
I have 4 fancies adopted from pet stores, so I can't give them too much protein, but my sister also has a white-footed deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). I don't see why Shiloh's diet would need to be any different, her natural diet would be nearly the same as the fancies'.

I guess the big thing I'm asking here is: What mix do you use? I'll buy and make whatever is necessary, I just need somewhere to start. I'd prefer to keep corn out of it, but I can pick it out of whatever I buy regardless.

They're currently on Kaytee's Fortidiet Mouse Rat and Hamster (it's bad, real bad) and a wild birdseed mix (which is fine besides the corn). I occasionally offer fruits and things, but they just leave them to rot. Anything will be an improvement, tbh.

Thank you!

by River Mon 11 Dec 2017, 9:36 pm

I use Vitasmart Parakeet mix. No corn, no bad ingredients, and they live long energetic lives for petstore mice. I don't have any complaints with it, and they love it, so I'm sure it should suit your needs.

From my experience, mice prefer vegetables to fruit. Kale, romaine lettuce, broccoli and cilantro are favorites for mine, but they eat most. They wouldn't touch fruit either.

by jay.mayhem Mon 11 Dec 2017, 9:45 pm

River wrote:I use Vitasmart Parakeet mix. No corn, no bad ingredients, and they live long energetic lives for petstore mice. I don't have any complaints with it, and they love it, so I'm sure it should suit your needs.

From my experience, mice prefer vegetables to fruit. Kale, romaine lettuce, broccoli and cilantro are favorites for mine, but they eat most. They wouldn't touch fruit either.

Thank you! I'll have to try veggies.. my sister's mice, on the other hand, will snatch fruit right from her fingers before it's even set down! It takes all kinds to make the world go round, I guess. Thanks again!

by Peachy Mon 11 Dec 2017, 10:32 pm

My mice prefer veggies, too. Romaine lettuce is always a hit, spinach was kinda meh. Watermelon is enjoyed, but that's the only fruit I can get them to eat. Smile

by CallaLily Tue 12 Dec 2017, 7:57 am

I've been using Higgins Sunburst Parakeet food as about 30% of my mix because I really like the variety, most of the ingredients, the GA is within a good range to work with, and I found it saves me a little money over going completely homemade. The other 70% of my mix is various grains/seeds/herbs that I add in. Then I supplement that with Supreme Science Selective Mouse and dried insects and nuts. It works out to be 13.5% crude protein, 6.4% fat, 9.7% fiber.

Mine also seem to prefer fresh veggies over fruit. Leafy greens and broccoli tops are always a hit. Sometimes they'll eat berries, cucumber, carrots, apple, corn, peas, asparagus, green beans. Mine never seem interested in sweet peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, or sugar snap peas as far as I can tell.

EDIT: btw, corn isn't necessarily harmful. It just shouldn't make up a large part of their diet. It's difficult to find commercial foods without any corn in some form but you can choose a brand that has corn listed further down in the ingredients list. Even the recommended parakeet mixes have some corn.

by Blessed Tue 12 Dec 2017, 11:31 am

My mice don't seem to have as healthy of an appetite like your guys', because I don't think many, if any, of them like greens.... or most other vegetables, for that matter. Laughing

They do like cooked (usually) or canned veggies a bit, though.

by Nijimi にじみ Wed 13 Dec 2017, 5:47 am

I mix Higgins parakeet and mouse mix and pluck out all the corn and sunflower seeds. I can not get vitasmart here and if I did, it is way too overpriced! Then I start mixing my extra ingredients. I add rolled outs, oat spray, millet, raw pasta (not too much), and I leave botanical hay in their tank. They get romaine a couple days a week. My mice are thriving.

by Frizzle Wed 13 Dec 2017, 1:27 pm

If you're looking for where to get ingredients, try your local farm store. Mine (fleet farm) carriers some bulk finch feed for a reasonable price, which also happens to be corn free. Bags of meal worms as well.

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