Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice?

by Tinysmommy Sun 24 Sep 2017, 6:25 pm

I used to keep parrots and one of their favorite treats was grass that went to seed that I would pull from my garden. I have a wild field mouse that I rescued as a baby from my cat and I tried them on her and she loves them. She's an adult now, btw. She eats the seeds, gnaws on the grass stems, and seems to enjoy the soil from the roots. Occasionally an unfortunate bug will hitch a ride, and she'll enjoy eating them too! Is there anything wrong with this? Thanks, new here. Smile

by Rodents rock! Sun 24 Sep 2017, 9:02 pm

I wouldn't think there is anything wrong with it as long as you are sure no chemicals have been used on or near the grass. Can you share some photos of your mouse? How long have you had her? Welcome to the forum!

by Tinysmommy Mon 25 Sep 2017, 6:27 am

Thanks! We got Tiny on 7/4/17. I was in my basement and my cat was very interested in going into the utility side which was closed off with a door. I opened it for the cat, not thinking anything of it, and about 2 minutes later the cat came back with Tiny in her mouth. She dropped Tiny on her back and I saw the mouse was still alive. I took the mouse from the cat and first looked to see if I could find the nest. I could not. So I put Tiny in a critter cage, on a heating pad, and started researching the internet. Tiny's eyes weren't fully open, so I suspect she was around 10 days old. Me and my daughter resolved to try and save her. I went to Walmart and found kitten replacement milk, which she hated at first, and we could only get Gatorade into her that first day. We fed her with a paint brush the first few days. By the next day, she was accepting the kitten milk and over the next 15 days or so, somehow we nursed her back to health and she survived. Over that time, I kept trying to find her nest, keeping my cat from the basement. At the end of July, I cleaned out that side and found 3 other baby mice on the floor, all dead. I never did find the nest though. Those dead babies haunt me because I wish I could have saved them, too. We buried them and my 12 y/o daughter named them Beloved, Brave, and Hope. Anyhow, we resolved to release her to the wild the first week of August but my daughter and I couldn't bear the thought of what could happen to her so we kept her. She's hand tame but not cuddly like a hamster. Mostly, I'm just trying to provide her with the best life as I can now. My avatar is Tiny on day 2 or 3 of when we got her. Here are some more:

Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice? Screen10

Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice? Screen11

Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice? Screen12

by CallaLily Mon 25 Sep 2017, 6:57 am

Tinysmommy wrote:I used to keep parrots and one of their favorite treats was grass that went to seed that I would pull from my garden. I have a wild field mouse that I rescued as a baby from my cat and I tried them on her and she loves them. She's an adult now, btw. She eats the seeds, gnaws on the grass stems, and seems to enjoy the soil from the roots. Occasionally an unfortunate bug will hitch a ride, and she'll enjoy eating them too! Is there anything wrong with this? Thanks, new here.

When gathering things from outside be sure that it's safe for mice to eat and that you're collecting from an area that's free from chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, weed killer, etc) and pollution (don't collect from roadsides for example). Also be cautious of what could be coming in on them. You can rinse them off and bake at a low temp to lower the risk. Yes, insects are a natural part of a mouse diet but it's best to be safe and stick to captive bred feeder insects. There is a greater risk of parasites from wild insects.

Thank you for saving Tiny. Sounds like you've done a great job with him. Smile

by Rodents rock! Mon 25 Sep 2017, 8:58 am

Thanks for the photos, Tiny is adorable! You and your daughter did a great job with her. Sorry about the other babies, very sweet of you and your daughter to give them a proper burial. And the names your daughter picked are very sweet. Thanks for sharing your story.

by Tinysmommy Mon 25 Sep 2017, 11:17 am

Thank you both for replying! It's been a worthwhile, albeit stressful, experience with Tiny only because I had never cared for mice and it was touch-and-go a couple of times. In retrospect, I think human baby formula might have been better but the kitten milk ultimately worked. I'm enjoying this website and wish I would have found it in those early days as I had endless questions. I hyper-focused on websites that pertained only to wild mice, which was a mistake. Live, and learn. Cool

by Rodents rock! Mon 25 Sep 2017, 9:22 pm

Well you did a great job!

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Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice?

Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice?

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Re: Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice?

Re: Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice?

Re: Is grass seeds, on the stem, ok for mice?