Mice are not picky eaters. In fact, they eat a variety of things like fruits, seeds, wood, and even leftover food.
Probably you know about it and you want to be sure if they eat paper too?
Quick answer – Yes, mice also eat paper!
They can mistakenly eat some of the soft paper, and tear it into pieces for building nests.
Though it is not a healthy thing for mice to eat, a small amount would not harm them. This is because it often melts out and they excrete it.
In a bid to satisfy their hunger, mice normally stick to the tasty foods they see.
But that doesn’t mean nothing else gets into their stomachs (like paper)
However, they eat a wide range of other things besides kitchen delicacies.
And the same applies to cardboard, paper, and electrical wires which they see as tasty snacks.
Table of Contents
Does Paper Attract Mice?
Yes, paper attracts mice.
Mice are not attracted to it because they love it so much and would want to chew it.
They only love it because they use it as nesting material to build comfortable nests for themselves.
2 Reasons Why Mice Eat Paper
There are two major reasons why mice eat paper;
- To make a nest
- To stop their teeth from growing
To make a nest
If you hear strange and loud scratches in your cupboard, or you discover tiny holes in the pantries then, you certainly have mice around.
They tear and chew up papers for building a good nest. It’s no surprise how they do it, they create holes in furniture or walls and pass through them to their intended location.
To stop their sharp teeth from growing
Mice have this awful habit of chewing on anything. They chew your cardboard, clothes, books, and papers.
They do this to trim their growing teeth which keep growing throughout their lifetime. Hence, to keep it at a normal size mice have to chew papers and other things.
Mice mainly feed on human food and also look at leftover food or trash.
Although they prefer to eat meat, when it is not available, they chew other things.
Things like grains, clothes, and paper owing to their omnivorous behavior.
What Kind Of Paper Can Mice Eat?
Mice can eat all types of paper as long as they can shred it to build a nest and sometimes as food if they are starving.
The most common ones are:
- Paper towels
- Tissue paper
- Cardboard paper
- Paper money
- Paper Bag
Do Mice Eat Paper Towels?
Yes, mice eat paper towels.
They don’t eat it because it’s their food or their choice.
They mostly use it to make nests for themselves. Not just that, they also use clothes in your wardrobe.
And to ensure that they do not eat your paper towels, keep the towels in an airtight container. You can also use scents like cinnamon and peppermint oil to scare the mice away.
Can Mice Eat Paper Bags?
Yes, mice eat paper bags.
They have tiny strong teeth that will tear paper bags if they are not kept out of their reach.
They chew paper bags in search of food and sometimes nesting materials.
Do Mice Eat Paper Bills (Money)?
Yes, mice eat paper bills.
They are rodents, so always find things to chew to keep their teeth down from overgrowing.
Mice will shred and chew paper money just like any other paper for nest building.
They can’t differentiate between money and other kinds of paper, so they will tear it to make their home.
For example, mice snacked on £13,400 worth of paper money.
The tiny rodent chewed through the money inside an automated teller machine in Tinsukia, India.
Those bank notes cannot be used again.
Do Mice Eat Shredded Paper?
Yes, they do.
Mice would carry and use shredded papers to construct good beddings for themselves in their nest.
They do this to make it livable and comfortable.
How To Prevent Mice From Eating Paper
Keep your home tidy
Field mice usually find their way into the house in search of food and shelter.
And they are usually attracted by leftover foods and trash in the bin.
To prevent them from coming in and eating papers, keep in and out of your house clean. Pay a little attention to grass and tree branches that have grown more than 3ft tall.
This is because they can make these places their hiding place around the environment.
Seal up mice’s potential entrance
As the weather conditions begin to get cold, mice look for warmer areas.
And coming inside your house might be the best bet for them.
To stop them, seal up holes and doorways with caulk and weather -stripping. Use duct tape or steel wool to cover tiny openings.
This will make it pretty difficult for mice to come in and chew papers.
Keep papers out of their reach
Mice shred and eat paper for nest-building purposes.
And to prevent them from eating them, (including important documents), papers should be kept on glass shelves.
Avoid leaving papers in places they can easily access to destroy them.
Use mice natural repellents
Mice have a good sense of smell and will always stay far from scents that they hate.
You can use natural repellents like apple cider and water solution, peppermint oil, etc.
Mice hate these scents, therefore will not be close to paper if you apply them where you keep papers.
Other methods include:
- Setting mice traps
- Buying a cat
How To Keep Mice Out Of Toilet Paper
The simplest way to keep mice out of toilet paper is to keep the paper in a safe place.
You can keep them in airtight containers.
Alternatively, you can use mice repellents like Cinnamon or peppermint oil to keep mice away from them
Can Mice Survive Eating Paper?
Yes, mice can survive eating paper.
When they find and tear papers for building their nest, they mistakenly eat some of them.
Even though it is not an interesting part of their diet, mice don’t get hurt when they eat paper.
The toilet papers are too soft and will often dissolve in their stomach.
This makes it easier for them to pass it out as if they never ate it.
Recap
Mice shred and eat paper as nesting material.
They also do it to keep their teeth in a normal growing condition throughout their lifetime.
They eat varieties of paper and soft materials such as paper bags, paper towels, paper money, etc.
And to prevent them from eating these papers, follow the guidelines in this article.
I trust you now understand that mice eat paper and the reasons why they eat it.
Would you also like to know what else they can eat?
Read our article “Can Mice Eat Chocolates” to learn more.
