Fruits have so many great health benefits for mice! but some of them may be harmful to your pets. So, can your pet mice eat tomatoes?
Here is a quick answer:
Yes, pet mice can eat tomatoes, and in fact, it’s among their favorites. In addition, tomatoes can serve as a good in-between snack or a dessert for your pet mouse.
That being said, there are various types of tomatoes, and you may wonder what kinds are safe for your pet mice. Keep reading as we discuss this and more in this article.
Table of Contents
What Types of Tomatoes Can Mice Eat?
Do Mice Eat Cherry Tomatoes?
Yes, pet mice eat cherry tomatoes. They love this fruit because of its attractive orange or yellow colors.
Additionally, cherry tomatoes are quite juicy and sweet, which pet mice can’t resist. In clarification, their juicy nature makes it easy for the mice to chew.
Do Mice Eat Grape Tomatoes?
Pet mice eat grape tomatoes primarily because of the sweet, sugary taste. Additionally, grape tomatoes are relatively smaller in size than most other types.
As a result, pet mice have an easy time chewing this fruit. In general, the combination of small size and sweet taste makes grape tomatoes a favorite of pet mice.
Do Mice Eat Ripe Tomatoes?
Yes, ripe tomatoes are a favorite of many mice. This is because ripe tomatoes have a tender outer skin and are juicy inside.
The tender outer skin makes it easy for mice to chew, and the soft interior is enjoyable. Therefore, these two factors combine to bring the ripe tomatoes to the same group of pet mice favorites.
Benefits of Tomatoes On Mice
Every bite of tomatoes benefits your pet mice in many ways. Some of the leading benefits include:
It Provides them With Many Healthy Vitamins
Tomatoes have large amounts of vitamins. In this case, vitamins C and K are the most abundant in tomatoes.
Vitamin C plays a critical role in maintaining and developing many connective tissues. In addition, tomatoes are also a good source of vitamin K which helps in blood clotting.
All these vitamins help in maintaining the general health of pet mice.
It Increases the Hydration Level
Tomatoes also help keep mice’s water levels in the right places. To clarify, tomatoes contain lots of water, approximately 94%.
This makes them a good source of hydration aside from normal drinking water.
Understand that proper hydration is important for a mouse’s general body health. This is because most body functions in a pet mouse depend on water, like in most other mammals.
With proper hydration, your pet mouse gets good digestion and proper body temperature!
Antioxidant Addition
Antioxidants are important in protecting various animals’ cells from oxidative stress. The oxidative stress comes from free radicals occurring naturally.
So, tomatoes act as antioxidants and help fight the free radicals that cause oxidative stress.
Therefore, your pet mouse gets good health since the absence of free radicals means zero risk of certain illnesses.
Fiber
One of the most obvious benefits of tomatoes to pet mice is the addition of fiber. This is because fiber helps improve food digestion in mammals and pet mice as well.
In addition, this fiber prevents constipation and supports regular bowel movement. As a result, pet mice end up getting good general gut health.
Addition of Minerals
Tomatoes have important natural minerals like folate and potassium. The potassium in it helps in maintaining the proper health of the heart and most of the other muscle functions.
In addition, folate helps in supporting several physiological functions in pet mice. As a result, important functions such as cell division in these mammals become easy.
General Immune Support
Feeding tomatoes to your mouse goes all the way to improve and support its immune in many ways.
That is to say, the combination of antioxidants and vitamins combine to prevent attacks from several illnesses. As a result, the pet mouse has a healthier, longer life.
Risks of Feeding Tomatoes On Mice
As tomatoes have benefits to mice, there are also risks. To clarify, these risks mostly come when mice eat tomatoes in excess.
Here are some of the leading risks of feeding tomatoes to pet mice:
Stomach Aches
The acidity level in tomatoes can cause digestive upset when pet mice eat too much of them. Due to this, your pet mouse may have frequent diarrhea and stomach discomfort.
Allergic Reactions
Pet mice can develop allergies to certain foods, just as humans. In this situation, tomatoes can cause different allergic reactions in these mammals.
Allergies from tomatoes may lead to skin irritations, sneezing, and itching. In severe cases, your pet mouse may experience breathing problems.
Obesity
Tomatoes have a lot of sugars, which can cause obesity in mice. To clarify, mice have a high metabolism and can easily get obese when they consume foods with lots of sugar.
Kidney Stones
When your pet mouse eats excess tomatoes, it can develop kidney stones. This is because tomatoes have many oxalates, which are compounds that result in kidney stones.
How Frequently Should I Feed My Mice Tomatoes?
You should only feed your pet mice tomatoes as a treat. It should never be a regular diet. This is because feeding your mouse tomatoes every day may lead to body complications like the ones discussed above.
So, remember to feed your mouse only a tiny piece of tomato per day. This piece should be almost the size of the mouse’s head.
For clarity, you may consider using a tomato treat guide for pet mice.
Tomato Meal Plan for Pet Mice
Here is a suggested meal plan you can follow to feed your pet mice tomatoes properly:
| Breakfast | Lunch | Treat time | Supper |
| ¼ tablespoon of mouse pellets | Mixed fruits, including ¼ piece of a tomato | A small amount of mixed fruits | ¼ slice of boiled egg |
| ½ slice of whole-wheat bread | A ¼ slice of tomato | Beans and peas | ¼ tablespoon of mice pellets |
| Small amounts of veggies | ¼ Tablespoon of mice pellets | Mealworms | Mixed fruits including ¼ piece of a tomato |
Take Note:
Ensure the tomato is ripe, fresh, and clean. Also, remember to remove the seeds to prevent choking.
In addition, serve on clean surfaces and remove leftovers once mice are done eating.
What Other Types of Mice Eat Tomatoes?
Can Wild/Field Mice Eat Tomatoes?
Yes, wild mice eat tomatoes just like the pet ones. This is because wild mice are opportunistic feeders since they eat most of the fruits they come across.
So, they never hesitate to take several bites when they come across ripe tomatoes.
Can Fancy Mice Eat Tomatoes?
Yes, these breeds of mice are just like the pet ones and can eat tomatoes. However, the tomatoes must be ripe and juicy for them to eat.
Can Baby Mice Eat Tomatoes?
Yes, baby mice can eat tomatoes, but only in small amounts. That is because they can’t swallow large pieces of this fruit. Baby mice start eating tomatoes after around three weeks.
Tomatoes Alternatives
Pet mice can also eat other fruits apart from tomatoes. Some of the most common ones include:
- Apples
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Peaches
- Grapes
- Melon
- Strawberries
- Pears
- Bananas
Recap:
In summary, it is clear that pet mice eat tomatoes and enjoy them. However, you must not feed them this fruit regularly since it may cause:
- Digestion upset
- Obesity
- Allergic reactions
- Kidney stones
Nevertheless, Tomatoes still benefit pet mice in many ways, such as:
- Hydration
- Addition of minerals
- Addition of fiber
- Addition of vitamins
- General immune support
Now you know that pet mice can eat tomatoes, but do you know they can eat soap too? Sounds unhealthy, right?
I recommend you read our article—Do Mice Eat Soap?—to know more.
