Foraging is the process by which mice search for and gather food to fuel their bodies. Mice are opportunistic and will eat a wide variety of foods depending on what’s available in their environment. However, they tend to gravitate toward certain foraging routes, feeding times, and strategies based on their instincts and learned behaviors.

In this Precise Termite & Pest Control article, we discuss feeding behavior in mice to help you understand mice feeding habits and prevent household infestations.

 

What Do Mice Eat?

Mice are omnivores and eat a varied diet with grains, fruits, seeds, vegetables, and meat. They may also eat non-food items like paper and fabric. These are highly adaptable pests that can survive on nearly anything available to them.

However, mice instinctively prefer high-energy foods that keep their bodies going strong for as long as possible. Foods that are high in protein, sugar, and fat are attractive to mice. Therefore, they are drawn to foods like peanut butter, cheese, and cereal.

 

When Do Mice Eat?

Mice feeding habits are also dictated by the time of day. Mice are naturally nocturnal, which means there is more nighttime feeding behavior in mice.

Mice are most active when there is low light, an adaptation they have developed to escape predators. Foraging often begins around dusk and continues until dawn the next morning. During the daytime, mice tend to be less active but may still move around in dark corners and spaces untouched by human activity.

 

How Often Do Mice Eat?

Behavioral studies show that mice usually eat between 15 and 20 times per day. They eat frequent, small meals, with just small amounts of food per eating session. Mice may snack every couple of hours throughout the night but also hoard food in hiding spots to stash it away for later.

 

Common Mice Feeding Habits

It is typical for mice to stick to established routes when foraging for food. They leave trails along walls and under furniture to access food, which may be marked with pheromones and urine. Mice stay along wall edges and furniture to protect themselves from potential predators and stay safe away from open spaces.

Mice are scavengers and will hunt for food scraps left behind in your kitchen and other parts of your home. They look for pet bowls, open containers of leftovers, and bird feeders for food sources.

Mice have good memories and can easily recall potential food source locations. Feeding behavior in mice is usually a solitary endeavor; however, mice living in colonies may forage in groups or communicate with other mice about where food exists.

Using This Knowledge to Prevent Mice Infestations

Now that you better understand the feeding behavior of mice, you can look for signs of mice foraging in your home. You might notice urine or fecal marks in active foraging locations or see gnawed materials in places where mice look for food. Inspect hidden areas of your home, such as behind furniture and inside drawers, to look for food stashes that mice have left behind.

Mice tend to spend more time foraging for food in the winter, so take seasonal changes into account as you inspect your home for signs of mice activity. Mice rely heavily on stored food in the winter when resources are scarcer. Therefore, you may have a better opportunity to find their food stashes when the weather is cold.

Precise Termite & Pest Control offers professional mice and rat removal services in northern New Jersey. Our highly skilled and trained exterminators understand mice feeding habits and know how to target mice populations at their food sources for the quickest and most effective results.

Please contact us online or call us at 866-971-2847 for your free mice inspection or to learn more about feeding behavior in mice.