When mice enter human spaces, their diet shifts to include whatever food is available. These small mammals are naturally opportunistic foragers, consuming a wide variety of plant and seed materials to survive. The question of whether raw potatoes are part of this adaptable diet is relevant for anyone storing produce in a basement or pantry. Understanding the feeding habits of mice helps in both pest control and food storage methods.
Do Mice Really Eat Raw Potatoes?
Mice will indeed consume raw potatoes, especially when preferred food sources like seeds, grains, and softer fruits are scarce. While a firm, starchy tuber may not be their first choice, their persistent need to forage and gnaw makes potatoes a viable target. Mice can easily find potatoes grown in the garden or stored in cellars, as they are capable of digging into the soil or accessing storage areas.
Their consumption is characterized by distinct gnaw marks, which appear as two short, parallel scrape marks on the flesh of the tuber. Mice use their sharp incisors to access the starchy interior, often leaving the potato with only a few bite marks. They frequently target tubers in the garden, particularly if mulched with straw, which offers them shelter.
The Hidden Danger of Raw Potatoes: Solanine
The consumption of raw potatoes carries a significant risk due to natural toxins known as glycoalkaloids, primarily alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine. These compounds are part of the potato plant’s defense system against pests and are concentrated in the peel, sprouts, and green areas. Glycoalkaloid concentration can increase significantly if the potato is stored improperly, exposed to light, or damaged.
Alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine are toxic to mammals, including mice, by disrupting cell membranes and affecting the nervous system. Animal studies show that exposure can lead to symptoms like internal hemorrhaging, edema, and gastrointestinal distress. While the oral toxicity dose for mice is relatively high, the risk of toxicity is especially pronounced in potatoes that have been stored for long periods or those that are visibly green or sprouting.
Practical Context: Potatoes as Bait or Storage Risk
Potatoes as Bait
Raw potatoes are a poor choice for bait in traps because mice have a low preference for them when more appealing food sources are available. Using foods with a higher fat or sugar content, such as peanut butter or seeds, is generally more effective for pest control. The potential presence of solanine also makes the outcome of using raw potatoes as bait unpredictable, as the mouse may simply be deterred or sickened rather than captured.
Storage Risk Management
For storage, the most effective preventative measure is to make the potatoes inaccessible to rodents. Storing tubers in a cool, dark, and dry area helps minimize the development of solanine and prevents sprouting, which is where the toxin is concentrated. Using containers made of metal or heavy-duty plastic with secure, tight-fitting lids will prevent mice from gnawing their way in, as they can easily chew through cardboard or standard plastic bags. If potatoes are found with bite marks, they should be discarded due to the risk of contamination from mouse droppings and the possibility of ingesting high levels of glycoalkaloids.