Mice are common household pests, highly adaptable and able to thrive in diverse environments. They are omnivores, consuming a wide range of foods, and seeds form a significant part of their diet. This dietary preference contributes to their remarkable adaptability.
Why Mice Seek Out Seeds
Seeds are highly attractive to mice due to their concentrated nutritional value. Their caloric density makes seeds a preferred food source, fueling their high metabolism and energy demands. Mice consume a variety of common seeds, including grains like wheat, oats, and corn, along with garden seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin, and flax.
Mice access seeds in diverse settings, from natural environments like fields and forests to human-dominated areas. In agricultural landscapes, they target grain storage and fields. Within residential areas, mice frequently raid pantries, bird feeders, and sheds where plant products are stored. Their keen sense of smell helps them locate these food sources.
More Than Just Seeds: A Mouse’s Diet
While seeds are a primary food source, a mouse’s diet is broad and opportunistic, reflecting their omnivorous nature. Beyond seeds and grains, mice consume insects, fruits, vegetables, fungi, and human food scraps. Their diet varies significantly based on environmental availability.
Urban mice often consume human-associated foods like packaged cereals, pasta, and garbage. Rural and wild mice, conversely, rely more on natural foods, including nuts, berries, and various plant parts. They also eat insects like crickets, beetles, and larvae. This dietary flexibility allows mice to survive and proliferate in diverse habitats.
Keeping Seeds Safe from Mice
Protecting seeds from mice requires proactive measures and diligent management. Proper storage is a primary defense; seeds and other food items should be kept in airtight, rodent-proof containers made of metal or thick plastic, as mice can chew through cardboard and thin plastic. Sealing entry points into homes and other structures is also important, as mice can squeeze through openings as small as a dime. Inspecting utility pipes, vents, and windows for gaps and sealing them with materials like steel wool or caulk can prevent access.
Maintaining cleanliness, both indoors and outdoors, reduces attractants. Promptly cleaning up food spills, avoiding free-feeding pets, and managing compost heaps can deter mice. For gardens, physical barriers like fine mesh netting or chicken wire can protect planted seeds and seedlings. Other methods include using strong scents as deterrents, or employing traps for existing issues.