What Are Apples?

We are probably all familiar with apples, however, below is a quick synopsis of the apple...

For thousands of years, the apple has been one of the world's most widely grown and beloved fruits. That's because the apple has a lot to offer. It is relatively inexpensive and available year-round, and it can be eaten raw, cooked, canned, made into cider or dried. It's packed with vitamins (A and C) and fiber and it's full of natural sugars, which makes it a great choice for mice with diabetes.

The apple is the pomaceous (fruit of a plant in the rose family) fruit of the apple tree, "Malus" in Latin. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, "Malus sieversii," is still found today. It spread through cultivation to Europe in pre-Roman times, and was greatly respected for its medicinal properties.

For more information on mice and apples see below

Do Mice Like Apples?

In most areas of the country, rats and mice are considered a nuisance at best and a serious health hazard at worst. In most cases, the animals are unwanted and make their way into our homes or businesses by accident.

In other instances, though, the rodents are all too welcome, and we allow them to enter out of a sense of compassion.

Rodents, such as rats and mice, love fruit and berries. They consume these foods at every opportunity they get in the wild, and this also holds true in the situations when they are found in the wild.

Which Type of Apples

Out of all the members of the rodent kingdom, rats and mice are among the most adaptable regarding habitat and diet. That, in large part, is why they have managed to be a persistent nuisance from the dawn of humanity.

The problem lies in the fact that mice and rats will eat just about anything humans eat and are happy to coexist with us in just about every environment.

As humans eat apples mice will like them too. So any apple that you will eat (And more mouldy ones too) will be fine for your mouse too!

Why Eat Apples

Mice aren’t particular about what they eat and are generally scavengers, but they will eat apples if they find them. (If you find mouse droppings in your home, don’t assume you have a mouse problem if they aren’t found inside food containers.)

They are attracted to the fragrance of apples, their small size makes them easy to transport, and they are soft and easy to chew.

Mice and apples go together like peanut butter and jelly, and with so many varieties of apples available, the question isn’t “whether” mice like apples, but “which” apples? The truth is, mice will eat just about any kind of apple that’s given to them, but they tend to prefer red apples over green apples, and sweet apples over tart apples.

Nutritional Value Of Apples

Apples contain a lot of sugar, and should be given in small amounts to your mice!

One medium apple contains 3 grams of fiber, and, as you know, fiber helps to provide a feeling of fullness. Apples also contain a compound called phloridzin, which slows the rate at which apples turn into sugar in your mouse body. This is also beneficial to fullness and appetite control. Apples are also a great source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals.

• A diet rich in plant foods can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease by reducing blood pressure, inflammation and cholesterol levels.
  
  
• When it comes to controlling blood sugar levels, the apple may be a particularly potent fruit. A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry indicates that flavonoids in apples may protect cells from damage in the pancreas, an organ responsible for secreting insulin in response to extra sugar in the blood.
  
  
• Apples are an excellent food to help control mice weight. As a matter of fact, many clinical studies have shown that foods rich in soluble fiber help people feel full and satisfied after eating, helping them eat less overall. The high fiber content of apples is a major contributor to this effect.
  
  
• Research suggests that fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants in apples can help to prevent cancer. Studies also show that these same phytochemicals and antioxidants in apples may protect a cell’s DNA from oxidative damage, which is a precursor to cancer.

Serving Size And How To Feed?

1 or 2 slices 3 or 4 times a week

Mice love to eat a variety of different fruits. Some mice will develop desires to individual items, but you can offer your mouse bananas ,apples, pears, peaches, plums, melons, oranges, and berries just to name a few.

There are several reasons that mice like to eat fruit. First, fruit tastes good to them, but it is also more than just a tasty treat. Fruit is also high in water and fiber, making it a great way for your mouse to stay hydrated. Water is essential for the overall well-being of a mouse, as it helps keep the body cool and functioning properly. Also, fruit can help keep your mouse regular as it provides the roughage that he needs to keep his poo health

No poisonous look-a-likes for Apples

It is unlikely but the manchineel tree is a peculiar-looking tree with broad, smooth, ash-gray trunks and dark-green, glossy, oval leaves.

Its curious appearance has earned it the title “tree of death,” and its bark-like fruit is so toxic that it has been known to kill all nearby fish in a pond at the slightest touch of its boughs.

Manchineel is native to the Caribbean, the U.S. in the state of Florida, The Bahamas, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

Side effect of Apples for Mice

Among the most important lessons every pet-owner should learn at some point is that the flesh of an apple is safe for mice to eat.

However; you should never let your mouse eat apple seeds. Apple seeds are toxic and lethal in large enough quantities.

Mice and Water

Mice do not need a lot of water. However you should always have water available for you mouse.

The rodent species most commonly associated with farms and granaries is the house mouse, often seen in movies scurrying around the pantry and stealing food. Mice are omnivores that eat both plants and animals. They do not need much water; they get most of their water requirements from their food. Farms and granaries are often infested with mice as they eat large quantities of stored seed and grains.

Pesticides

Always wash the skin on apples to clean pesticides off.

EWG researchers analyzed 153 samples of whole apples and peeled apples that were bought in stores in 2016. They found that 40 percent of the samples had one or more pesticides. Diphenylamine, a formaldehyde-releasing preservative, was found on a third of the apples.

How To Consume Apples

Apples Leaves And Tops

Mice do not really eat apple leaves and tops, they may use the leaves to make there nest.

Fresh Apples

Mice love apples, or most do! Mice may not be able to speak to you directly, but they can still tell you what they like and don't like. If your mouse only eats the fruit and not the vegetables, even if it is the only thing you have left to feed it, you know that fruits are a big hit.

Dehydrated Apples

The word 'dried' is just a euphemism for concentrated or shrunken . When you remove moisture from something, you concentrate its other ingredients and usually make it more concentrated (or 'drier'). That's what happens with dried fruit. The fruit is picked, cleaned, and then dried in a way that concentrates the flavor. But it also concentrates the sugar and acid levels in the fruit.

Apples are the same as fresh apples, but condensed meaning the sugars are also condensed. So do not give mice dehydrated apples

Frozen Apples

Frozen apples will be good in the summer when the heat is too much for your mouse. It is the same as fresh apples but chilled.

Cooked Apples

Cooked apples are fine, but no added sugar and wait for them to go cold before feeding your mouse

Apples Jam

Apple jam is bad for rabbits as it contains a lot of sugar. Avoid, as sugar leads to tooth decay and a fat rabbit. 

​Steamed Apples

Steamed apples are again ok for your mice, however I sure they would like a fresh apple. When steamed, let them go cold before feeding them

Roasted Apples

Roasted apples are again ok for your mice, however I sure they would like a fresh apple. When roasted, let them go cold before feeding them

Apples Crisps

Apple crisp may look taste, but they are not. These will have a lot of fat. Treat once a month if you want to give rabbits these.

Apple Sauce

Again they have a lot of sugars, similar to apple jam. Avoid if possible

Apple Seeds

NO. Apple seed contain cyanide which will kill just about everything

Apple Tea

Apples tea is OK for your mouse. Before feeding it, let it go cold and no sugar

Apple Puree

Similar to apple jam, and should be avoided and the are to sweet for you rabbits.

Wild Apples 

Wild crabapples are an important winter food source for rodents. But if you have crabapple trees in your yard, don't believe what you've heard about using them to keep your yard free of mice. "There is no evidence that crabapples actually repel mice. They are, however, a natural food source for mice and other small mammals"

Wild crabapples are good to feed your mouse, as long as you follow the number of slices 1-2 per day, 3-4 times a week.

Apples Root

Apples roots are full of vitamins etc. They may taste bitter, but if you mouse like the taste then the will be fine for them.

Mice And Apples Conclusion:

Your mouse is a tiny mammal, and like all mammals, it needs calories to power its body. What is a calorie? It’s a unit of energy, like a food on fire—if it’s too hot, it will burn.

If it’s too cold, it will freeze. And if it’s just right, it will give off heat and keep the mouse warm. There are three main sources of calories in the wild: plants, insects, and the fat contained in other animals. A mouse can get all of the calories it needs from just one of these sources. 

So, what should you do? Luckily, your mouse doesn’t need to live a life of fruitless solitude, there are plenty of other foods out there that not only look good, but taste even better

Other Questions

How Long Do Pet Mice Live & How to Make Them Live Longer

The lifespan of your pet mice depends on their breeding, diet, and environment. Anywhere from 9-12 months is typical for pet mice, with the rare mouse living up to 2 years.

The lifespan of mice that are bred for long life and health, as opposed to those bred for 'looks', can be as much as 18 months. Mice that are fed a high protein diet that is rich in vitamins and nutrients typically live longer.

See - How Long Do Pet Mice Live

Do Mice like Dandelions

Do Mice like Dandelions? That's the question on our minds today, and while there are plenty of anecdotal stories of mice and dandelions, there's precious little hard evidence.

Or is there? We're going to look at the evidence for and against whether mice like dandelions, and then you can decide for yourself how to proceed.

See - Do Mice like Dandelions