Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Yes, mice can eat strawberries as a treat. The Vet Desk says strawberries are safe for mice, but that a mouse needs at most 0.5 to 1 g (0.02 to 0.035 oz) of fruit a day, while one small strawberry weighs 5 to 7 g. So give a piece about the size of your little fingernail, once or twice a week, washed and with the green top removed.
| Safe? | Yes, as a treat |
| How much | A fingernail-sized piece, 0.5 to 1 g (0.02 to 0.035 oz) |
| How often | Once or twice a week |
| Best served | Fresh, washed, green top off, cut small |
| Watch out for | Loose droppings, weight gain |
Are strawberries safe for mice?
Yes. The Vet Desk confirms mice can eat strawberries, and Woodgreen lists them among the fruit treats it gives mice. Strawberries are lower in sugar than many fruits, which makes them one of the better choices.
Their famous vitamin C doesn't matter much here. The Vet Desk notes mice make their own, so the benefit is mostly negligible. Strawberries are a treat for the taste and the foraging fun, not a health food.
How much strawberry can a mouse have?
A fingernail-sized piece per mouse, once or twice a week. One small strawberry does a group of five or six mice.
The Vet Desk puts a mouse's whole daily food at 3 to 5 g (0.1 to 0.18 oz), and says a mouse needs at most 0.5 to 1 g (0.02 to 0.035 oz) of fruit a day. RSPCA Australia treats fruit as a treat, not a staple, and keeps all treats under 10% of a mouse's calories. The RSPCA adds that fresh food should come out of the daily allowance, not be piled on top.
How to prepare strawberries
- Wash it well. The Vet Desk says to rinse the strawberry thoroughly.
- Take off the green top. Remove the stalk and leaves.
- Cut it small. Fingernail-sized pieces, one per mouse.
- Scatter and check. Scatter the pieces to encourage foraging, then clear leftovers and nest stashes within 10 hours, as PetMD advises.
A strawberry piece is a good taming treat. Offer it from your open hand, and let your mice come to you for it.
Leaves, frozen, dried and other forms
- Fresh strawberry flesh: yes.
- Green tops and leaves: we take them off. No mouse source we trust covers the leaves, and the red flesh is the part mice want.
- Frozen: yes, fully thawed and unsweetened.
- Dried or freeze-dried strawberry: a crumb only, if unsweetened. The sugar is concentrated.
- Jam, strawberry yoghurt, milkshake, sweets: no. RSPCA Australia says mice should avoid sugary foods and dairy.
Who should avoid them?
The Vet Desk suggests checking with a vet before adding strawberries for a mouse with existing health problems, and too much new fruit can upset any stomach. Skip fruit for overweight mice and any with loose droppings.
What to offer instead
Swap between blueberries, raspberries and a sliver of watermelon, and add veg such as kale. For the full list see what can mice eat, the pet mouse diet guide and our pet mouse care guide.
Strawberry questions
Can mice eat strawberry leaves?
We take them off. No welfare or vet source we trust says strawberry leaves are good for mice, and the Vet Desk's own preparation advice is to remove the stalk. The red flesh is the part mice enjoy, so there is nothing lost by trimming the top.
Can mice eat strawberries every day?
We wouldn't. The Vet Desk says fruit should not be a main food and recommends only a small piece now and then. RSPCA Australia keeps all treats under 10% of calories. Once or twice a week, rotated with other fruit and plenty of vegetables, is the better pattern.
Do mice like strawberries?
Most do, because they are sweet and soft. That is also why portions need watching: mice will happily fill up on fruit and leave their nuggets, which can leave them short of the nutrients a complete food provides.
