How much do mice eat per day? - briefly
Adult laboratory mice ingest approximately 3–5 g of standard chow daily, about 10 % of their body weight. Consumption varies with strain, age, activity level, and diet composition.
How much do mice eat per day? - in detail
Mice consume a relatively small quantity of food each day, typically measured in grams per kilogram of body weight. Adult laboratory mice (≈20–30 g) ingest about 3–5 g of dry food daily, equivalent to 10–15 % of their body mass. This translates to roughly 0.15–0.25 kcal per gram of mouse, providing an energy intake of 3–4 kcal per day.
Key factors influencing intake:
- Age: Juvenile mice require higher protein percentages and may eat up to 6 g day⁻¹ during rapid growth.
- Sex: Males often ingest 5–10 % more than females of comparable size.
- Strain: Metabolic rates differ; for example, C57BL/6 mice consume ≈4 g day⁻¹, whereas BALB/c mice average ≈3 g day⁻¹.
- Diet composition: High‑fat formulations increase caloric density, reducing gram intake but maintaining energy levels.
- Environmental temperature: Cold environments elevate metabolic demand, raising food consumption by 15–20 %.
Feeding behavior is characterized by numerous short bouts throughout the light–dark cycle, with peak activity during the dark phase. Water intake parallels food consumption, averaging 4–6 ml day⁻¹ for a 25‑g mouse.
In wild settings, food availability and seasonal changes cause broader variability, with reported daily intakes ranging from 2 g to 8 g depending on resource abundance.