How much does a mouse eat per day? - briefly
An adult mouse typically consumes 3–5 g of food daily, representing roughly 10–15 % of its body weight. It drinks about 4–7 ml of water each day.
How much does a mouse eat per day? - in detail
Mice consume a small, measurable amount of food each day, typically ranging from 3 g to 5 g of dry matter for an adult laboratory or pet mouse weighing about 20 g. This quantity provides roughly 3 kcal to 4 kcal of energy, which corresponds to 15–20 kcal per 100 g of body weight—values consistent with the high metabolic rate of small rodents.
The precise intake varies with several physiological and environmental factors:
- Age and growth stage – Juveniles require more protein relative to their body weight to support rapid tissue development; they may eat up to 6 g day⁻¹ when supplied with a high‑quality diet.
- Reproductive status – Females during lactation can increase consumption by 50 % or more to meet the demands of milk production.
- Ambient temperature – Cold environments raise metabolic demand, prompting an increase of 0.5 g–1 g day⁻¹ for each 5 °C drop below thermoneutrality.
- Diet composition – High‑fat or high‑protein formulations reduce the total mass needed to meet caloric goals, while coarse, fibrous foods may increase bulk consumption.
- Activity level – Mice engaged in extensive exploration or wheel running may ingest up to 20 % more than sedentary counterparts.
Water intake aligns with food consumption; an adult mouse typically drinks 4 ml to 7 ml of water per day. When the diet includes moist components (e.g., fresh produce or gel-based feed), total liquid intake may decline correspondingly.
In laboratory settings, precise measurement of daily intake is achieved by providing weighed portions of standardized pellets and recording the residual mass after 24 h. For pet owners, offering a constant supply of nutritionally balanced pellets ensures that the mouse self‑regulates intake within the expected range, while supplemental treats should be limited to no more than 10 % of total calories.
Overall, a mouse’s daily food consumption is a function of body mass, metabolic requirements, and external conditions, averaging 3–5 g of dry feed, delivering 3–4 kcal, and accompanied by 4–7 ml of water. Adjustments to these baselines should reflect changes in growth, reproduction, temperature, and diet composition.