Will Rats Eat Mice?
WouterWhen you feed rats and mice, it is best to use sealable containers. Often, we keep our pet foods in unsecured bins, which makes them easily accessible to rodents. Also, make sure you keep leftovers in sealed trash cans. Don’t use plastic bags to store pet food; these act like a tablecloth for rodents. Rats and mice will also eat garbage scraps, which include bread crumbs, fruit and meat remnants, and even cheese.
Rats and mice both eat meat, but they prefer fruit, grains, and seeds. Although they are omnivores, they will also eat dead mice. You can avoid feeding mice by keeping fruits and vegetables out of their reach. Keeping your fruit and vegetables out of the reach of rats will discourage them from attacking humans and their homes.
Rats and mice are not obligate predators, but they will kill mice if they have to. Mice are a valuable source of food for rats, so they are a prime target. Rats will bite the mouse’s head and neck to finish the fight. Usually, a rat will choose to kill a mouse only if it is easy to kill it.
Rats typically kill mice by attacking them with their first bite. Their bites can hit the mouse’s head, neck, or upper back. The key to rat hunting is to deal with the prey as quickly as possible. Mice often rear up their hind legs and try to get away from the rat.
