peanuts/ sunflower seeds

Question
the other day i read that mice cannot eat peanuts or sunflower seeds and i was wondering if that was true because my mouse food has sunflower seeds and peanuts in it

Answer
Dear Kristen,

Mice love sunflower seeds.  They usually pick them out of the mouse food first.  You don't want to give them a lot of extra sunflower seeds, though, because they are fatty and the mice could get obese.  So it's wrong that mice can't eat sunflower seeds.

Peanuts are a common allergen in both people and mice. I feel it is safer not to give the mice peanuts and I usually take them out of the food, but they are actually fine for most mice.  However, it's up to you.  It's like chocolate for dogs-- and mice, by the way. You have probably heard that chocolate is poisonous to dogs, and people say the same about mice.  Yet I have had both a dog and a mouse who ate chocolate and were none the worse for it.  However when there is an allergy it can be a deadly one, which is why we avoid giving chocolate to either animal.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha