Vegetable

This is a list of vegetables you can feed to you pets, you should be careful to feed or you should even avoid. Always hold in mind the peculiarity of the nutrition of the species kept by you! About this you'll get further information in the portraits of the species.

The Aubergine (Solanum melongena) is a plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
It contains solanine which is toxic to mice. Don't offer it to them!

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris vulgaris var. conditiva) is a plant in the family of Amaranthaceae.
Its intense red colour derives from the glycoside betanine. Above that the root is high in folic acid, furthermore vitamins and potassium. It can store a low amount of nitrates. Because of its high content of oxalic acid you should offer only little of it. You mustn't feed it to pygmy dormice, it may cause serious diarrhea!
The colourant of beetroot is deposited within urine and faeces. These are red after feeding beetroot!

Nutrition content

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. silvestris) is a kind of cabbage from the family of Brassicaceae related to the cauliflower.
It is high in minerals as there are potassium, calcium, phosphor, iron, zinc and sodium. Above this it contains a mentionable amount of vitamin B1, B2, B6, E, C and ß-carotine. So it supports the immune defence.
Furthermore it contains a lot of phytochemicals. For one of these substances, sulforaphane, a cancer inhibiting effect was detected in animal and cell culture experiments.
The mice's favorit is the peeled stalk. But take care not to feed too much of it! It may cause flatulence.

Nutrition content

The carrot (Daucus carota ssp. sativus) belongs to the Apiaceae. It is the cultivated form of the wild carrot, which leaves you can feed as well as the ones of the cultivated carrot. It is high in calcium.
You can buy about 100 different cultivars of carrots which slightly differ in their nutrient content. In general carrots are high in fibre, minerals (especially selenium) and lipidsoluble β-carotine, a pre-stage of vitamin A which is essiental for healthy eyes. To make it easier to assimilate the β-carotine you can offer carrots with a bit oil on it.
However carrots also contain up to 6% sugar. That's why you have to be careful feeding it to sensitive species!
Please note: Carrots can colour the urine!

Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) is a variaty of the Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus) and it is a member of the family of Asteraceae.
This lettuce contains vitamin A and C and it is high in potassium. But the exterior leaves are also high in oxalic acid. So you should't feed too much of it and don't feed the exterior leaves. Don't feed it to pygmy dormice anyway!

Nutrition content

Corn salad (Valerianella locusta) is a member of the family of Valerianaceae.
You can offer it to all species. But salad from conventional agriculture often is loaded with pesticides. Prefer salad from organic agriculture!

Nutrtion content

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)is a member of the family of Cucurbitaceae.
It is high in moisture. That's why it is a favorite vegetable to offer during a longer transport. Above that it is high in potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin C.

Nutrition content

Endive (Cichorium endivia) belongs to the genus of Cichorium and is a typical lettuce in the late summer.
It is high in minerals as there are potassium, phosphor, calcium and iron. It is also high in vitamins of the B-class and the vitamin A and C. Furtermore it contains inulin which is diuretic and appetising.

Nutrition content

Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ssp.vulgare var. azoricum), also called finocchio, is the only plant of this genus in the family of Apiaceae.
It contains silicic acid and mineral salts. Above that it is high in vitamins of the B-class and in vitamin A and C.
You can offer leaves and the bulb. The essential oils have an positive effect on digestive disorders.
Florence fennel may colour the urine.
Take care: Fennel contains estragole. This substance had a carcinogen effect in animal experiments. So you'd better feed it only in cases of need to atke advantage of the medical effect.

Nutrition content

Girasol (Helianthus tuberosus), also sunchoke or Jerusalem artichoke, is a plant in the family of Asteraceae. So it is related to the sunflower.
The roots contain calcium, sodium and iron and above that vitamin A and C.
You can offer the whole plant (leaves, flowers and root) to your pets. It is perfect delicacy especially for voles.

Nutrition content (root)

Iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) is a variety of lettuce.
It is high in vitamin A but low in vitamin C, fibre and minerals.
You can offer it to all species, but prefer the one from organic agriculture!

Nutrition content

Leaf spinach are the leaves of the ordinary spinach (Spinacia oleracea) in the family of Amaranthaceae.
It is high in minerals and micronutrients as there are potassium, calcium and zinc. It also contains vitamins B, C and β-carotene. Its content of protein is also worth mentioning.
Contrary to the vernacular spinach is not especially high in iron.
Less common is the fact that spinach accumulates nitrate from the soil. That's why you better feed spinach from organic agriculture.
Generally you shouldn't feed too much spinach because it is high in oxalic acid (800mg). Never offer it to pygmy dormice!

Nutrient content

Maize (Zea mays mays) also known as corn is a big-seeded cereal from the family of Poaceae, hailing from Mexiko.
You can offer the leaves and the corn cob (fresh or dried). If you offer fresh maize offer only small amounts of it and take care that no pesticides are used in the fields you take the leaves from.
Avoid to feed tinned maize!

Nutrition content

Mangold (Beta vulgaris vulgaris var. vulgaris), also knows as chard, belongs to the family of Chenopodiaceae and is related to sugar beet and beetroot.
Mangold is especially high in vitamin K but it also contains vitamine A and E. These vitamins are liposoluble so put a drop of oil on it when you offer it to your mice. Furthermore it contains sodium, magnesium, potassium and iron.
On the negative side is the content of nitrates and oxalic acid. Because of that you should offer only little of it. Never offer it to pygmy dormice because it may cause life-threatening diarrhea!

Nutrition content

Bell peppers are of the genus (Capsicum), which belongs to the family of Solanaceae which is famous to be toxic. Nearly all species you can buy in Europe belong to Capsicum annuum. The genus hails from Central and South America.
Bell peppers are a cocktail of different substances. An essential oil makes it taste and it can contain up to 6% sugar. Furthermore it is high in vitamin C and minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium. The intense colour of red and yellow hulls derives from carotinoides, the spicy taste derives from capsaicine.
Don't feed too much bell pepper because lots of it may cause diarrhea. Always remove the stalk completely because it contains the toxin solanine.

Nutrition content

The Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable related to the carrot and also grows in the wild in Central Europe. As a cultivated plant the nutritive root is harvested in winter.

Nutrtion content

The potatoe (Solanum tuberosum) belongs to the family of Solanaceae which is famous to be toxic. Actually green spots, sprouts and leaves are toxic. You mustn't feed these parts! The starch of uncooked potatoes is indegestive and nearly all rodents avoid uncooked potatoes. But if you offer cooked ones most mice will like it. But don't feed too much of it and too often.
About 1% of the potatoe consistis of minerals and micronutrients like sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphor and iron. It also contains vitamine A, C and the B-class. In addition to that it contains little of biologically high class protein.

Nutrition content |Carbohydrate|15 %|

Pumpkins (Cucurbita) are a genus of Cucurbitaceae and belong to berries botanically.
You can feed every variety that is fit for humans, too.
The pumpkin species contain to a different extent potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphor, iron, zinc, carotinoides and vitamins of the B-clas and vitamin C and E.

Nutrition content (marrow)

Radicchio is a leaf chicory and belongs to Cichorium intybus var. foliosum.
This lettuce contains amongst others vitamin A and C and it is high in potassium. However, the leaves are also high in oxalic acid. So don't feed too much of it and don't offer the exterior leaves. Never offer it to pygmy dormice!

Nutrition content

Rutabaga (Brassica napobrassica), also called swede or yellow turnip, belong to the Brassicaceae.
It's a nutritive winter vegetable and it's relatively high in sugar, especially dextrose. Above that it contains sulphureous essential acids, minerals, carotine and vitamine A, B1, B2 and C and also nicotinic acid amides.

Nutrition content

Salad (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) is a variety of lettuce.
Unfortunately salad is often loaded with nitrates, especially when the come from greenhouses in winter. So you better offer salad from organic agriculture!

Nutrition content

The more than 2500 varieties of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) belong to the family of Solanaceae which is famous to be toxic. Actually green spots, sprouts and leaves are toxic. So remove green pieces completely from the tomato. Offer small amounts of the deep red pulp only.
If you feed too much, your mice may fall ill with diarrhea. Don't offer it to pygmy dormice at all. It may cause life-threatening diarrhea!
Tomatoes contain vitamin A, B1, B2, C, E and niacine, phytochemicals and minerals, especially potasium, and micronutrients.

Nutrition content

The Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo convar. Giromontina), also called courgette, is a sub-species of the marrow.
It contains potassium, calcium, phosphor and iron, above that vitamin A and C.

Nutrition content

Sources
www.wikipedia.de
www.naehrwertrechner.de
www.diebrain.de/ma-frischfutter.html

Translation
Angelus Noctis
Proofreading
Jedediah