Learn What Shrews Eat

Shrews seem like rodents, especially mice. However, shrews are smaller and slender than mice and have pointed snouts that can move. Besides, they have small dot-like eyes covered by their fur. And their lifespan is less compared to rodents such as mice. They are the dwellers of the tropical environment around the parts of the world.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Because they are mammals, shrews enjoy myriad diets encompassing insects, animals, and plants. They have to eat a lot because they possess a high metabolic rate. Hence, they hunt for prey actively during the day and at night. The diet of shrews is omnivorous, but they are voracious feeders.

Insects and Animals

Wandering around for hunting purposes, shrews would spend the days and nights searching for food. Using their pointy snouts, shrews dig out the prey from the underground. They can sense the presence of the prey by their smell.

Besides, they use sharp teeth to chew the food items in their mouth. Shrews eat mice because shrews possess the venom which can fatally kill small rodents. Shrews eat dead animals, cat food, chicken eggs, rats, frogs, rabbits, mouse, and squirrels.

They also feast on a variety of other small animals. Given their voracious dietary habits, shrews eat meat, human food, dog food, dead mice, earwigs, birds, and snakes. Plus, shrews eat insects, worms, spiders, grasshoppers, ants, bees, beetles, cockroaches, earthworms, and mouse poison.

Along with these, shrews eat grubs, ladybirds, slugs, ticks, tarantulas, toads, and wasps. All in all, shrews can catch the prey and eat it as long as it fulfills the hunger needs of the shrews!

Fruit, Vegetables, and Plants

Although shrews are built to feed on insects, they also consume vegetation occasionally. Hence, they can forage on tons of plant-based food options.

Shrews eat plants, fruit, apples, berries, blackberries, shrubs, vegetables, and flowers as well. Plus, shrews eat bird seed, bulbs, bread, cheese, flies, fungi, food, nuts, peanut butter, and peanuts.

As for the plants and their parts, shrews eat plant roots, roots, seeds, sunflower seeds. Occasionally and if the opportunity presents itself, shrews eat other shrews as well.

How much do shrews eat?

They are small, but they must consume a great amount of food relative to their size. Hence, shrews eat as much as two hours in a day twice the size of their overall weight.

How do shrews eat their food?

Once shrews have got hold of the prey, they hold it in their clawed toes. They like to tear the prey apart using the toes of each foot. And then they feed on it using their sharp front teeth.

What shrews don’t eat?

Shrews don’t eat grass, short grass, lettuce, acorns, and dandelions. Besides these, shrews don’t eat fish, moles, owl, chipmunks, and voles. Shrews don’t eat garden plants, potatoes, tomatoes, clothes, or wood. This is why your garden vegetation is safe from these small voracious eaters.

ncG1vNJzZmijqaG8r7zOsJylpF6YvK571qGYrWWUpHq0tNGerqxllZbBcA%3D%3D