Mice: The Other White Meat

Traditionally, mouse sales at the Chau Hung Town, Vietnam, markets have gone to python owners. Now, mice are a delicacy and restaurants have increased their demand, raising prices on the rodents. One dealer sells 4 to 5 tons of mice every day. (News source.)

"She said mouse prices usually rose during the Mekong Delta's flooding season so python breeders were often priced out. True enough.
"Within 30 minutes, tens of python breeders were shaking their heads with disappointment because they couldn't buy mice at An's stall.
"'Mice in the U Minh District are favored most because they are fat but gentle,' An said. 'People don't like the kinds of mice that live in forests and are thin and savage.'" ...

"Restaurant chefs are fond of giant mice because of their tasty meat.
"'Now people fear bird flu if eating chicken and duck meat and the "blue-ear disease" of pigs if eating pork,' said Diem, the owner of a restaurant which specializes in field mouse dishes.
"'It's safer to eat mice.'" ...

"He said his job was dangerous because snakes also hunt for mice at night.
"He's often seen snakes lying in wait outside mouse nests and once he trod on a snake's tail.
"Many mouse hunters quit after being bitten by poisonous snakes."