Cranberries for cavies - eating, choosing, freezing and storing

Most cavy owners know that their piggies can eat strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. It may come as a surprise to find out that guinea pigs can also eat cranberries!

Of course, cranberries should be given fresh and uncooked - steer clear of dried cranberries, which can be high in sugar. Also, cranberries can be cut in half to make it easier for your pig to eat. As an added benefit, it is well known in the cavy community that plain, natural, unsweetened cranberry juice can help if your guinea pig is prone to UTIs (urinary tract infections).

Since cranberries are a seasonal fruit that are typically only available during the fall and winter months, our humans buy several packages at once to freeze for us to eat later. First they go through all the cranberries, making sure to pick out and discard any that are soft, shriveled, squishy or discolored.

Cranberries to keep are on the left, berries to discard are on the towel to the right

 The remaining cranberries are washed and thoroughly dried.

Good cranberries should be a vibrant red color and firm to the touch

 The dried cranberries can then be put into a tightly sealed plastic bag, and stored in the freezer for up to a year. This makes it easy for you to grab a few to give to your piggy when needed. Just make sure to let the frozen cranberries thaw first!

Cranberries ready to go in the freezer

More info regarding UTIs and cranberries:
GuineaLynx - UTI
GuineaLynx - Raw cranberries