Can Rabbits Eat Cranberries? – 3 Important Things You Should Know

We all love our bunnies, and want to make sure they are eating the best food possible. So can rabbits eat cranberries? The answer is yes, in moderation.

Cranberries are a great source of Vitamin C and other nutrients that can benefit your bunny’s health. However, too much cranberry consumption can lead to gastrointestinal problems. So be sure to only give your bunny a small handful of cranberries at a time. With that said, go ahead and enjoy those delicious berries yourself! Who knows, maybe you’ll get some antioxidant benefits too!

Can Rabbits Eat cranberries?

Cranberries are native to North America and can be grown on cranberry bogs. The water of the ocean surrounding the northern hemisphere is cold, so it has a lower surface tension. This allows cranberries to grow because they require fresh water which high surface tension could not support.

Wild cranberries are small with a sour taste, while domesticated cranberries are larger, sweeter, and more intensely red in color. As you may have guessed by now there are no standards for what types of berries or other foods rabbits can or cannot eat except that vegetables should make up most of their diet (see Vegetables for Rabbits ).

The only way to know for sure whether your rabbit can safely eat cranberries is to check the ingredients list on the back of the package. If cranberry juice concentrate, grape juice concentrate, or other forms of fruit juice is listed as a first ingredient then your rabbit may not be able to eat it at all.

Rabbits don’t need much vitamin C which is why they can get away with eating fruits that have a high concentration of it like oranges and strawberries (see Safe Fruits for Rabbits ). Cranberries on the other hand are extremely high in vitamin C.

This means that if a package of berries lists cranberries as its main ingredient then chances are very good it’s not safe for your rabbit to eat even though you already knew from reading this article that rabbits cannot eat cranberries. As long as their isn’t any form of fruit or vegetable juice in the ingredients list though your rabbit should be able to eat it.

At what age can rabbits eat cranberries?

Like nearly everything else in the world, rabbits grow up to be able to eat cranberries. When they are young though their digestive systems are not well equipped to handle dried fruit because they are still developing (see Safe Fruits for Rabbits ).

If you were to feed your baby bunny a few cranberries right now it would probably make them sick with diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems They are able to eat when they are 3-4 weeks old and reach a point of physical maturity at 2-3 months old.

How much cranberries should a rabbit eat?

A handful, no more than an ounce per pound, of body weight is usually enough for any treat with most vegetables since they are so low in calories (see Vegetables for Rabbits ).

Cranberries weigh 1/4 oz per cup which means your average over 800g bunny will only get around 2 cups of cranberries every day while treats like raisins need closer to 1/16th of a cup which is around 80g (see Vegetables for Rabbits ).

12 weeks: 1/4 oz per pound of body weight or 1/8th of a cup for an average sized 800g bunny

3 months old: 3 cups every day.

Are cranberries Good For Rabbits?

Being so rich in Vitamin C the nutritional values of cranberries make them very beneficial to rabbits.

One 8 oz glass of unsweetened cranberry juice has: 113 calories, 2 g protein, and 26 grams sugar. Also contains: Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, thiamin or vitamin B1, riboflavin or vitamin B2, niacin or vitamin B3, pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 and folates or folic acid. Cranberries also contain minerals such as calcium carbonate, iron oxide and manganese sulfate

Nutritional Benefits of cranberries for rabbits

Vitamin C is crucial for healthy muscle, bone, skin, blood vessels and the linings of your stomach and intestines. Healthy levels of vitamin C also helps boost immune function which will help protect your rabbit from catching diseases.

Cranberry Juice has high amounts of antioxidant properties which can help fight free radicals that are linked to cancer.

Some studies have shown that cranberry juice may help prevent kidney stones in humans which is great news since so many rabbits tend to die from kidney problems (see Risks associated with Chronic Renal Failure ).

Since these studies haven’t been replicated or verified on rabbits though it’s best not to let any preconceived notions interfere with how you maintain your rabbits health.

Healthy alternative to cranberries for rabbits and their benefits

Some healthy Alternatives are: Blueberries: Blueberries contain more fiber, Vitamin K and manganese.

Blueberries also have antioxidants but lack the Vitamin C cranberries have.

Raspberries: raspberries Contain more vitamin C, Vitamin E and beta carotene than Cranberries. They do however contain a lot of sugar so it’s best to limit their intake to only when on the “OK Treats” list on our Vegetables for Rabbits article.

nectarines: Contain more vitamin C and potassium than cranberries. They also have a considerable amount of carbohydrates so they should be limited to only when on the “OK Treats” list for vegetables on our Vegetables for Rabbits article.

Apple: Sweet apples are healthy but tart apples contain too much sugar since the fiber content is extremely low.

Peaches: Like nectarines peaches can be both sweet or tart so it’s important to pay attention to which your bunny eats. However, they do contain more sugar than cranberries so it’s best to limit their intake if you plan on feeding them twice a day.

Peas: Peas have lots of Vitamin C as well as Vitamin A and vitamin K but because they’re legumes they’re harder to digest so limit their intake if your bunny suffers from digestion problems.

Squash: Have more Vitamin A and beta carotene than cranberries but are much lower in Vitamin C. Carrots, Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Bananas & Cantaloupe all contain high amounts of sugar so it’s best to limit their intake or avoid feeding them altogether.

oranges: Oranges Contain high Vitamin C and potassium as well as low amounts of sugar.

Brewer’s yeast: can be used as a good replacement for cranberries since it also has high amounts of Vitamin C (see Vegetables for Rabbits ). You can sprinkle brewer’s yeast on top of your rabbit’s food or mix it into some yogurt, applesauce or apple butter instead.

Brewer’s yeast are dried flakes produced during the brewing process so they don’t contain any alcohol but they do have a nutty flavor similar to mushrooms. Rabbit food can be great nutrition for you too just remember that even human foods need measures in moderation. Also don’t forget that fresh vegetables are your rabbit’s number 1 source of nutrition so don’t neglect them just because they’re not as popular with people .