Mammal Web Page



Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Lagomorpha
Family	Leporidae
Genus	Sylvilagus
Species	floridanus

The cottontail rabbit is grayish brown above, with some scattered black. Their forehead often has a white spot. They have a short tail that is all white on the bottom. The cottontail's feet have a whitish color on the top and the rabbit has very long ears. Adult rabbits can reach 400-490 mm in length. The body of the cottontail as an adult ends up to be about 21.4 in. and they weigh up to 6 lbs. In most rabbits the tail measures from about 3/5 to 2 3/4 inches.

Cottontail rabbits live in brushy areas, old fields, and woods. They mostly like thickets and brush piles. During most of the day the rabbits like to rest in shallow depressions in the ground called forms. In cold weather when the snow is deep, the cottontail may take over other wild animals abandoned tunnels called runs.



They are found in the Eastern US including New England. They live in North Dakota, Kansas, Texas, and also in parts of New Mexico and Arizona.

The cottontail rabbit is a vegetarian also called herbivore. In the summer their favorite food is fresh green plants. About 50% of the cottontail's diet is grasses, including bluegrass and wild rye. Other summer favorites are wild strawberries, clovers, and garden vegetables. In the winter they like woody plant parts, twigs, bark, and buds of oak, dogwood, sumac, maple, and birch. Feed for 2-3 hours a day.

The mating season is from February through September. They normally have 3-4 litters each with 1-9 young. The cottontail rabbit's gestation period is 28-32 days. Before the kits are born their mother will rip out some of the hair from her belly and line the nest. When young are born their eyes are closed and they have no fur. After seven weeks the fur starts to grow. When they are born they weigh one ounce or less. The baby rabbits will stay in the nest for two to three weeks. The life as an adult begins when they are 6 months old. In the wild the cottontail might live to be three years old. In captivity they live to be about 10 years old.

In the winter the eastern cottontail rabbit needs woods chuck burrows for shelter. They need vegetation areas for food and a place to give birth to young. Rabbits also need to watch out for their enemies. They include foxes, wolves, weasels, owls, snakes, minks and most of all humans. When a rabbit is in numbers and an enemy is near they will charge at it. Rabbits rarely call for help but when they do they thump their hind legs on the ground.

The cottontail rabbit can hop 10-15 feet. They don't normally swim but will when they are forced to. These rabbits are primarily nocturnal. If no young are lost 350,000 offspring could be produced in 5 years. Rabbits will jump sideways to break their scent trail from enemies. The cottontail can run up to 20mph. The toes of the rabbit are webbed.

Negative- rabbits can cause damage in food areas. They bug gardeners, and farmers in the summer and are a threat to orchardists, foresters, and landscapers in the winter.

Positive- to humans rabbits are abundant and edible. They are hunted for sport , meat, and fur.

Description	Habitat	Range	Food	Life Cycle
Survival	Facts	Human Impact	References	Links