animal of the week

Learn more about the birds and mammals FLWC rehabs. Each week we'll highlight a new animal on our web site, visit often to see each one!

Eastern Cottontail

Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus and Species: Sylvilagus floridanus

Eastern Cottontails usually appear gray or brownish gray with a rust-colored spot at the back of the neck and a light-colored underside. Their common name comes from their short, white fluffy tail which resembles a cotton ball. They are solitary and very territorial, and usually nocturnal but may be seen foraging during the day. Fun Fact: The Eastern Cottontail can run up to 15 mph and leap a distance of 15 feet.

Range & Habitat: The Eastern Cottontail rabbit is the most common and widespread rabbit species in North America. They are native to most areas of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and parts of Mexico and South America, but have also been introduced into other areas of the country. They prefer habitats with plenty of cover such as thick brush or tall grass, and can also be found in urban and suburban lawns and gardens.

Reproduction & Life Cycle: Eastern Cottontails are often the victims of predators such as coyotes, wolves and raptors as well as human activities, and most do not live more than a year in the wild. Rabbits make up for this high mortality rate by having lots of babies. Depending on region and food availability, a female Cottontail can produce up to five or six litters a year, with an average of five young per litter. Mating occurs between February and September and involves a unique courtship “dance” in which a male and female leap and spin in the air. Before giving birth, the female constructs a shallow nest in the ground lined with grass and soft fur from her body. After about one month, the baby rabbits, or kits are born blind and nearly hairless. A mother cottontail will stay away from the nest for most of the day to avoid attracting predators. This can lead many well-meaning people to believe that she has abandoned her babies and they are in need of rescue when they are actually being cared for. After a week their eyes open, and after about three weeks they are old enough to survive on their own. At about three months of age they are ready to mate.

Diet: Eastern Cottontails will eat a variety of plants including clover, fruits and vegetables in the summer and tree bark in the winter, and are often responsible for damage to gardens and landscaping.

Conservation status: Eastern Cottontails are common throughout their range.

Rescue & Rehabilitation: Healthy baby Eastern Cottontail Rabbits are often mistaken for orphans and stolen from their nests to be brought to rehabilitators. A mother cottontail will only visit her nest twice a day - at dusk and dawn - and only spends moments feeding her babies each time. If a mother senses humans in the immediate area she will not visit the nest so as not to draw attention to her young.

Young rabbits are easily stressed in a rehab enviroment, and have a much greater chance for survival when raised in the wild. If you are worried that you may have found an abandoned nest, please take the following precautions to ensure that the rabbits are orphaned before removing them from their natural environment:

Place string or small twigs across the nest opening in the form of an X. Re-check the nest in the morning, if the X has been disturbed, the mother has visited the nest and the babies are fine. If the string or twigs have not been disturbed it is possible that the young have been abandoned.

If you find a nest of abandoned cottontails, please contact FLWC for further instruction. It is important not to give baby mammals any food or water without consulting a licensed rehabilitator.

A nest of healthy babies will leave the nest after a few weeks. Mark the nest site so that you can mow around it, and keep children and domestic pets away from the nest during this time.

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