Rabbits are lagomorphs, not rodents. Rabbits get around by hopping, and they eat only plants. A jackrabbit is not a rabbit. It is a hare. A baby hare is born with fur and open eyes and can hop soon after birth, but a baby rabbit is born without fur and cannot see.
Wild cottontail rabbits are brown or gray, with a white belly. A rabbit's front teeth never stop growing. A rabbit can move each of its big ears on its own to find where a sound is coming from. It can also see almost all the way around its head. It has a blind spot under its chin and in front of its nose.
A frightened cottontail can run up to 18 miles per hour, and it often zigzags as it goes. A cottontail that senses danger may freeze in place or dash away. A rabbit may thump its back feet on the ground to warn of danger. Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk. In the daytime, cottontails hide in thick bushes.
Some wild rabbits live in underground homes called warrens. A baby rabbit is called a kit. Baby cottontails are born with no fur, and they cannot see. A mother cottontail lines her nest with grass and her own fur. A mother rabbit stays away from her nest most of the day and visits only briefly to feed her babies. Baby cottontails open their eyes when they are about a week old. Young cottontails leave the nest when they are two to three weeks old.
A pet rabbit needs a lot of time and care. A pet rabbit can live for 8 to 12 years. Pet rabbits eat mostly hay. Never pick up a rabbit by its ears. A rabbit has a fragile backbone, so it must be held gently and kept from struggling.
Words to know
- hare: long-legged relative
- cottontail: wild rabbit
- warrens: underground rabbit homes
- kit: baby rabbit
The short version
Rabbits are lagomorphs, not rodents. They hop, eat only plants, and can see almost all the way around their heads. A frightened cottontail can run up to 18 miles per hour and often zigzags. Baby rabbits are born without fur and cannot see, and a mother visits her nest only briefly to feed them.
Quick facts
- Rabbits are lagomorphs, not rodents.
- A frightened cottontail can run up to 18 miles per hour, and it often zigzags as it goes.
- A rabbit's front teeth never stop growing.
- A jackrabbit is not a rabbit. It is a hare.
Is a rabbit a rodent?
No. Rabbits are lagomorphs, not rodents. A jackrabbit is not a rabbit either. It is a hare. A baby hare is born with fur and open eyes, but a baby rabbit is born without fur and cannot see.
What do rabbits eat?
Rabbits eat only plants. In winter, cottontails eat bark, twigs and buds. Pet rabbits eat mostly hay, and chewing hay helps wear down a rabbit's teeth, which never stop growing.
