What do cottontail rabbits eat in the wild?

Favorite Foods In summer cottontails eat grasses, sedges, clovers, and the shoots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds of many different plants. Their favorites include goldenrod, plantain, chickweed, sheep sorrel, buttercup, smartweed, wild strawberry, cinquefoil, and violet.

What do cottontail rabbits get eaten by?

Fast on their feet Cottontail rabbits are prey for a variety of predators — coyotes, owls, hawks, foxes, skunks, raccoons, snakes, weasels, opossums, cats and dogs. They usually freeze at the first sight of danger and run as a last resort, but when they do run, they can run fast.

What do wild baby bunnies eat in the wild?

When they start eating at about 2 weeks, they will eat alfalfa hay, carrots, and rabbit pellets. Don’t feed them lettuce or cabbage. Baby wild rabbits are like domestic rabbits – they will not bite you and are safe to raise. They are really jumpy, though, and will try to escape whenever they get a chance.

Does a cottontail rabbit have any predators?

Hawks, owls, weasels and red foxes all prey on cottontails. Humans hunt cottontails for their meat and fur.

What is the lifespan of a cottontail rabbit?

Though cottontails are prolific breeders, they often have a lifespan of less than two years in the wild.

Can I keep a cottontail rabbit?

Unfortunately, cottontail rabbits are not the right candidates for a lavish pet lifestyle. These beautiful animals have lived in the wild for eons, and that is where they should continue to stay. Keeping a cottontail might sound appealing, but they won’t do well in captivity.

Are cottontail rabbits active at night?

Behavior. Eastern Cottontails are mostly crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) and spend most of the day hidden within thick cover or, in harsh winter weather, burrows. They occasionally pop out in mid-day to nibble on some food.

Do wild rabbits carry diseases?

Rabbits that are housed outdoors, captured from wild populations or that are purchased from a pet store may carry zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases associated with rabbits include pasteurellosis, ringworm, mycobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis and external parasites.