Easter is coming soon, and tales of Peter Cotton Tail and the Easter Bunny are being told. The rabbit is a great animal to learn more about in April!
Rabbits are mammals that have soft fur. Sometimes it is brown, white or even black. Some rabbits are black and white! Rabbits also have big ears, big eyes, and long whiskers. But their tails aren't big they have short fluffy tails (there is even a rabbit called the cottontail!). Rabbits are usually about a foot long, but can be larger than that.
There are about 25 different species, or kinds, of rabbits. They live in all different environments and on every continent except Antarctica! They can live in deserts, swamps, forests, and prairies.
Rabbits are herbivores, which means that they eat plants, such as grass, leaves, and bark. They also like to take lots of naps, and are the most active at dawn and at dusk. Rabbits have very strong hind legs which they use for hopping and for digging burrows. They can hop pretty fast some species can reach up to 45 miles per hour!
If you are thinking about getting a rabbit as a pet, you should talk to your veterinarian and read more about rabbits as pets. They look cute and cuddly, but rabbits do not like to be held. They need a diet of mostly hay; in fact, some types of lettuce might be harmful to them. They can be kept inside or outside, and they are happiest in temperatures of 50 to 70 (they can not be left outside in temperatures above 90).
