When feeding cottontail rabbits typically only use their nose to move and adjust the position of the food that they place directly in front of their front paws on the ground.Despite that, they have one blind spot which is located right in front of their nose. Rabbits have almost a 360-degree vision and are able to see behind them.Eastern cottontails are named for their short and fluffy tails that look like cotton.Litters usually disperse at about 7 weeks and reproductive maturity occurs at about 2 to 3 months of age. Young begin to move out of the nest for short trips by 12 to 16 days and are completely weaned and independent by 4 to 5 weeks. Females do not stay in the nest with their kits but return to the opening of the nest to nurse, usually twice a day. The young are born with a very fine coat of hair and are blind. The gestation period lasts around 25-35 days. Females can have 1 to 7 litters of 1 to 12 young, in a year however, they average 3 to 4 litters per year, and the average number of kits is 5.
Females construct their nests alone these are slanting holes dug in soft soil and lined with vegetation and white fur from their undersides. During this time males fight each other to establish a dominance hierarchy and mating priority. The breeding season varies depending on the location and the elevation but generally occurs between February and September. Eastern cottontails are polygynous meaning that males mate with more than one female.
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