The Jackrabbit is a native of the western United States. They can also be found in Mexico. You can find the Cottontail rabbit in all 50 states, as well as Central and South America. Both are part of the same Leporidae family. We will examine some differences and similarities between them.
Visual Differences
A Glance
Jackrabbit
- Adult average height: 24 inches
- Average weight (adult): 3 – 6 pounds
- Life expectancy: 5 Years
- Distribution: The Western United States of America and Mexico
- Diet: Shrubs and small trees, grasses, and forbs
- Predators: Hawks and eagles; coyotes, bobcats; lynx; dog, cat; owl; fox
Cottontail
- Adult height: Average Height 15-18 inches
- Average weight (adult): 1-2 pounds
- Life expectancy: 2 years
- Distribution: North, Central, and South America
- Diet: 145 varieties of plants, stems, and branches, as well as seeds
- Predators: Hawks and cats, snakes, dogs. Coyotes, owls. Opossum. badger.
Jackrabbit Overview
Jackrabbits, which are actually hares, are not rabbits. Their powerful back legs can propel them at speeds of up to 45 mph (MPH), and their ears are long. Because of their ears, their name is a shortening of Jackass Rabbits. There are three types of jackrabbits: the Antelope Jackrabbit (White-tailed Jackrabbit), the White-tailed Jackrabbit (Black-tailed Jackrabbit). The Alaskan Hare is often considered to be the fourth type.
Health & Care
Jackrabbits are able to adapt to many different habitats provided there is a variety of plants. To get the nutrients it requires, it needs different grasses, shrubs, and flowers. It prefers open areas with tall grasses to close forests. Shrubs provide shelter during the day and tall grasses at night.
Breeding
The spring of the second year, or seven months after they reach adulthood, is when female Jackrabbits start to breed. The season for northern Jackrabbits to breed is dependent on where they live. They will usually do so between February and May. The breeding season in southern states can begin as early as January and last until July. Warmer climates produce more litter while the sizes of litter in the north are larger.
Jackrabbits are born above ground in a hastily constructed nest, which she may or not line with fur. The young will hop almost immediately after birth, with fur and open eyes. After a few weeks, the females will not stay or protect their young.
Cottontail Overview
The Cottontail rabbit is smaller than a Hare and has a shorter tail with white fur underside. This unique look gives it its name. Due to their small size, they live for about two years. There are cottontail rabbits all over the United States, Central America, and South America. They survived even the introduction of Canada’s British Columbia.
Health & Care
Cottontail rabbits, unlike other rodents who use their front paws to eat, eat on all fours. They use their noses to move the food around as they eat. They may also use their paws for lifting food from low-lying branches. They eat the same grasses and seeds as Jackrabbits.
Rabbits are social animals, but they build underground burrows where they can stay.
Breeding
The average cottontail rabbit can give birth every three weeks and produce four to six offspring. To hide their newborns, the female cottontail rabbit will build a small nest with fur and grass. The baby cottontails, which are blind and hairless, will leave the nest after three weeks. Within a matter of hours, the mother will start mating again.
Summary
Both the Jackrabbits and Cottontail Rabbits have predators. The Jackrabbit is able to run at high speeds and has other tricks. It prefers to be out in the open so that predators such as the hawk can see. The Cottontail Rabbit prefers to hide beneath low-lying conifers or underground burrows. It is a primary food source for many animals including the house cat, but predators can often catch it due to its slow speed, wide distribution, and large size. Although you can attract them to your garden with thick vegetation and conifer tree, they can also be nuisances to you if you try to plant a garden.
We hope that you enjoyed this comparison and learned about the differences between these closely related species. You can share this guide on Facebook or Twitter to explain the differences between Jackrabbits and Cottontail rabbits to anyone you know.
Cottontail, are you a jackrabbit?
Cottontails and jackrabbits are both members of the Leporidae family, and while they share many similarities due to their close relationship, they are fundamentally distinct species. Cottontails (Sylvilagus spp.) are real rabbits, but jackrabbits (Lepus spp.) are hares.
Can cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits be breed?
That implies that if our domesticated rabbits are released into the wild, they will not be able to cross-mate with wild rabbits or hares because they are distinct species and genera, hence mating is impossible.
Can I pet a wild rabbit?
If you, your children, or your pets witness a wild rabbit, whether living or dead, keep away from it. You may have illness signs one to 21 days after handling a wild rabbit. Tularemia is extremely infectious and more frequent in humans than in pets.
Can cottontail rabbits be trapped?
Cottontails can be caught alive using cage traps such as the Kness Kage-All® Small Animal Trap. Install cage traps in areas of the garden and yard where rabbits are a concern. The trap should be lightly concealed.
Can a brother and sister Bunny be bred?
So, strictly speaking, you would never breed a rabbit with another rabbit who has a known relationship. However, most guidelines state that rabbits (and other animal words) are acceptable as long as the relatives are at least four generations apart. Inbreeding is the practice of breeding inside a family.
Can cottontails and jackrabbits mate?
Cottontails and black-tailed jackrabbits both reproduce year-round if there is enough food, with up to a half-dozen young — called leverets in the case of the jackrabbits — every litter.
Do cottontails consume apples?
Carrots and apples are good as occasional snacks in modest amounts, but no other treats should be fed because they may hurt your rabbit. Learn how to make feeding time more enjoyable for your rabbits.
Can any two rabbits form a bond?
Rabbits who fight frequently are unlikely to attach, and other companions should be found for them. The entire procedure might take anywhere from a few hours to several months. The faster the rabbits bond, the better they get along on their first meeting.
Do cottontails consume meat?
Rabbits cannot digest meat and will become unwell as a result. The digestive system of a rabbit is built to handle large amounts of fiber and a little quantity of protein. Fiber comes from hay, while protein comes from pellets. Wild rabbits are also vegan.
What is the distinction between a jackrabbit and a rabbit?
The jackrabbit, which is found in the deserts of Nevada and California, is not a rabbit at all. It is, in fact, a hare. The primary distinction between hares and rabbits is that rabbits are born naked in burrows, but hares are born in above-ground nests with fur and the ability to move a few steps at birth.