Do You Have Swamp Rabbits Living In Your Area?

I was surprised to find rabbits that actually swim to get away from predators! I didn’t think rabbits could swim, and then I found information about the Swamp Rabbits.

They are a breed of rabbits that live near water and some say, that water is necessary for them to survive.

That’s why they build their nests along swamps, marshes and rivers.

They will eat the grasses, sedges, and other soft stemmed plants they find along the water ways.

Being a nocturnal animal, these rabbits will find hollow logs, tall grasses or other material to rest in during the day, away from predators.

They weigh between three to six pounds and they are the largest of the cottontail rabbits. The females and males are about the same size which in other breeds, the female is usually larger.

Their coloring allows them to blend in with nature that surrounds them. Their coat is a mixture of black, dark brown and rusty brown colors. They have a white belly, throat and tail.

Swamp rabbits also have a cinnamon colored eye rings and their fur is short and thin.

The breeding season for most of these rabbits occurs mid to late February but it may also occur throughout the year in some regions. The gestation period is 35 to 40 days, and the female gives birth to 2 to 3 litters a year with one to six babies (kits) per litter.

The babies will become independent after two to three weeks and reach their sexual maturity when they are six to seven months old.

Their life span can be ten years, but normally it is less than two years. Living in the wild can be dangerous for these animals, they have other animals and humans after them!

These rabbits love cooler climate. They are mostly active at dawn, dusk, or during the night since they are nocturnal.

They are found mostly in the southeastern and the mid-south states of North America, such as; the Gulf coast of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. They can also be found in some parts of South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, and Illinois.

The most amazing thing I found out regarding the swamp rabbit is their ability to remain still in the water with only their nose above the water level to breathe when hiding from a predator.

Swamp rabbits are wild rabbits.


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