Building a Nest

        Before her babies were born, Mrs. Cottontail chose a safe place under a raspberry bush to build her nest. First, she dug a hole the size of a small bowl. With her teeth she began pulling fur from her body. Mixing her fur with grass, she lined the hole she had dug. When she finished, her nest was nice and soft.

        Like all good mothers, she wanted to be able to protect her babies and keep them warm. So next she made a blanket by pulling out more of her fur and mixing it with grass. She placed this blanket over the nest and scattered leaves over the top of it. Her nest was finished. Just by looking at it, you could not tell a nest was there. It looked just like part of the ground around it.

                                                                    Taking Care of Her Family

        Now, Mrs. Cottontail snuggled down close to her babies. She gave them a meal of nice warm milk. When her babies were full and sleepy, Mrs. Cottontail pulled the warm blanket back over her babies and hopped away. The blanket would not only keep them warm, but it would also keep an enemy from seeing the nest.

        Many times that night, she went to the nest. She fed her babies warm milk. She washed them with her pink tongue and combed their new baby hair with her claws. Each time she left to nibble on clover, she carefully pulled the blanket back over the nest. Her babies were well hidden.

        The night was the only safe time for Mrs. Cottontail to eat. During the day there were too many weasels, hawks, snakes, and foxes moving around in the forest. A smart cottontail stays hidden during the day unless something tries to harm her young family.

        Dawn came. She knew she must leave her babies for the day. She had to find a hiding place in which to rest until night. Then she would return to her family.