Breeding season - The breeding season of pygmy rabbits is very short. Gestation period and litter size - The gestation period of pygmy rabbits is unknown. Growth rate of juveniles - The growth rates of juveniles are dependent on the date of birth. Mortality - The mortality of adults is highest in late winter and early spring. The pygmy rabbit is the only native leporid that digs burrows.
Juveniles use burrows more than other age groups.
When pygmy rabbits can utilize sagebrush cover, burrow use is decreased. Burrows are usually located on slopes at the base of sagebrush plants, and face north to east. In Oregon, pygmy rabbits inhabited areas where soils were significantly deeper and looser than soils at adjacent sites. Winter - Some areas inhabited by pygmy rabbits are covered with several feet of snow for up to 2 or more months during the winter. During periods when the snow has covered most of the sagebrush, pygmy rabbits tunnel beneath the snow to find food.