Cottontails live mostly solitary lives, but they share territory with others and come together for mating. The pygmy rabbit constructs its own burrow. European rabbits live in large colonies and will warn one another about danger by making loud thumps with their hind feet before running off. They share vast underground burrows called warrens. They consist of interconnecting tunnels, living chambers, and nesting chambers where females give birth to and nurse their babies.
Most rabbits eat and play from dusk to dawn, and spend the day resting and sleeping.
In spring and summer, rabbits eat green leafy plants, including clover, grass, and herbs. In winter, they eat the twigs, bark, and fruit of bushes and trees. Rabbits sometimes damage crops because they nibble the tender sprouts of beans, lettuce, and other vegetables. The plant foods that rabbits eat are hard to digest. To get the most nutrients from these foods, rabbits pass the plant matter through their digestive system more than once.