Meet Easter Bunny (and his friends) at Great Egg Scramble

To make the Great Egg Scramble at Cosley Zoo extra special, the Easter Bunny gets a little help from his friends.

Children who participate can hunt for eggs, join activities, and meet the bunny himself from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 28. But the Easter Bunny also has two furry friends at the zoo who also will make time for a visit: a French lop rabbit named Cadbury and a Dutch rabbit named Petey.

The two animals are top attractions each year during the scramble and Cosley Zoo Director Sue Wahlgren said both animals like the visits, but Petey especially enjoys interacting.

"He has a lot of personality and a lot of fun," Wahlgren said.

While the magical Easter Bunny is easy to spot, Cadbury and Petey are a bit more similar. To make sure you know how to spot each furry friend, here are some facts to help you get to know them better:

• Cadbury: He's large domestic rabbit with a wide head and ears that hang down below his jaw line, with a muscular body. Though he has a grayish color, rabbits like Cadbury come in a variety of colors including light brown, black, chocolate brown and red.

• Petey: He's a smaller domestic rabbit with white markings on the front of his face, feet, around his neck, and over his shoulders. The rest of his body is black and his ears stand straight up. His large ears swivel to pick up any sound.

Cadbury and Petey have some things in common, too. Both have strong back legs that give them speed to flee from other animals. And their eyes are on the sides of their heads so they can see danger approaching.

Their teeth are also different from humans' since they keep growing for a rabbit's entire life. Because of this, Cadbury and Petey need to be given constant access to chewing material to keep their teeth worn down.

Cosley Zoo staff will be on hand to share more details about the rabbits, as well as other zoo animals. Activities throughout the day run until 11 a.m. and will focus on egg-laying animals.

"We are always trying to connect people with animals and promote an understanding of the connection between humans, animals and the environment," Wahlgren said. "Our zoo focuses on native Illinois wildlife and domestic farm animals because they impact everyone's life in this area."

Great Egg Scramble activities run 9 to 11 a.m., and egg hunt times vary by age: 9:20 a.m. for age 2; 9:40 a.m. for age 3; 10 a.m. for ages 4 to 6; and 10:20 a.m. for ages 7 to 10.

Parents should plan to attend with their children and check in at least 15 minutes before their scramble time. Registration is required and the event will be outdoors, rain or shine.

If you go

What: Great Egg Scramble

When: 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 28

Where: Cosley Zoo, 1356 Gary Ave., Wheaton

Tickets: $10 for Wheaton Park District residents; $15 others

Info: cosleyzoo.org