That's no ordinary rabbit, that's the most foul, cruel, and bad tempered rodent you've ever set eyes on!

-- Tim The Enchanter, Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Variants

Due to rapid breeding, bits come in a variety of variants that can be found in differing biomes.

Ecology

Snowbits are mammals that reside in winter climates. They are small, 11 inches (28cm) in length, with most of their mass coming from their thick plush fur. Large paws allow them to traverse easily through the snow. They have two crooked horns on their heads that assist in digging for plant roots and threat displays.

They have poor eyesight, relying on their sense of smell to find vegetation. They are also sensitive to atmospheric changes, their fur acting like sensors to pick up vibrations in the air. This helps them to find prey that may be too far for them to smell or sense an impending storm.

They live in burrows in the ice, residing in great numbers to help keep warm and protect against other predators. Each burrow has a nest mother, one snowbit that has grown far larger than the others, and raises all of the offspring alone. The nest mother does not leave the burrow, relying on the rest of their warren to provide food so she may nurse the many young in her charge. If food is scarce for an extended period, cannibalism occurs.

Snowbits hunt in groups, often going after prey much larger than themselves. The entire front of their bodies opens to a large maw that houses two rows of large, sharp, jagged teeth. They latch on to prey or a threat and don't let go until it's brought down, smothering it with their bodies before dragging it back to their den.

There have been rare recorded cases of a nest mother leaving the burrow to help fight off threats.

Snowbits also have the ability to control their prey/victim if they are latched on long enough, using the victim like a living puppet. Often times this is done to make the victim stop fighting back, but it can also be utilized to cause a threat to throw itself off ledges or turn on its own allies. As long as the controlling Snowbit is latched on, the victim will have to struggle against losing the autonomy of their own body.