biting rabbit

Question
hi i have a rabbit that keeps biting my chest, he does this when I'm moving him from the hutch to the run and sometimes when i have picked him up to brush him. how to stop him biting me ?

Answer
Hi,

first is he really lunging and biting at you, or is he nibbling your clothes?  The difference is a sharp painful nip you may not expect in your shoulder or neck, the nibbling is nibbling the edge, trim or collar of what you are wearing.  the former is one kind of behavior, the latter is grooming.

If it is actual biting he is unhappy at being picked up. The first thing to try is an "eek!"  A sharp little eek or two is a sound that a rabbit would make to tell another to stop doing that, to quit it, it's unwelcome.  He may not know it hurts you and so he may stop doing it.  If that doesn't work a firm "No, <name>".  Rabbits know the word "no".  If that doesn't work you need to wear a sweatshirt (sacrificial one you don't care about) and let him bite the sweatshirt (not you) and don't give any reaction.  If he finds he doesn't get what he wants (being put down) he will stop doing the behavior because it's not getting him anything.  So in all conditions don't put him down because that's his reward and you are reinforcing that if he bites you you will put him down.

If it's grooming, that's an affectionate act and I'd say just get a sacrificial sweatshirt to use during the times you pick him up so that he doesn't nibble on anything important.  Also it might be the style of shirt you are wearing because fringes and creases and seams are usually regarded by rabbits as areas that need some grooming work and they are trying to help you with your problem areas, like they would any other rabbbit that has matted fur, or a sticky spot, etc.  We have several sacrificial sweatshirts that have grooming holes in them from over the years from various bunnies.