When a rabbit nibbles or bites you softly it is often accompanied with licking, which is a sign of love. He is trying to groom you and is simulating the grooming process (however, you have no fur to build up knots in so it results in just a little nibble of the skin).
Nipping could be a request for attention, much like attention love bites in cats, or it could be a warning nip letting you know the rabbit is agitated. Lastly, a nip might simple be a bonding behavior, where the rabbit is trying to return the favor of pets, brushes, or attention, by grooming you.
This behavior is most often a fear response or the rabbit acting territorially. In both cases, the aggressive behavior should be dealt with. Otherwise, the rabbit may grow more defensive or experience unnecessary stress.
If they are sitting upright and their front paws are 'boxing' at you, they are likely very unhappy. Vocalising. Rabbits don't tend to make much noise and when they do it's a sign they're feeling very threatened. You may hear them grunting or growling and in extreme cases, they can scream.
Nudging, head butting or rubbing against you is rabbit body language for loving attention. 'Give them a stroke or cuddle, or what you know they enjoy', says Rosie. 'Rubbing their faces against you is a way of sharing their scent profile, and showing that you really are friends.
Try to refrain from holding them every single time you interact with them. If you are trying to gain the trust of a shy rabbit, you will want to completely stop picking them up until your rabbit is very comfortable around you. Otherwise keep the cuddles to a minimum so that your rabbit doesn't become afraid of you.
Rabbit nipping or biting
A bunny nip is gentler than a bite. Bunnies will nip to get your attention, or to politely ask you to move out of their way. Rabbits usually do not bite, but if one does, generally it doesn't mean that he hates you.
For a rabbit to be comfortable with being picked up, they must learn through positive experiences that being lifted isn't something that causes harm. This should start when they are just as few weeks old as part of socialisation.
They are very social. Rabbits enjoy being around people and can usually recognise their owners by sight and sound.
If you spend the time to pet them and give them a nice massage, your rabbit will thank you by licking your hand or your leg. You may also receive a couple of light nips from your rabbit. This is especially likely if your rabbit is grooming you around the seams of your clothing.
Licking: Licking is a way bunnies groom each other. If your bunny licks you, it's a sign of affection as you'll often see pairs of bunnies grooming each other this way. A bunny lick is a sign of a bond.
Stop petting them and place your hand on either side of their head, near their nose. If the rabbit softly nudges your hand or does nothing and just sits there expectantly, then you know your rabbit is enjoying being pet and wants more.
If your rabbit is constantly stressed, e.g. their enclosure is to too small and uninteresting, especially without daily freedom to exercise, they can become frustrated. This leads to unusual behaviours such as biting.
Generally, rabbits bite because they have a need to assert dominance, defend their food, or protect themselves from a predator. A dominant rabbit may bite an owner for no apparent reason. Indoor rabbits may suddenly nip at their owner's hands and/or feet when they move too close to the rabbit's territory.
A common reason pet rabbits bite is fear. If rabbits feel threatened or scared, they may bite as a form of self defense. Wild rabbits are naturally prey animals.
Petting both bunnies during the bonding process helps to keep them calm. This will also help to prevent them from nipping, and, if they do nip, your hands are right there to pull them away. Keep your hands on the top of their heads and not near their mouths so you don't get nipped yourself!
At a minimum, you should spend at least an hour with your rabbit every day. However, 3-5 hours (or even more) are ideal. You do not have to be giving your rabbit undivided attention during this time, but instead, make yourself available to interact with them if they want to.
Like lots of pets, bunnies need plenty of exercise and stimulation. While it's often necessary to cage your rabbit when you're gone or sleeping, confining it to a cage all day is detrimental to its well-being; it denies your rabbit vital exercise, prohibits socialization, and increases boredom and lethargy.
The whole bonding process can take as little as one day or up to several months – it all depends on your rabbits. Usually, it's a few weeks before your bunnies will be living happily together but it is well worth the wait.
Rabbits love being stroked on their foreheads and backs. Always stroke in the direction of the hair, never against the hair (unless you are checking for skin problems). Most also like being stroked behind the ears.