how to stop nipping.... ?

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Usually yell "ow" loudly although nips are usually not that big of a deal, but, biting is. By biting, we mean broken skin and bleeding. If it escalates, we still do the "ow" thing but also pin them down or roll them on their back and pin them down. We had three biters in the last 9 years and that solved the problem. They stopped biting and we stopped rolling and pinning.
 
my rabbit would squirm and try and jump out of my arms. she usually nips when i'm holding her so i apply more pressure on her as if to hold her more firmly against me, but all she does is wiggle backwards... any ideas?

thanks
 
Does your rabbit like to be held? Because it sounds like your rabbit doesn't like to be held. But you should be able to hold your rabbit to do some things with your rabbit, like nail trims. Some rabbits don't like being held and others like to be held. I have been very fortunate and have rabbits that like to be held.
 
Gus used to be a nipper. My youngest son bursting into tears and Gus being banished to his cage with no attention seemed to get the message across it wasn't okay to nip. We tried pinning him, but it just seemed to escalate the tension. Putting him in a bunny "time out" worked well for him. (It works well whenever he's misbehaving, actually!) Buthe lovesbeing out of his cage and being allowed to be with his "people." So that may not work well for a bunny who likes hiscage better. ;)

If your rabbit is nipping to be put down, you can't let her win. Wear some padded clothing and gloves if necessary, wrap her in a towel or blanket and practice holding her--not for very long. Only a few moments, then put her down. If you can successfully pick her up and put her down before she nips (or kicks) enough times, she'll learn that being held isn't bad. If shenips or starts kicking, you need to hold her till she stops. It can be a challenge if she's learnednipping and kicking means she gets put down. But once she learns that you can't be bossed around, she'll stop.

Hope that helps!

Rue
 
Timmy was quite a nibbler when we first got him. He'd nip my skin or my shirt a lot. Not enough to break the skin, but enough that I noticed. Whenever he bit, we'd let out a short, high-pitched squeal as a way to say "ow" that he'd understand. It seems to have worked as it's not a problem anymore.
 
I have a similar problem!

Hamilton has learned to nudge (he actually started nudging instead of nipping), but he nips after licking me. I'm not exactly sure what to think of it. Maybe he thinks i'm tasty?

rue - good idea on the gloves! I never thought about that. I'll have to do that when clipping hammy's nails.
 
Nipping during kisses (lite tooth scraping without breaking the skin) is how rabbits groom other rabbits. Its far more uncomfortable to us since we don't have the fur to groom, but in general it's a show of affection.

If they are nipping while you hold them, they are expressing extreme discomfort the only way they can. Either don't hold your bunny, or do the bunny roll if it's for maintenance.
 
i've been 'testing' her by putting my arm in front of her and if she doesnt nip, i pet her. if she does i mane a sssshhhhtt noise and bop her on the nose (breeder recommended) but today she puts her front paws on me then nips me... any reason for the paws??
 
That sounds like grooming. Bonnie used to nip if you picked her up and held her, so I used to firmly grasp her and turn her away so she couldn't nip. They all have to get used to being handled, like it or not. Cleaning, nail trimming, etc.
 
Please don't hit your rabbit, they don't understand. They don't bit to be vindictive or mean, they don't have that capacity. The only thing hitting or "bopping" will do is make your rabbit afraid of you, and basically bite you more from fear. I wouldn't trust a persons advice if it included hitting an animal.

When she nips, whistle or make a shrill noise, that will tell her it hurts in a language she can understand.

Try to make grooming a positive experience with treats and pets, and do daily "mini-grooming" exercises to get her used to you handling her.
 
When I first got Nugget he was really bad at it. He was always at my feet scratching and nipping, I had to wear boots inside to protect myself.

I tried the squeel, and the NO! and time out, but waht really seems to work is a loud thump. I read somewhere that this is how they would communicate with each other, their way of giving a warning, so I do it, the louder the thump the better it works.

If he ignores the thump he goes into time out. It seems to work for everything. Nuggetwas a terror, humping, spraying, nibbling, chewing, weeing on the couch, butafter 2 weeks of continuous thumping and time out Nugget is now an angel :innocent- he hasn't sprayed on me for over a week or jumped on the couch - it is awesome (touch wood)
 
Q-tip will occasionally nip if she's being held by someone who isn't used to cuddling bunnies and doesn't put her down when she wants down. She's a really affectionate bunny and will snuggle in your arms basically until she has to pee. Usually when she nips, it means "hurry, put me down, I don't want to pee on you" and is followed by a very quick zoom to her litter box.
 
i want to make clear that i dont hit my rabbit. the bop in the nose is more of a touch or i just lift my hand 'quickly' and she stops. ( i do the same with my friends horses if they are being bad, the only difference is that if they do, do something bad they get a slap because they can handle it and don/t do it again.
i am extremely AGAINST animal abuse.
 

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