If the logic is the same as Wick’s, your rabbit doesn’t know it hurts you. Wick is bonded with me and one other person, and with the other person, Wick really “grooms” his finger nails. It apparently hurts a lot. We believe it’s because Wick thinks it’s something stuck on human “fur”, so it should be taken off. When Wick does this, he just lets him and pulls away when it’s too much.
Wick doesn’t do this to me because I made a high-pitch “ow” sound multiple times when he’d start getting more rough, so he’s learned for me that you shouldn’t bite nails hard. It was a necessity for me, because my pinky toe fits perfectly in Wick’s mouth, so when he got a hold of it while I’m washing dishes or something, it’d be really bad. Now, he’s especially gentle with grooming around the nails (more gently than just licking my skin), which is kind of adorable, haha.
You don’t need to wait for the major bite if it hurts — you can do the high-pitched ow! when it’s a more aggressive nibble to get the message across. Pull away when you do it too!
The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.