Training Advice and Nipping Problem

[JoyCounts]

Soo this is a two part post.

First with some background: So this is my first bunny, I’ve had her for about two months, and she is a spayed teenage bunny with a big attitude. I would definitely say she has bonded pretty well with me and my boyfriend, and loves being pet.  Within the past few weeks, I started clicker training her using her oats as a treat (she looooves her oats) and she’s doing great. She now sits up and touches a target on command (most of the time). My boyfriend and I have also been teaching her to be okay with being picked up, and we’ve pretty much succeeded. She sometimes runs away, but generally now she’ll let us because she knows she’ll get a treat once we’re holding her. She’ll also let us hold her for quite a long time, and she’ll do her teeth grinding purr while we pet her (and she’s being held).

Here is where the problem starts. Putting her back down is veeery difficult. She starts thrashing and kicking as she gets closer to the ground, and I’m actually more worried about her hurting herself than her hurting us. Does anyone have any advice on teaching her to be calm while we put her down?

Part two of the problem is for the past couple of weeks, she’ll come up behind my back and nip me. It’s slowly getting more and more painful, even though I’ve been doing the high pitch squeal trying to discourage her. I think it is her telling me she wants a treat, because she only does it to me and not my boyfriend (he gets licks and I’m really jealous) and I’m the one who has been doing the clicker training with her (ie I’m the one who gives her treats) and I’m the one who feeds her everyday. Have I got myself stuck in servant bunny position?

Any tips/ advice would be nice. She’s generally a good bunny, but I’d like to nip this nipping thing in the bud.

[Deleted User]

Hi JoyCounts, am a new bunny owner too, and am not training my bunny – I’m tooo busy, cause my bunny is training ME! (Dam wabbit!)
Not that I pick Henry up anymore, but when I used to, I had the same problem putting him down. I found as I was putting him down I would loosen my grip as I was lowering him from my hands and when we got to a height he was comfortable with (Henry, it seemed to be just below waist height) he would just spring from my hands/arms.
The nipping (yes, Henry bit my toe and made it bleed) but did what you are doing, saying owwwuch! loudly. It worked for me. (Gee – I did teach him something?!?!).
Oh, we’ve had Henry for ‘forever’ (6 months – lol) and we are a slave to him! Good luck & Cheers!

[Kbana]

I am not familiar with clicker training but I think your bun sees the ground and then is trying to get away. Can you hold your bun (only while you are putting her down) in a way so that her head is tucked under your arm so she can’t see? (gently) When rabbits can’t see they tend to calm down a bit. If you kind of hold her like a football and support her head under your arm and her backside with your other arm you might be able to get her closer to the ground before putting her down. (so her head would be facing away and her butt would be against your tummy) Does that make sense?

Not sure about the nipping though since you are squealing and that seemed to work for mine. Perhaps others would know better.

Also, I noticed that you said you give oats as treats? If you do, I would suggest choosing something healthier. I know there are conflicting opinions about oats and young bunnies but they really aren’t great for them or their gi system. Really anything starchy is a no no. Have you tried a bit of banana instead? Mine go nuts for that. Or craisins/raisins.

[LBJ10]

With Leopold, I will hold him close to my chest. Then kneel down so my knees are on the ground, then I let Leopold sink down onto my thighs. He takes it from there and hops to the floor.

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