Why do rabbits bite
Most wild animals bite when they feel threatened and the rabbit is no different in this case. A wild rabbit will bite you in self-defense if you try to approach it because you would be detected as a threat or a predator intent on harming it. Of course the first reaction of the rabbit would be to try and get away from you, but if it fails, it may bite you as a last resort. Pet rabbits are however, usually not that keen on biting humans because they become accustomed to human touch through constant mingling. The instinct to protect itself will make even a pet rabbit bite a human though, but only if it receives shock, pain or discomfort from the human. Such a bite might be just a light warning bite, but even pet rabbits are capable of biting harder if they feel seriously threatened and scared. Avoid spooking your rabbit by picking it up while its unaware or holding it tightly against its will.
Apart from the obvious bites of self-defense, rabbits may also bite their owners by mistake. The reason for such a bite lies in the fact that rabbits have poor eyesight when it comes to detecting objects close to them. Due to this issue, your pet rabbit may consider your fingers or other body parts as food, but they do realize that they have made a mistake because they let go almost as soon as they bite. As this particular reason for biting is associated with confusion alone, therefore shouting in pain each time it bites you is a good idea to make it understand that it is hurting you. As the bites are not intentional, it has been observed that rabbits often stop biting altogether after a few shouts of pain from the human.
Although rabbits usually do not bite, they sometimes nip at the humans around them. This nipping might be mistaken as a bite by many, but in truth it is just a gentle nibble to convey a message. Such nips are only ways to turn the human’s attention towards itself or to indicate that he/she is blocking its way.