It's a natural reaction for them to want to scramble away as soon as they see an opportunity. Alfie's used to being handled (I wouldn't say he enjoys it but he tolerates it with some disgust :lol
but he still tries to make a leap for it when he's being put down if I'm not careful.
If your bunny doesn't seem too stressed with the actual picking up/handling part then I would just try to work on the putting down part as I think it's useful to get them used to being handled if possible; it makes it so much easier if they're poorly and need medicating or syringe feeding for example. Some bunnies don't enjoy the whole experience at all and that's when I'd try to find other ways of getting them from a to b to avoid stressing them too much.
Is he facing away from you when you put him down? If so, you might find he's less likely to struggle if you can hold him towards you as you place him down so that he can't see the ground/hutch entrance and try to make a leap for freedom. Or perhaps try getting closer to the ground/hutch door before you start to adjust your hold.
