Rabbit Malocclusion Experiences?

Hi! I found out when I got my male lop eared bunny neutered that he had malocclusion. I noticed because he lost one of his bottom front teeth. Then eventually both bottom teeth I think. We went to a cheap far vet for his neuter and they told us he had malocclusion and just simply clipped the top teeth 1 snip and it was done. We didn't have to pay for that because it was part of the exam when getting him neutered.

2 or so months later we went to a more expensive vet to get my other bunny spayed and brought the male along for an exam because he had trouble eating things like lettuce. They had this sander drill thing and spent like 5-10 minutes sanding his teeth down and snipping bits. They told us it was a permanent problem and we'd just have to come every month or two and pay about 85$ per visit to get his teeth trimmed. Or get his 4 front incisors removed with a surgery that costed about 1k! I can't really afford that and I feel so bad watching him having trouble eat.

Does anyone have experience with their rabbit having malocclusion?
Are these the average prices for you as well for teeth trimmings and the surgery? I googled and 3 years ago the prices for the surgery seemed to be around 300$.
Is there any good toys or foods to help wear his teeth down? He's never really been that into toys. He'll chew on some cardboard now and then.
Any advice would be great!

Unfortunately, chewing on things won't prevent him from needing a teeth trimming since his teeth are misaligned. Some people have learned to trim their own rabbits' front teeth. If you aren't comfortable learning to do it yourself you might check around to see if you can get it done cheaper.

Call around, most vets are willing to accommodate "regulars" who just need a quick "à la carte" procedure sans full exam (my vet does anal gland expressing for cats/dogs for $35, for example). It is to their benefit, after all - regular client, happy client, guaranteed annual or semi-annual exams.

You could also try local rabbit rescues, they may be experts at doing such things themselves and happy to do it for you regularly for a donation (our local rescue here in Ottawa does nail trimmings for $10 at their adoption events at local pet stores), or even local groomers if they have staff experienced with rabbits, even on a personal level. Or - and I hesitate to suggest this, but perhaps a breeder, if you can find one that seems very ethical and concerned for their rabbits' well-being (such a small-time angora breeder).

I would start with the vets first - call, explain, plead your case - and branch out from there if you don't have any luck.

Oh, and if you are thinking about doing the surgery if it is more affordable than $1,000, and are willing to drive, "outskirt" vets can be a good idea. I drive about an hour to get to Gatineau (Maloney Vet) to get my rabbit neutered. The vet was highly recommended and she was indeed excellent, but MUCH cheaper (like $300 cheaper) because she was on the Quebec side.

$1000 is excessive. One of my local vets will do it for around $400. I would be looking around for a second opinion, though you still do want to make sure it is a rabbit savvy vet doing the surgery. You should also be aware that in some cases the teeth can actually grow back after an extraction has been done. It's rare but it can happen.

Burring the teeth is the preferred way to trim a rabbits teeth because cutting or clipping them carries a risk of tooth fracture, which can then result in a possible infection developing. Clipping can still be done, but it does carry that risk. Burring is more expensive, but this can also depend a lot on the individual vet doing it and their prices.