claw cutting and handling

Question
I have an 8yr old dutch who lives in a very large enclosure 12ft/4ft and up until this winter he has kept himself in very good condition. However this spring his claws have become long. What I would like to know is does that mean his teeth will have overgrown aswell as he always has fresh apple branches to gnaw and other goodies.  

Answer
Dear Lorraine,

Your bunny needs to have his nails trimmed to prevent damage to his foot and toe bones, since the overlong nails can cause the digits to twist in unnatural positions and even become fixed that way.  As your bunny ages, he will become less active and less likely to dig and run about, which is how his nails will naturally be kept short.  If he can't do that, you'll have to give him a hand.  You can find instructions on how to safely clip his nails here:

http://id.essortment.com/rabbitspetscar_rczm.htm

The fact that his nails are growing long really isn't an indication of the health of his teeth.  A rabbit's teeth are naturally kept short as he chews because the teeth grind against one another.  If he has properly aligned teeth, he shouldn't have any problems.  However, if you suspect he has dental problems (symptoms include drooling, willingness to grab food, but then dropping it as if it's too uncomfortable to eat, etc.), have a look here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

and you can find a good rabbit vet to help you here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope that helps!  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana