Hi,
I am new here but have had rabbits for almost all of my life. I am also in college studing to be a wildlife biologist.
I would say bad idea on the declawing. Rabbits toes are not like catsor dogs, and surgery is harder on rabbits than it is on other animals.They just seem to give up sometimes. I guess it must go back to thefact that they are prey or on the bottom of the food chain. (sorrywildlife biologist soon to be here
)
Okay here are some tips that I have figured out for reducing thescratches. Trim the toenails. You shouldnt do this if you dont know howto. First have your vet or somebody who knows how to show you. If youtrim them too short than they can bleed alot. It is just like trimminga dogs or cats toenails. Depending on the trimmers that you use thetoenails may still be sharp after you trim them for a little whileuntil they get wore down.
Okay also the type of flooring that you use can help. If it has a safecage or a cage there is two types of flooring it may have. Solid orwired bottom. I think both is fine as long as you cover them with theproper stuff. I have flemish giants and english lops, they are bothheavy breeds of rabbits and I have found that my favorite type of cagesto use for me and my rabbits is the wire bottom. The wire bottom isnice because it makes it so that way my rabbits dont have to live rightin their bathroom, and keep them away from anything that may like tolive in their litter. Because they are heavy and the wire can causestress to their feet you should cover alot of the wire with something.I set up my cages so that way almost all of the cage floor is coveredwith something like drywall (okay if anybody is wondering I have donelots of research, including my own testing of componets of drywall,quizing our vet to the core, and my dad as well who owns a drywallcompany, I have used it for years and years and years now along withtons of rabbit raisers who haveused it long before I have.That is were I found out about it in the first place. It is up to youif you want to try it but I have found it to be completely safe, andcompletely packed full of fun for the rabbits to chew up, shreed up,and dig into, as well as lay on, and shape and make it just right forthem.) Ive also used for those bucks that spray
the toughplastic dinner trays that can be tossed out in the yard and sprayedwith the hose, and switched for yesterdays now sun dried very cleantray. I also like to use feed sacks and hay/straw. But the straw/haydoesnt wear down the nails like the drywall does, but they sure do havefun in it and love to make a nice bed in it. Okay the only part of mycage that the floors are open with wire is the spot where they go tothe bathroom, and where their bowl or water bottle is so that way theirfloor wont get wet, and then also a spot big enough for them to sit onor stretch completely out on in case they get hot and so that way theycan get air to their belly as well if they want to.
Okay the next thing I would suggest is maybe going to a rabbit showsometime. Be strong there may be rabbits that you want to take home!The people that show are always very help full, and can show you allsorts of way of holding a rabbit that way the rabbit feels safe andwont scratch trying to get up to your shoulder or down, and so that wayyou wont drop it as well. Dont take your rabbit to the show unless itis a show rabbit. You dont want your house rabbit to catch anything orpass anything like pasterilla that you dont know it has, or otherrabbits have. There is one way that I teach all of the four h-ers inour local rabbit club. It is kind of like carring a foot ball. You restthe rabbits feet on you belly and your fore arm like if your righthanded your right for arm, and then tuck the rabbits head (moreimportantly the rabbits eyes) under your upper arm almost in your armpit. The nose should stick out the back and then use your other handfor support where you else you need it. I like to put my other hand onthe rabbits back or side so that way there is no where for the rabbitto go. One of my teachers has a book with a rabbit xray in it and Icould tell that if you carry the rabbit in this manner it actualy putsalmost no stress on the rabbits back. I would practice this like withthe rabbit on the floor (grass,carpet or something soft) and on yourknees. Then pick it up. I wouldnt do this over and over again becauseyour rabbit can get grouchy. But worth practicing, may help with alotof those scratches if your rabbit feels more comfortable in your arms.Also another thing that you can try is take a pair of socks and cut outthe toes. Put it on your wrists. That can help too if you know you arein a situation where the rabbit will be upset and scratch.
I hope that this helps good luck. (just a few of my suggestions)