The Beauty of My Dreams: A new name

Things with the bunnies have been going really well. Bonding is moving right along, and now they are out of the close quarters, large cardboard box, and into some more space in the exercise pen for their dates. There haven't been any major fights at all, nothing like what happened with Mallory and Bennett. Most of the time, if there is some tail chasing, I say stop loudly and they stop and go back to their respective corners to cool off a bit. Mostly, the tail chasing starts when Bennett puts his head down to get groomed and she doesn't respond, so he chases her a bit and then stops and very apologetically, goes back to grooming her.

I have purposely said "her" so far because we have decided to change Mahala's name. I wanted her to have a new name because coming to her forever home is a big deal and in big, life changing circumstances, we often take a new name and put the past behind us. I want Mahala to put the abuse and hoarding behind her, even though I know it will take time for her to truly learn to trust us and know that she is in a safe place. Her new name is Eleadora, which means "gift of the sun" and is a frequent saint name. Mostly, we're calling her Ella for short, and she has been a gift to our family, so I think her new name fits very nicely. Bennett would be the first to say that she's been a gift to him, he loves her and grooms her and has patience with her even though she does relatively nothing to reciprocate, except allowing him to lick her and sharing some snuggles. I know it will take time with Ella, and I love her and she's so adorable that I'm totally happy to give her all the time she needs, even if that includes some tough love, like giving her her penicillin injections (which seem to be working) and flipping her on her back, which she really doesn't like to check her belly (and to get her used to being picked up and flipped and such). She's a really good girl and I couldn't imagine our family without her.

She really is coming around to us. It seems that our weekend away made her fonder of us, because now she'll let me pet her while she's all laid out, relaxing and follows me around and even asks her Auntie Laurie for pets when she sees that Bennett is getting them. I'm so proud of her! Only time will heal her from her past, and we're more than willing to put in that time with her, because she's a beautiful bunny inside.

Here are some pictures of today's bonding. I must admit to posing them together for the picture, although right now they are cuddling side by side by themselves, but of course whipping out the camera right now would probably result in both of them fleeing to the far side of the pen and I really want them to cuddle, so no pictures right now. :)