Meet Paloma! - Rabbit Advocates Alumni Spotlight

One thing you should know about Rabbit Advocates’ foster alumni Paloma? Her journey has been full of the unexpected. In her relatively short life, Paloma has already lived as a stray, given birth to a litter of kits, and formed a truly remarkable pair bond – one that, at times, felt completely out of reach. 

Finding a New Home

Although Paloma’s past has had its twists and turns, she melted RA Adoption Counselor Dana Coleman’s heart right away. For several months, Coleman had been looking for a partner for her bunny Duncan. So when she heard from a RA connection that her foster rabbit just had a litter, Coleman was curious to see if one of the kits could be a potential fit. 

“I went over there mostly because I wanted to see the baby bunnies,” said Coleman. “But while I was there, I was petting Paloma and I was like, ‘oh my gosh, she is just the sweetest mama bunny.’” 

Ultimately, Coleman couldn’t resist Paloma’s adorable “helicopter ears” and calm, soothing presence. So when March rolled around and the kits were ready for foster homes of their own, Coleman eagerly volunteered to foster Paloma. 

Although she was excited to introduce her new foster to Duncan, rabbit-savy Coleman knew to take a measured approach to their bonding process. After all, Duncan had been a solo rabbit ever since her last bunny, Rupert, sadly passed away in 2024. A new rabbit in his space would undoubtedly be a transition. 

Referencing the Rabbit Advocates Bonding Guide, Coleman made sure to introduce the pair in neutral locations. Gradually, across bathrooms and guest rooms, Duncan and Paloma moved from being apathetic strangers to sharing tentative grooming sessions.  

The trouble arose whenever Paloma was placed in Duncan’s domain: the office. 

Paloma and Duncan

Solving a Territorial Dispute

“The issue was every time we would try to put her back in his room, he was not having it… he was so territorial over his space.” said Coleman. “I was having really good bonding sessions, but then they just could not take that last step of being permanently put together in his territory.” 

Although the situation was not ideal, Coleman was determined to not to give up quickly. She had witnessed firsthand the benefits of a strong bunny bond – in Duncan’s relationship with Rupert, nonetheless. 

“I think it's just nice that they have a friend that speaks their language,” she said. “Even if you have a bunny like Paloma that's more social, I think it's probably not a replacement for bunny-to-bunny interactions.” 

That being said, as the weeks slipped by without much progress, Coleman started to wonder if Duncan and Paloma were meant to be. Just as her confidence in their match started to wane, a unique opportunity presented itself. 

“We were planning to go out of town in the beginning of June for about 12 days,” she said. “So we moved both bunnies downstairs in side-by-side X-Pens. So even Duncan was out of his room while we were gone.” 

Upon returning from their trip, Coleman and her partner moved on to Phase 2 of their plan: a complete office reset. 

“We kind of used that as an opportunity to get him [Duncan] less used to being in his space,” she explained. “So when we got home, we changed the rug, moved around some of the furniture, and just completely changed the room before we put them both back.”

In her research on bunny bonding, Coleman had learned this tactic could smooth over even the most contentious of rabbit relationships. All that was left to do was see if the method worked for Duncan and Paloma.   

Sure enough, the remodel was just the trick. “It was like magic,” described Coleman. “He [Duncan] went back to acting like he would during their normal bonding sessions - just kind of roaming around, not chasing her [Paloma] and being mean.” 

After two weeks of closely monitoring their progress, Coleman and her partner decided it was time for Paloma to find her forever home… with them! 

“We officially adopted her last Tuesday! I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke and he was going to just revert back to his old habits after a few days,” she said. 

Now, the duo loves spending time together – whether it be sharing a delicious treat or snuggling underneath the couch. Although their bonding journey was not as linear as she initially anticipated, Coleman has ultimately fostered a beautiful friendship. All it took was patience, ingenuity, and some out-of-the-box thinking.  

Curious to learn more about the bunny bonding process? Check out our step-by-step Bunny Bonding Guide or talk with a Rabbit Advocates adoption counselor! 

Paloma and Duncan eating berries together