Atlanta Zoo Pandas

[birdmusic]

It made me laugh to read the size comparison they used to describe the newborn: the size of a cell phone!!!  HAHA!

Too bad human babies aren't the size of a cell phone.  Would make things in the delivery room a LOT easier!

[Lisa McK]

You guys are the best.  One of my co-workers was telling me today that a baby panda was born and it was the first in the U.S.  Obviously I knew that was wrong.  Then another co-worker was Googling Panda's and had information on panda's in China.  I had to get their facts straight and immediately found the information here.  You are the best.

Lisa McK

[Kris G.]

It made me laugh to read the size comparison they used to describe the newborn: the size of a cell phone!!!  HAHA!

If I remember right, 2 years ago Xi Lan was described as the size of a stick of butter!

[Dumpsterkitty]

It made me laugh to read the size comparison they used to describe the newborn: the size of a cell phone!!!  HAHA!

If I remember right, 2 years ago Xi Lan was described as the size of a stick of butter!

Amy...And my thought...remember when cell phones came in a bag?  I had one of those!  Then the "portables" came out...larger than & the weight of a brick!

Kris-you remember right.  They used that one a lot-Tai Shan at the National Zoo was nicknamed Butterstick on a lot of the forums for that very comparison. 

Remember when Xi Lan got so sick?  That was one awful night until we finally got news he was OK.

[Shaky]

It made me laugh to read the size comparison they used to describe the newborn: the size of a cell phone!!!  HAHA!

If I remember right, 2 years ago Xi Lan was described as the size of a stick of butter!

What's a stick of butter? Is it bigger than a Nano? 

[Kris G.]

 

Friday, November 5
Lun Lun's new cub is thriving due to her superb mothering skills. I have gotten several good looks at the cub and it is moving well, has a fat tummy, and a healthy set of lungs! All of the nursery keepers have observed the cub nursing and its round belly is evidence of this.  Lun Lun has not eaten since the afternoon before her labor began and the last time she drank was during her labor. This is normal. Wild giant panda mothers do not leave their cubs for at least a few days after the birth and one mother did not leave her cub for three weeks after giving birth. This is astounding given that giant pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo, and thus do not build up significant fat stores. This is just one more example of how interesting giant panda behavior and physiology is. It is normal for captive females to refrain from eating and drinking after birth too, even though food and water are only a few feet away. However, tonight Lun Lun was leaning with her back against the wall close to one set of the vertical bars and I was able to safely offer her a small tub of water through the bars.  She was able to lean over and drink without putting the cub down. She drank the entire amount and wanted more, so I filled the tub again and she drank all of that as well. Although it is normal for her to refrain from eating, drinking or eliminating for several days after giving birth, keeping hydrated will help her to stay healthy and continue to provide excellent care to her baby.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

[Annette]

 

[jeanne]

Sweet baby.  She is such a good mom.  What a tender moment it must have been for the keeper to be able to give her water-- and for Lun Lun to trust and take it.

[Kris G.]

From Dr. Sam Rivera: Lun Lun continues doing a phenomenal job caring for her new cub. Lun Lun is drinking water and eating a small amount of her favorite treats, which is very encouraging as this indicates she is comfortable diverting a small amount of her attention from the cub to eat and drink. The cub is starting to develop dark skin coloration around the eyes and is nursing well. Stay tuned for more updates and milestones!


 

[Donna]

From Dr. Sam Rivera: Lun Lun continues doing a phenomenal job caring for her new cub. Lun Lun is drinking water and eating a small amount of her favorite treats, which is very encouraging as this indicates she is comfortable diverting a small amount of her attention from the cub to eat and drink. The cub is starting to develop dark skin coloration around the eyes and is nursing well. Stay tuned for more updates and milestones!


 

What a great pic...thanks!

[MAK]

   So amazing! 

[annieinelkhart]

I too read that about offering her the bowl of water and my heart melted!  She has learned to trust those keepers and to have her be calm while they are THAT close!      

[Kris G.]

November 7 update: Last night Lun Lun slept a lot! The cub did so as well, allowing Lun Lun to get the well deserved rest. As the cub grows it is easier to visualize it as Lun Lun repositions it on her chest. She continues to do a superb job caring for the cub.

[Donna]

November 7 update: Last night Lun Lun slept a lot! The cub did so as well, allowing Lun Lun to get the well deserved rest. As the cub grows it is easier to visualize it as Lun Lun repositions it on her chest. She continues to do a superb job caring for the cub.

Good momma. 

[Kris G.]

Monday, November 8
Lun Lun and her cub continue to do well. This morning Lun Lun left her cub very briefly. She walked over to the where her food and water are, but didn’t eat or drink and quickly returned to the cub. She has been drinking water that the keepers offer through the bars near her nest box and she has eaten some sugar cane offered there as well. Soon she will start leaving the cub briefly to eat and drink. Leaving the cub this morning might be a sign that she will leave it again later today.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals