Bird Cams Around the World

Monday, October 3
"The most common question we get about the twin panda cubs is how do we do the swaps. Now that the cubs are big enough and old enough for Lun Lun to put them down for a few minutes, the swapping is really quite easy. Lun Lun is left with access to an adjacent den to the one you see on PandaCam. When it's time to swap cubs, we ask Lun Lun to put the cub down and come over into the next-door den. We reward her for coming over with biscuits, fruit, and lots of bamboo. As soon as she has allowed us to shut the door behind her, we can safely enter the den with the cub and retrieve it. After that cub has been weighed and put into an incubator, we give Lun Lun some alone time to eat and do what she pleases. We then leave it up to Lun Lun to let us know, by vocalizing or going to the shift door that leads back to the den, that she is ready for the other cub.

Right now the swaps are about every four hours, but we are always keeping an eye out for when Lun Lun is hungry and an ear out for when the cubs start letting everyone know that they are hungry too.

This method is safe for both the pandas and their care team and allows for the cubs to get equal time with mom and some alone time for Lun Lun!

And by the way, in case you’re counting, the twins are 1 month old today!"


Stephanie B.
Curator of Mammals

And this update too!



"For Cub A and Cub B, I have already noticed some differences between the two of them. For instance, their faces. When looking right at their muzzle, you can see that Cub A (pictured) has full coloration around its mouth, whereas Cub B does not. Cub B only has partial coloration around its mouth. Another is their size. Cub B still manages to stay in the lead compared to Cub A. Although Cub A has passed Cub B a couple of times, Cub B still seems to stay in first place when gaining weight, but only by a few grams. Not that it’s a race at all! The only other difference that I see is that Cub B is more hairy than Cub A.
What other differences do you see?
Katie G.
Keeper III, Mammals "

Panda Updates

Friday, October 7
"This week Lun Lun has become more active and is eating well. The cubs have a nice layer of fur now, so she is more comfortable leaving them in the nest box for short periods of time. A week ago, Lun Lun was only getting up to eat when it was time to swap the cubs, but now, she is up every couple of hours for a snack of bamboo, biscuits, and produce. Lun Lun is eating so well that she is already back to her pre-birth weight of 105 kilograms. We are pleased that Lun Lun's appetite has returned. It is very important that she eats and drinks enough to continue to supply both cubs with her milk. Lun Lun is also willingly participating in training sessions. She has returned to sitting on the scale regularly, and I was recently able to shave her forearm in preparation for the vet staff to draw a blood sample."


Heather R.
Keeper III, Mammals

Panda Updates

Monday, October 10
"My, oh my, have these cubs grown. They are getting bigger and bigger every day. They are changing so much. Cub B is starting to open its eyes. Before you know, it they will be climbing all over the place, and pestering mom, like every child does. And before you know it, they will be learning how to eat bamboo just like the other pandas. But we’ve got a ways to go yet before it’s time for that! "


Katie G.
Keeper III, Mammals

And now some news from the National Zoo!

The Vet Visits Bei Bei


"Our veterinary team visited the giant panda habitat last week for routine checkups on all of the pandas. Of special note in his check-up, the team successfully collected blood and gave two vaccinations to Bei Bei. He held still for the procedure because keepers treated him to honey water.

Keepers have been working with Bei Bei to participate in voluntary veterinary exam training since he was about six months old. They started with very basic behaviors such as asking him to touch a target with his nose. Since then they have introduced him to the training chute and the blood draw sleeve.

Bei Bei seems to be well ahead of the learning curve.Tai Shan was 25 months old before he participated in his first blood draw. Bao Bao was 27 months old. Bei Bei recently turned 13 months old. "

Friday, October 14
"Many guests wonder what it is that we do during a cub swap. Most of what we are doing in that time that the camera is changed is swapping the cubs out, feeding Lun Lun, and stimulating the cubs to go to the bathroom, weighing them, and taking their temperatures. The reasons why sometimes it takes so long is that while we have the cubs in the incubator and are taking care of them, Lun is being fed in the next den. Sometimes Lun Lun is more hungry than other times and it may take her a bit longer because she is eating so well. Stimulating a cub to go to the bathroom is another big part of taking care of them, because at this age, they can’t yet go to the bathroom on their own. We stimulate a cub when it is pulled from Lun and when it is returned to Lun. The process for this can take a bit of time, especially if the cub has a full bladder.



The process in which we do this is: We wash our hands with soap and water, then before we touch the cub or the incubator we sanitize our hands and arms with isopropyl alcohol, and then we have to wait until our hands are dry before we pull the cub out of the incubator. It feels as if we are prepping for a surgery with the way we have to sanitize our hands and arms.

Once our hands are nice and clean, we then remove the cub form the incubator, hold them in our arms over a trash can, and rub their bellies to help them relax. This makes it easier to get them to use the bathroom. Once they are nice and relaxed, we then rub with two fingers in a downward pattern on the inside of their leg and hip. Once they are done, we clean them up with a cotton ball and return them to the incubator. Also remember this is just for one cub. Then we have to do it for the other cub too.

You may ask why there is a need for us to stimulate them to go to the bathroom before returning them to Lun. It’s because we want their stomach to be nice and empty, so when Lun picks them up they go right into nursing and she doesn't have to stimulate them first. It's just one of the ways we help out not just mamma bear, but the cubs as well.

I know everyone is very eager to see the cubs on the cam, but just keep in mind what all we have to do before returning them to Lun Lun."
Katie G.
Keeper III, Mammals