Zoo Atlanta twins updates
Were you super-excited when you heared the news of Lun Lun giving birth to twins? Then I am sure you followed all of Zoo Atlanta’s updates on their beloved twins through ‘Cub Confidential’.
If you haven’t signed up: click here to receive many updates on Zoo Atlanta’s twins.
And for those of you who missed some updates, make sure to read this post!
Cub Confidential August 13, 2013:
A new milestone: Weighing more than a kilogram? That might not sound like a big deal, but it is for someone who only weighed slightly more than 145 grams at birth! Keeper Jennifer Andrew shares an update on the cubs’ weights:
“Last night, Cub B reached a new milestone. He now weighs over one kilogram (2.2 pounds)! This might not seem like much, but if you look back to the day the cubs were born, this is quite a feat. When the cubs were born, Cub A and Cub B only weighed 99.1 grams and 145.3 grams, respectively. In just one month, they have grown and developed a lot! They are no longer pink and fuzzy, but have almost full coats and their relatives’ signature black-and-white markings. Being the smaller of the cubs, Cub A is usually one step behind his brother developmentally. Don’t worry – we expect him to reach this milestone today!”
It’s OK, boys. You’ll sail past 200 pounds soon enough. For now, we’re savoring your cub-hood and weights in grams! Thanks to Dr. Hayley Murphy for the photo above.
Move over, bro …
Looks like there’s plenty of room for everyone in the incubator. Is Mom taking a meal break? We can’t wait to see these guys play! Thanks to Jen Webb for the cozy view.
Cub Confidential August 12, 2013:
Happy 1 Month Birthday!
That’s right, our two cubs are officially 1 month old today! Rebecca Snyder, PhD, our Curator of Mammals, remembers the first night they were born:
“I remember worrying over them the first night and saying to Dr. Sam, ‘I cannot wait until they are a month old.’ I thought if we could get them to 1 month old we would be in good shape. Dr. Sam wanted to fast forward to 4 months old. I’m sure he continued to feel that way since he worked 12-hour night shifts with them for the first month. The month flew by for me, and everything is going great! We do have to remain vigilant about their care and health, though. They will still be vulnerable for the next couple of months. But, each day that they remain healthy and gain weight is a triumph!”
Thanks, Rebecca. Time flies, and the cubs are growing so fast! By the way … anyone wondering why we’re mentioning this today and not on August 15, since they were born on July 15? Our veterinarians count them at 1 month old at four weeks. That’s today!
Cub Confidential August 8, 2013:
A few times, we’ve seen Lun Lun on PandaCam without a cub. What’s that about? Jen Webb, Keeper I, shared some interesting facts about mama bear:
“Since Lun Lun spends the vast majority of her time focusing on whichever cub she has, she is not eating nearly as much bamboo as usual. Giant pandas consume between 30 and 50 pounds of it every day. Like people, the giant pandas prefer sweeter foods when they are available. Higher calorie foods tend to be sweeter, which is one reason we and other species have evolved to be attracted to sweet foods. The leafeater biscuits and produce we offer the pandas as a supplement to the bamboo is their preferred food. Bamboo also takes a lot longer to process and consume than biscuits and produce. Lun Lun prefers to eat biscuits and produce over the bamboo. She will consume bamboo, but very little right now. This is completely normal behavior and makes perfect sense. Since she is spending most of her time and energy caring for her offspring, she prefers to eat higher calorie food that takes less time to consume.
However, when giant pandas aren’t eating bamboo that well (for whatever reason), they are more likely to have a mucous stool. Giant pandas have mucus-producing cells lining their digestive tract. This mucus protects the digestive tract from the sharp pieces of bamboo that pandas consume. Sometimes the mucus sloughs and a panda will pass this excess mucus in stool. Mucous stools usually occur when a giant panda doesn’t eat its usual amount of bamboo for a period of weeks. This varies quite a bit by individual, though.
For a few hours prior to passing a mucous stool, a giant panda will generally curl into a ball and sleep until excreting the stool. Since Lun Lun isn’t consuming a normal amount of bamboo, I wasn’t really surprised when she started to show behavior recently that indicated she was going to have a mucous stool. Giant panda mothers do not always go through this, but Lun Lun has done this when caring for her previous cubs so we weren’t worried. Since we are regularly swapping the cubs, we decided to give her a little break from both of them. The cubs got to hang out in the incubator while Lun Lun passed her mucous stool. Then, in typical panda fashion, as soon as Lun passed the stool she was 100 percent back to normal. She was hungry and wanting a cub back.”
Thanks, Jen. We love learning interesting facts about giant pandas, and we’re glad to hear Lun Lun is doing well!
Day 24
Cub Confidential August 6, 2013:
The cubs are growing so fast! Before you know it, they’ll be active balls of fur, playing with mom!
Jen Web, Keeper I, loves spending time watching Lun Lun with her cubs. She couldn’t wait to share this with our Cub Confidential subscribers:
“Lun Lun is rather comical when she has cubs. I’m used to her normal no-nonsense, wham-bam-done and thank-you-very-much personality. But when she has cubs, she’s really cute and she does everything slowly. Like any mother, she has her ways of doing things. This includes how she lies down and the method she takes to get into position. For example, if the cub is being fussy she will sometimes sit up, spin around, and then hunch over in the front corner of her nest box, shoving her face in the corner. It doesn’t look very comfortable, but the cub almost always quiets. When we are ready for a cub swap, sometimes Lun is already “in position” – which is facing the bars, either lying down or sitting up. If she isn’t “in position” and she realizes that we would like to swap her cub for a yummy piece of sugarcane, she always gets “in position” in the same way: this funny forward roll with a spin-kick. It’s hard to describe but super cute to watch. She rolls, spins, pushes off against the wall with her hind feet – whatever is required to move and keep her little one happy at the same time.”
Thanks, Jen! We know Lun Lun will do whatever it takes to take care of her cubs – even a spin move off the wall!With our Veterinary and Animal Management Team in the Panda Nursery 24/7, they take the cutest pictures of our cubs. Take a look at a couple of the pictures Jen snapped for us:
Cub Confidential August 1, 2013:
THANK YOU!Rebecca Snyder, Ph.D, Curator of Mammals, is really proud of all the work our Animal Management and Veterinary Teams have been doing and of their commitment to the panda cubs and Zoo Atlanta. She also expressed her appreciation for Deng Tao, our colleague from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, for his enormous dedication over the past two weeks:“The twins continue to grow and thrive. That is due in large part to their exceptional mother, Lun Lun. But a lot of credit also goes to Deng Tao, from the Chengdu Research Base, and Zoo Atlanta’s three full-time veterinarians, Dr. Hayley Murphy, Dr. Sam Rivera and Dr. Kate Leach.
Deng Tao arrived in Atlanta the day the cubs were born. I saw him that afternoon and could tell he was exhausted from the long trip. I told him that I hoped nothing would happen that night so that he could get some rest. As soon as he arrived, Lun Lun went into labor! He didn’t sleep at all until the next day and it was just an hour or two on a mat in the panda building. He has only slept in the panda building since he arrived. He sleeps on an air mattress in a den adjacent to Lun Lun’s den. He showers at our vet clinic and eats in the panda building. He has only left the panda building a few times to eat breakfast or to pick up clean clothes. He has an adorable 6-month-old son he will not see for four months while he helps us with the twins.
The veterinarians are working 12-hour shifts so that one of them is always in the panda building. Dr. Sam works the night shift from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. and has not taken a day off since the twins were born. Dr. Hayley and Dr. Kate work the day shifts and try to keep up with health care for the other 1,400 animals that live at the Zoo. It’s a grueling schedule for all of them, but they are handling it with grace and good humor. We have a great team!”
We are extremely grateful for all of the team’s hard work, and they even still manage to find time to give us updates for Cub Confidential. Thank you!
Cub Confidential July 30, 2013:
Interesting to know: Our panda cubs are actually littermates, rather than literal twins. What does that mean? Keeper Heather Roberts explains to our Cub Confidential subscribers:
“Since the cubs come from two separate, developing eggs, one most likely implanted in the uterus earlier than the other, thus causing one cub to be more developed at birth. The signature black markings appeared first in the larger cub, his fur became thicker sooner, and his tiny claws grew longer before his brother’s did. “
Rebecca Snyder, PhD, Curator of Mammals, shares this update:
“Lun Lun and the twins continue to do really well. She is starting to uncover them a little more. So, you will have more frequent glimpses of them. Even though I get to see them in the incubator, I still get excited about being able to see them better when Lun Lun has them. It’s just always nice to watch her cleaning her cubs and making the small adjustments needed to keep them comfortable.”
Cub Confidential July 25, 2013:
Panda cubs have such long tails! Keeper Jennifer Andrew helps us understand why:”Newborn pandas have long tails relative to their body length. As a panda cub grows, the rest of the body will grow at a faster rate than the tail does. This means that the tail becomes proportionally smaller as the rest of the body gets larger. Over time, the proportion changes, and the tail length compared to the body size will be normal. In other words, they just need some time to ‘grow into’ their tails!”
Thanks, Jennifer! Can’t wait to see the cubs grow into their tails!
Rebecca Snyder, PhD, Curator of Mammals, has been monitoring Lun Lun’s behavior:“Lun Lun started putting the cubs down two nights ago. The smaller cub let his mom know that he wasn’t ready for that and called loudly until she picked him back up. The larger cub was okay with this next step in his development. He was quiet when Lun Lun put him down and she was able to leave him briefly. This is a sign to us that Lun Lun is ready to leave the cubs for short periods of time to eat. Today we started putting her food in the adjacent den. She now has access to this den and can choose to go over there to eat whenever she is hungry. We have done this when Lun Lun was caring for her previous cubs, and it works quite well. The cubs will get used to being put down and left for short periods. Then Lun Lun will gradually increase the time that she spends away from the cubs. This is normal giant panda maternal behavior. This makes cub swapping easier, too.”
Cub Confidential July 23, 2013:
How’s the cub swapping going, and how did Lun Lun react when cub number two arrived? Keeper Beth Parker Roberts takes us behind the scenes for an inside look:“Did you see the video of Lun Lun giving birth? (If not, take a look!) You saw that she picked up her first cub and cradled him just as she has done after giving birth to her other three cubs. Once the second cub was born, she seemed just as surprised as we were! Initially, she did attempt to pick him up even though she was already caring for the first cub. She did briefly have both cubs, but quickly realized manipulating two at the same was too difficult and dropped the second cub. Lun Lun continued to care for the firstborn cub, which happened to be the smaller of the two. Luckily, our swapping method is keeping both cubs healthy and giving them equal time with Mom. They are gaining weight at every swap and our boys are looking fat and healthy!”
Vet UpdateDr. Sam Rivera says the cubs are growing every day! Here is his exclusive update from the panda nursery:
July 22, Day 7:
From Dr. Sam Rivera:
“The cubs are so strong! They can pull themselves up on their legs for very short periods and roll on their backs. When both are in the incubator they are a handful and a challenge to keep away from the edges. As they become more and more mobile they require closer supervision when away from Lun Lun. This is a good sign and a positive indicator of how healthy they are.”
Thanks, Dr. Sam. The twins sound like double trouble!
Cub Confidential July 19, 2013:
Check out the twins!Dr. Sam Rivera has good news straight from the panda nursery:
“All is well in the giant panda nursery and den. Lun Lun and the cubs are doing very well. It was a very good night for pandas and humans in the nursery. Lun Lun was very cooperative, and the cub swapping went smoothly. She’s starting to get more excited about food and readily takes a piece of sugarcane in exchange for a swap. After she’s done eating, she vocalizes and looks for the cub, at which time we give her the hungry twin. The vet checks are going smoothly. Because of the cubs’ small size and need for a controlled environment, the exams are done while the cubs are in the incubator. We do a thorough exam of the skin, legs, tail and head. We also feel their abdomens to get a feel for how full they are. Listening to their heart and lungs is tricky, especially when they are awake and vocalizing, which they do a lot. So far they continue doing well, are well hydrated, have not shown any abnormal findings on the vet exams, and are gaining weight better than we expected. “
Thanks, Dr. Sam! We’re so glad the boys are doing well!
Their fur is getting longer and the patches around their eyes are getting darker.
They are starting to look like pandas!
In between all of this cub swapping, Lun Lun is finally giving herself some time to rest. Mama bear is tired!
Cub Confidential July 18, 2013:
We’ve got twin…BOYS
Twins are new to all of us, too! We’ve gotten some great questions about the rearing of the cubs. Rebecca Snyder, Ph.D., Curator of Mammals, took a few minutes to answer some of our more frequent inquiries.
1. What is the formula the cubs are getting, and how often are the cubs nursing?
The formula is a combination of Esbilac® (a puppy formula) and Enfamil® (a human formula). This formula has been used successfully with many newborn giant panda cubs. Over the past day or so, neither of the cubs has required supplemental formula.2. Why is the staff member not wearing gloves in some of the recent photos?
Our staff disinfects their hands before touching the cubs. We are following the protocol used by the staff at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.3. Why is the Zoo “intervening?” Wouldn’t Mom know best?
Giant pandas normally do not raise both cubs when twins are born. It is normal for one cub to die within a few days of birth; this happens in the wild and in captivity. There are only two cases in which a captive giant panda mother has raised twins simultaneously. Both were experienced mothers, and both still had some human assistance. Humans watched the mothers constantly and retrieved a cub if it was dropped and gave it to the mother. It requires tremendous dexterity for a giant panda mother to keep her cub warm, clean, and fed. I think it is very difficult for the mother to do this for two cubs at once. She may try, but eventually one gets too cold or not enough to eat or is accidentally crushed. The best way to ensure that both cubs survive is to alternate them with the mother.4. How does the staff go about actually rotating the cubs?
When there is an opportunity to reach the cub, the staff member reaches in and removes the cub. Lun Lun is offered food when this happens. Giant panda mothers usually don’t eat or drink for a few to several days after birth, so food is not very motivating at this point. But, Lun Lun has been eating a piece of sugarcane when a cub is removed and sometimes drinks some water. She has food and water available to her at all times, but she is choosing not to eat and drink at other times. In a few days, her appetite will begin to return. Then she will start putting the cub down for short periods of time to eat and drink. The swapping can then be done when she puts the cub down. The Chengdu Research Base staff is very adept at this method, and it works very well.5. How long will the cubs have to stay in an incubator?
When not with Lun Lun, they will stay in an incubator for about two to three months. The temperature of the incubator will be reduced gradually as the cubs grow their coats and begin to be able to regulate their own body temperature. They are most vulnerable to hypothermia in the first month. After the first month, they have a full coat of fur and the mother puts them down more and leaves them for longer periods of time.Vet Update
July 18, Day 3: Sam Rivera, DVM, Associate Veterinarian, stayed up all night with the twins. He has this exclusive update for our Cub Confidential subscribers:
“The cubs and Lun Lun continue doing well. The cubs are gaining weight at a steady rate, and we can already tell how they are changing as they grow. Their white baby fur is getting longer, and we can see the dark coloration around the eyes.
The smaller cub is a handful! During the 1 a.m. swap, the smaller cub (which was in the incubator) let everyone know how hungry he was by screaming so loudly. I thought he was going to wake up all the other pandas in the building, not to mention a few of our neighbors! Lun Lun, on the other hand, was content with the larger cub and was resting peacefully. I was very glad when we were able to swap cubs and get the little one his much-needed meal. He still complained while with Lun Lun, but eventually settled down and went to sleep.”
Cub Confidential July 17, 2013:
July 17, Day 2: Dr. Sam Rivera, Associate Veterinarian, sends Cub Confidential subscribers an exclusive update on the twins.
Says Dr. Sam: “Lun Lun and the cubs continue doing well and are settling nicely into the new routine. The last 12 hours have been less challenging than the first 12. Both cubs appear to be nursing well, and Lun Lun is doing an outstanding job caring for them and cooperating with our plans. We’re currently swapping cubs every two to three hours. The cubs are well hydrated and are urinating and defecating normally. I never thought I’d get so excited about panda poop!”
Thanks, Dr. Sam, for the scoop – literally – on the cubs. We’re excited, too, and we don’t mind saying so!
Dr. Sam Rivera, D.V.M., M.S.
Cub Confidential July 16, 2013:
July 16, Day 1: Both cubs are doing great! In the wild, giant panda mothers usually only care for one cub. In efforts not to overexert Lun Lun, we’ve been swapping the cubs to make sure they both get equal mommy time! Both cubs are being supplemented with formula at this time to ensure they get the nutrition they need. Lun Lun is such a great mom; she usually hesitates to let the cub she’s holding go! We’re sure she could use some rest!
More cub videos on ZooAtlanta’s YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ZooAtlanta1889?feature=watch
Source and more info on: www.ZooAtlanta.org
