Training the pandas

When I arrived at the panda enclosure Ya Ya was waiting for her food.  The keeper chopped up apple and carrot. The keeper raised a finger and Ya Ya opened her mouth for the carrot to be popped in.  I watched Ya Ya before the keeper let me have a go with Xing Xing.  This is quite scary as you have to get the carrot or apple in the wide open mouth before she shuts it without getting too close.  I missed a couple as Xing Xing shut her mouth just as I was throwing them in.

I then had apple on a stick and got Xing Xing to stand up, sit down and then lay across the bars her paws flat against them.  This is so the vets can do their checks .  I was thrilled when I got a well done from my keeper when I got her to lay beautifully .
Walking around the enclosure was beautiful today, the trees and the mountains are changing colour. It is a shame you cannot pick out the colours of the mountains with the camera , it is so relaxing just walking around being able to look at them all day.

Ya Ya was playing in the tree today, I took a few photos of her as she kept falling out and quickly getting back up and having another go.

 Afternoon training was done outside with a long piece of bamboo and chopped carrots and apples.  First the keeper called the pandas to the bottom of the enclosure.  We stood on the wall and dangled the food in making the pandas stand up and walk along before letting them take the food off the end of the bamboo.  I asked the keeper if this was exercise.  She did not understand me at first but once I started bending my knees and waving my arms around she laughed and said "yes ,exercise" .
After nearly three weeks of being with these lovely animals I get to see their different characters , no two pandas are the same and its easy to fall in love with them.