Tiger Cub, Day 14 - Eyes Are Open

Our Sumatran tiger cub’s eyes are now open and, as our vets have noted, "is starting to more forcefully assert her personality!" She is continuing to gain weight, but over the last couple days has seemed less interested in the supplemental feedings that we offered her. With a “full" feel to her abdomen each time we picked her up, the cub was hesitant to gulp down formula from the bottle (like she did when we first started to offer one), and carnivore keepers are pretty sure that they may have caught a glimpse of the cub nursing as mom reclined inside her nest box.

As a result, we decided not to offer her multiple bottles of formula yesterday, and she still gained weight overnight, indicating that her nutritional needs are better met by her mother's milk now. The cub is still small, but is gaining weight at a rate similar to her brothers' (who were born here at Sacramento Zoo in 2006). For now, we will continue to weigh her daily to make sure she's getting everything she needs from her mother, and we hope not to have to supplement her diet any further.

Tiger Cub, Day 13 - Vet Update

by Dr. Scott Larsen, Associate Veterinarian

Our tiger cub continues to grow. With the supplemental feedings, she is putting on weight and is getting closer to what we would expect for a Sumatran tiger that is 13 days old. While mom, Baha, is in a separate den for treats and training, animal care staff and veterinarians hold the baby and offer a bottle. With a cub, we must be careful to hold the baby in a sternal (legs down) position, while the baby’s head is tilted upward. There is a natural tendency to hold the baby on its back – like a human infant – but nursing on the back is not a normal position for a baby tiger.

As soon as the cub is done eating, we briefly stimulate the cub to defecate and urinate, like Baha does after the cub has nursed from her (except that we use a warm washcloth)……then the baby is put back in the nest box, in the same place that we found her. Each supplemental feeding episode takes just a few minutes and, so far, Baha has been very tolerant of all of our activity with her and her cub. We’ll continue to monitor both of them closely and take things day by day.

Tiger Cub, Day 8 - Bottle Feedings

by Harrison Edell, General Curator

While the birth of our newest Sumatran tiger cub has been very exciting, her first week has also proven challenging. During her first exam (on Day 1) she appeared quite healthy. Over the next days, health checks showed she had gained little weight since birth, prompting the Zoo staff to supplement the milk she's receiving from Bahagia. The veterinarians and Zoo keepers are offering her formula by bottle a few times a day, then returning the cub to the den box for Baha to inspect and clean her. The hope is that the cub will get the nutritional boost she needs from supplemental feeding, while remaining under the nurturing care of her mother.

The cub is wrapped in a towel during the feeding to keep her warm.

Article in the Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Zoo officials keep fingers crossed for Sumatran tiger cub
http://is.gd/aYYoJ

Tiger Cub, Day 2 - It's a Girl!

by Lauren Kraft, Public Relations Coordinator

The Sacramento Zoo reports the birth of a Sumatran tiger cub, born on Thursday, March 18, 2010. This is the second litter for Bahagia, the female and Castro, the male; their first litter of three male cubs was born in November 2006. Bahagia and baby appear healthy at this early point in the baby’s life; the Zoo is hopeful the cub will continue to thrive.

Tiger cubs are about two pounds (1 Kg) at birth, born with eyes closed and rely entirely on their mother for the first three months. Mother and baby will be inside the den, away from public view, while the baby gains strength and coordination. Castro, the male, will be on exhibit daily.

The young cub had a quick veterinary exam early this morning and the vets confirmed - it's a girl!

Read the full press release here.