If you’ve ever seen a panda, you may have wondered what do pandas eat. These black and white creatures are native to China, and their diet is mostly bamboo.
Most people think that pandas only eat bamboo, but they actually enjoy a variety of different foods.
However, pandas will also eat other things like fruits, vegetables, and meat. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the eating habits of pandas. We’ll also explore some fun facts about pandas that you may not know!
Bamboo is The Favorite Food of Pandas
As we mentioned before, bamboo is the favorite food of pandas. In fact, they eat bamboo so much that it makes up about 99% of their diet!
But why do pandas love bamboo so much? Well, for one thing, it’s very nutritious. Bamboo is packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential to a panda’s health.
In addition, bamboo is very easy to digest. This is important because pandas have a very short digestive system.
Did you know that pandas only have one stomach? That’s right – they don’t have a second stomach like cows do! Because of this, they can’t digest tough foods very well.
So, the soft, easy-to-digest bamboo is the perfect food for pandas.
How Much Bamboos Panda Eat?
Now that we know what pandas like to eat, you might be wondering how much they eat.
Well, pandas are actually eating machines! They can consume up to 40 pounds of bamboo each day.
That’s a lot of bamboos! In fact, it’s so much that pandas spend about 12 hours each day eating.
When they’re not eating, they’re usually either sleeping or taking a nap. Can you blame them? With all that eating, they must get pretty tired!
Panda Bears Eat Different Parts of the Bamboo Plant
Not all bamboo is created equal. There are actually over 1200 different species of bamboo, and pandas don’t like them all.
They prefer to eat a type of bamboo called Moso bamboo. This variety is native to China and grows up to 60 feet tall!
Pandas will eat the leaves, stems, and even the roots of the Moso bamboo plant. They’re not picky!
In fact, they’ll even eat the bark if they’re feeling really hungry. Yum!
What Do Pandas Eat Besides Bamboo?
While bamboo is the mainstay of a panda’s diet, they will also eat other things on occasion.
For example, pandas love to eat fruits and vegetables. Their favorites include apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, and carrots.
They’ll also eat meat if it’s available. In the wild, their favorite prey is a type of rodent called the bamboo rat.
However, they’re not above eating birds or fish either! In captivity, pandas are often fed chicken, beef, and even shrimp.
Yum! Who knew that pandas had such good taste?
What Do Baby Pandas Eat?
Now that we know what adult pandas like to eat, you might be wondering what baby pandas eat.
Well, the good news is that they eat pretty much the same thing as their parents.
Bamboo is still their favorite food, but they’ll also enjoy fruits, vegetables, and meat.
The only difference is that baby pandas need to eat more frequently than adults. They have small stomachs, so they can’t eat as much at one time.
As a result, they need to eat about every two hours or so. That’s a lot of eating! But hey – it’s all worth it when you get to see those cute little faces!
What Do Brown/Red Pandas Eat?
You might be wondering what the difference is between a brown panda and a red panda.
Well, the truth is that they’re not really related. In fact, they’re not even in the same family!
Red pandas are actually more closely related to raccoons and weasels than they are to pandas.
But despite their different lineage, both types of pandas share a love for bamboo.
In fact, bamboo makes up about 80% of a red panda’s diet. The other 20% consists of fruits, vegetables, and insects.
The Eating Schedule of Pandas 🙂
One last fun fact about pandas: they have a very specific eating schedule.
Pandas will usually eat two meals per day. The first meal is typically in the morning, and the second is in the afternoon.
However, this isn’t set in stone. If a panda is feeling particularly hungry, it may snack on bamboo throughout the day.
A typical panda day goes like this:
- 2–8 am: eating/foraging (6 hours)
- 8–10:30 am: sleeping
- 10:30–11 am: playing
- 11 am–12 pm: eating (1 hour)
- 12–2:30 pm: sleeping
- 2:30–9 pm: eating/foraging (6½ hours)
- 9 pm–2 am: sleeping
Some Fun Facts About Panda Eating Habits
Now that we know what pandas like to eat, let’s take a look at some fun facts about their eating habits.
For instance, did you know that pandas have a very long tongue? It can be up to 18 inches long!
That’s pretty handy for reaching all the way into a bamboo stalk to get the best leaves.
Speaking of leaves, did you know that pandas actually eat more than just bamboo leaves? They also like to munch on bamboo shoots and stems.
In fact, they’ll even eat the bark if they’re feeling particularly hungry. Yum!
Lastly, baby pandas are born blind and without any teeth. But don’t worry – they grow in quickly.
Within a few weeks, they’re able to see and start eating bamboo on their own.
How cool is that?
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed learning about what pandas like to eat! These furry creatures are fascinating, and we hope you now have a better understanding of their eating habits. Until next time, happy eating! 🙂
Do you have any questions or comments? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below! 🙂
