Tiger Junior’s Third Month

25 Feb 2008

Now three months old (equivalent to a human age of around 21 months) and weighing a whopping 14 kg, Junior measures over a meter from nose to tail tip. Unlike tiger cubs of other sub-species who look like stuffed toys, Junior looks like a miniature tiger! His South China Tiger features are quite pronounced; long narrow head with a little long noble nose, long body and very boisterous! Starting from February 17, Junior has been spending his nights outdoors. Furniture and curtains are now no match to Junior's tiger teeth; he chews and swings and destroys.

He has not had any problems with his night out - content with his large blue bed. He did not even have his traveling cage, but merely slept under the stars like a real tiger. During the day he either sleeps on his blue bed or lies in the long grass near the trees.

Compared to even a week ago, he has become more independent. He used to cry for about 5 minutes if his human guardian or playmates left him, but now he would cry for only two minutes. He is enjoying playing on his own, although any human visitor excites him greatly and would be subjected to his generous stalking, charging, tackling, biting and chuffing. When he plays with stuffed toys, he picks them up and drags them as if they were "kills". He can also multi-task; he would have his "prey" in his teeth while simultaneously attacking someone or something else. And he is fast! He doesn’t like being picked up anymore, unless he is tired or in a strange environment.

It also seems that he has overcome his fear of the big lions in the neighboring enclosure. He can therefore no longer be allowed to walk on his own, for fear he may get too close to the fence of their enclosure and get hurt. This is very good news as he would be ready to meet his mother, father, uncle and aunt when he returns to Laohu Valley.

He has had his first inoculation without any side effects. He is due to have the second injection early in March. He has now also been introduced to springbok meat and has now reluctantly accepted it.

His first meal at 07:00 consists of a bowl of 200/300g of springbok meat.
At 09:00 a bottle of 250ml of milk.
At 12:00 another 250ml bottle and 200g of chicken.
At 17:00 yet another bottle.