2022-01-31 Xiao Qi Ji ~ Daddy's at the Howdy Window! Mommie's Making a Funny Noise!

#PandaStory: Xiao Qi Ji's daddy, Tian Tian, was back in his regular room and yard today, and Qi Ji got to say hi to him a couple of times, which is always a delight to see! And one of the scenes shows Mei and Qi Ji receiving sugar cane for their treat, and 3 sticks are thrown into the yard. BUT, when Mei finished hers, she went after Qi Ji's and walked away with it. But after going around and around, Qi Ji did wrestle it back from her and she went off to eat the extra one. Around the 6:45 minute mark Qi Ji initiates play with Mei Xiang. I really loved the play that followed, but our wonderful CO didn't quite have the right camera to show it so look carefully and you can see Mei repeatedly head butt Qi Ji down the side hill along the log! Ultimately the play bout went up toward and under his evergreen. Next, because we had Audio yesterday afternoon through the overnight hours, is a nursing bout that occurred just after 5pm yesterday afternoon. Mei let him nurse for about 15 minutes, but he was the one that stopped the nursing bout, got a drink of water and started chomping bamboo. Mei and Qi Ji were very active around midnight last night. Qi Ji had played in his pool and initiated play with Mei, and the video scene picks up where Mei joins him on the rock structure by the column in room 2. Quite a few times Mei makes a deep, rumbling vocalization (at least I think it's her!) and Qi Ji is not shy about letting his feelings known either while they're playing. Ultimately they wind up eating bamboo together before Qi Ji asks to nurse again. And Mei says yes, and he's very vocal during this bout, especially toward the end when momma says no more after about 11 minutes. They wind up sleeping side by side in their hay covered "nest" which is where they sleep together most nights. Note from Doxie: I respectively ask that you do not post comments disparaging the Smithsonian's National Zoo's treatment of their Giant Pandas, or Mei Xiang's parenting of Xiao Qi Ji, or any comparisons to other Zoos. Comments pertaining to anything other than the video content will be removed. Also, a reminder that I am not employed by or affiliated with the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping this a place of positivity, celebration and joy! All video footage recorded by me from the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Panda Cam public website: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/pa... #PandaStory #MeiXiang #XiaoQiJi