Do pandas poop a lot? Just like you, I was once wondering about this thing, too. Well, who would not wonder, considering they eat a lot of bamboos every day?
To give you a quick answer, yes, they do poop a lot. In fact, they poop an average of 40 times a day. Moreover, their poop size is about 6×3 inches or (15×7 centimeters).
Now that you know they do poop a lot, you might be wondering how long does it take a panda to poop, right? Another question might be, do they poop while they are asleep? Well, worry no more because I did my research for these possible questions.
There is so much to learn in this article, so keep on reading until the end.
Why Do Pandas Poop A Lot?
Pandas eat a lot, so it’s not a surprise if they poop a lot at the same time. The giant pandas have to eat 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo every day. So, if they will not poop what they have eaten, they cannot store it all in their body.
The main food source of a panda bear is bamboo. However, this food lacks nutrients to sustain them for living. Thus, the pandas require themselves to eat a lot of it to adjust to the lack of nutrients in their food.
Why do pandas eat a lot of bamboos every day? To get a detailed answer to this question, click this link.
Moreover, the fast-eating way of the giant panda results in a poop-filled with undigested bamboo bits. If they cannot digest bamboo well, why do they still eat it, right?
Well, just like in every weird story, there is always more to something than meets the eye. Due to the lack of food to eat, these animals decided to switch to a herbivorous diet. This way, they can eat a lot without worrying about competition.
Sadly, humans keep on invading their habitats. Thus, they are forced to migrate to different places to look for new sources of bamboo.
How Many Times Do Pandas Poop A Day?
Again, giant pandas can poop an average of 40 times per day. Just like what I mentioned earlier, giant pandas eat a lot, so it is not surprising if they poop several times a day.
Pooping 40 times a day is not the normal number for many animals. However, for the pandas, this is something they have to deal with in order to survive. If we look at their situation, we can say that bamboo is not really the best food for them.
According to researchers, giant pandas digest only 17% of the nearly 30 pounds of bamboo they consume throughout the day in their natural environment. This is equivalent to 5.1 pounds of fully digested bamboo every day.
If you are interested to read a more detailed explanation of why they feed mainly on bamboo, click this link.
How Long Does It Take A Panda To Poop?
It takes 4 hours of bamboo digestion before giant panda poops. According to Chairman Yang Chaolin, the pandas will poop the fiber after absorbing the sugar that takes around 4 hours in the stomach of a giant panda.
Does it mean they poop every four hours? Not necessarily, let’s take a look at this example.
If the giant panda ate around 1 PM, then it is expected to poop around 5 PM. This is correct according to Chairman Yang Chaolin.
Now, when will be the next pooping time of the giant panda? Is it 9 PM? If you think it’s 9 PM you are wrong.
Well, the best answer could be as early as 6 PM. How is this possible? Let’s analyze the situation well.
| Eating Time | Digesting Time | Pooping Time |
| 1 PM | 1-5 PM (4 hours) | 5 PM |
| 2 PM | 2-6 PM (4 hours) | 6 PM |
It is good to take note that pandas eat from time to time (not eat-poop-eat cycle). So while they are digesting the bamboo that they ate at 1 PM, you can still see them eating around 2 PM which will be digested after four hours, too.
Besides, the panda’s pooping process is not taking a lot of time. If you watch videos about pooping pandas, you will notice that the giant panda finishes in no more than 10 seconds.
Do Pandas Poop In Their Sleep?
Yes, giant pandas still poop while they are sleeping. The fact that they poop an average of 40 times a day means that they will poop from time to time. Regardless of where they are or what they do.
Sleeping has been part of the giant pandas’ daily routine. In particular, they need to sleep a lot of time (10 hours) every day to sustain the amount of energy that they need to survive. The same is true with eating (30 pounds of bamboo per day).
Logically speaking, if we put 30 pounds of bamboo inside their stomach, it might explode. So, the only way to keep them from eating a lot of bamboo without harming themselves is pooping from time to time; even when they are asleep.
How Big Is A Panda’s Poop?
The usual or average size of a giant panda’s poop is 6×3 inches (15×7 centimeters). This information is from Michelle Kolar from Zoo Atlanta. She examined and measured a fresh poop, so we can have the answer to this question; thanks to her.
If you take a closer look at the poop of a giant panda, you will see bits of undigested bamboo. This is quite normal for giant pandas. They only manage to digest a few percent of bamboo that they eat every single day, which was mentioned earlier, too.
FAQ
Here are some of the frequently asked questions that you might want to know, too.
Do Pandas Eat Poop?
In general terms, it’s no because adult giant pandas do not eat poop; not even their own poop. But if we were talking about their young, the story might change a little bit. Let’s get into more details.
Some young animals like elephants, giant pandas, koalas, and hippos eat the poop of their mother or other animals. It may sound disgusting but it’s true. This is to obtain the bacteria that they need to digest their food in their environment.
Why Do Pandas Roll In Horse Poop?
The giant pandas in the wild roll themselves on horse poop to gain more cold tolerance at low and ambient temperatures. That explains everything about this weird behavior. So quit thinking that they do this because they are gross; they do it to survive.
On the other hand, what’s with the horse poop and why do pandas choose it over the other poop? Well, no need to worry about this because I did my research for you.
Horse manure or poop contains Beta-caryophyllene/Caryophyllene Oxide (BCP/BCPO) which provides cold tolerance to pandas. In fact, a panda really rubs the poop all over its body.
Experts say that the attraction to poop is extremely rare among mammals. Well, that makes giant pandas even more unique.
Conclusion
In this article, you learned that pandas do poop an average of 40 times a day. You also found out that their way of pooping has something to do with their food. Moreover, you found out some interesting facts about pandas when it comes to their poop.
This article is a good reminder that living creatures need food to survive. Sometimes, animals choose to evolve themselves to survive the changes in their environment. Just like how giant pandas choose to eat bamboo even if it’s not the best food for them.
Here are some other articles that you might want to read as well.
1. What?! Do you mean those bamboo-eating bears can shatter human bones?
2. Red pandas have whiskers. Do giant pandas have whiskers, too?
3. Humans need to sleep 6-8 hours a day. What about giant pandas?
What can you say about this article? Is it interesting and informative enough? Don’t forget to share this one with your family and friends who also love our cuddly bears.
