Sandokan, our Rescue No. 74, is now 13 months old!
When she first arrived at BSBCC, Sandokan weighed 6.5 kg and was slightly underweight. She was also missing a claw on her right front limb. Since then, with time, care and close observation, she has more than doubled her initial body weight. We are also happy to see that her missing claw has grown back well and is now developing healthily.
Sandokan also went through a minor dental procedure after an injury fractured one of her lower deciduous canine teeth. The affected tooth was removed, and thankfully, she recovered very well. She was very cooperative throughout her recovery, and her permanent tooth has since fully erupted. These days, she is happily back to munching on her carrots.
After previously spending time with Manja, Sandokan now has a new companion, Lumaku, Rescue No. 73. We started their introduction gradually through cage-by-cage integration, and Sandokan has been showing a lot of interest in him.
She often looks for Lumaku’s attention and will even bring her enrichment along to show him. It has been lovely to watch these little interactions as they get to know each other.
Sandokan has also been learning how to tackle something a little more challenging — coconuts!
At first, we helped her open a small part of the husk, and she took it from there, working to remove the rest herself. She was able to use her claw to make an opening and enjoy the coconut water, but the coconut meat was a different challenge. The next morning, we found the coconut still mostly intact. She only managed to get to the meat after we cracked it open for her.
But then, last month, we noticed something interesting.
Before the morning routine had even started, we found a coconut in her enclosure already split in half. It seems Sandokan may have been working on it during the night after we left her. We may never know exactly how she managed to do it, but it was certainly a nice surprise to see.
From the little bear who first arrived at BSBCC to the growing bear she is today, Sandokan has come a long way. She is growing stronger, learning new things and showing more of her personality every day. We look forward to seeing what she discovers next.
Look at me in my box! I really like it in here, so I brought my food along and settled down for a little meal inside my favourite spot.
Look at my claw! My missing claw has grown back nicely. I’m a little sleepy here, but still wanted to look at the camera!
Why sit up when I can eat comfortably like this? Sandokan seems to enjoy having her meals while lying down — sometimes on her side, sometimes just finding whatever position feels most comfortable.
Getting bigger and stronger day by day! One thing that makes me especially happy is being able to use all my claws again. I can use them to dig, climb, explore, and even hold on to my food. It feels good to have all my claws back and to be able to use them for all the things I love doing!
One paw holding onto the tree, the other holding my food. Look at me multitasking! I’m not letting go of my food, but I need to hold on tight too.
I’ll take my papaya and bring it far away from the front, where my keeper can’t see it too easily. I just want to enjoy my treat in peace — and most importantly, make sure nobody steals it! My papaya, my spot, my rules.
I’m almost as tall as this tree trunk! Hehehe… I’ve already done some digging and scratching on it, so it doesn’t really look like a tree trunk anymore!
This is my first time trying rambutan! Guess what? I think I’ve just found my new favourite seasonal treat!
When I’m happy, I like to play while I eat! Sometimes I just can’t sit still when there’s good food around. I’ll have a little play, move around, and then come back to my food again. Why choose between playtime and mealtime when I can enjoy both at the same time? A little eating, a little playing, and back to eating again! That’s just how I like my mealtimes — fun, playful and always with something yummy to munch on!
Oops! The camera caught me falling! I was just happily playing around when… down I went! Don’t worry, I’m okay — just a little caught off guard by the camera.
