June 8
Yesterday was Monday, so it was time to weigh the cubs again. They all look great and have gained an average of 1 3/4 pounds each. The smallest is almost 10 pounds (9.95), the middle one weighs 10.32 pounds, and the largest is 10.86 pounds.
In addition to being weighed, the cubs had their first visitor: Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence Small. He is the first person outside the cubs' care team to see them, and I think he was impressed. The feeling must have been mutual. When we asked Secretary Small to hold the smallest cub (usually the most rambunctious) as we weighed his brothers, the cub behaved like a perfect angel.
More good news! The cubs' teeth have started to come in. Tigers have two sets of teeth just like people have—a set of baby, or deciduous, teeth, and a set of adult, or permanent, teeth. Speaking of cats' teeth, if you have a pet cat at home, its teeth are just the same as the tigers' only much smaller.
We've noticed that Soyono has started bringing the boys into the enclosure where she is fed, and wonder if she's offering them some of her food. No one has seen any of the cubs try any of Mom's dinner yet, but it probably won't be long now.
If you've been watching the boys on the cub cam, you already know how active they've become. It's hard to believe they are only five weeks old!
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