What Do Pandas Eat Besides Bamboo? Fun Facts on Diet and Drinks for Kids

Pandas are beloved symbols of China—soft, fluffy, and full of surprises! You might think they only munch on bamboo, but their diet is way more interesting than that. From sweet fruits to occasional tiny snacks, pandas have unique eating habits that make learning about them a blast for kids. And did you know their drinking routines are just as fascinating? At WuKong Education, we use fun topics like panda diets to spark curiosity about Chinese language and culture. Let’s dive into these fuzzy facts!

What Do Pandas Mainly Eat?

When someone asks “what do pandas eat?”, bamboo is almost always the answer, and for good reason! A panda’s diet is 99% bamboo, making it their absolute favorite food. But not just any bamboo: they prefer tender shoots, leaves, and stems from types like arrow bamboo and black bamboo.

Why bamboo? For one, it’s everywhere in their natural habitat. Even though bamboo is low in nutrients, pandas have adapted to make the most of it. They have strong jaws and flat teeth to crush tough stems, and their digestive systems can break down bamboo fiber. A grown panda eats 20–40 pounds of bamboo every day—thats like eating 100 apples! This panda diet keeps them full, even if they have to munch for 12–14 hours straight.

Foods Pandas Eat Other Than Bamboo

You might wonder, “what do pandas eat other than bamboo?” While bamboo rules their meals, pandas do enjoy occasional treats, especially when food is scarce. Let’s break down their “snack list”.

• Fruits: Wild pandas love sweet fruits like apples, pears, and berries when they find them. Zoos often give pandas bananas or melons as special snacks—they even hold the fruit with their “thumbs” to eat.
• Small creatures: Yes, “do pandas eat meat?” is a common question—and the answer is sometimes! Wild pandas might snack on tiny rodents, birds, or eggs if they come across them. Their ancestors were carnivores, so this instinct still lingers.
• Plants: They sometimes nibble on other grasses or wild tubers, especially in spring when new shoots pop up.
• Zoo food: Captive pandas get balanced meals too! Keepers make “panda cakes” with bamboo powder, corn, and eggs to give them extra nutrients. It’s like a healthy snack for our fuzzy friends.

These treats are rare, but they show how adaptable pandas can be—even if bamboo is their first love.

What Do Pandas Drink?

Now, let’s answer “what do pandas drink?” Water is just as important as food for pandas, and they get it from two main places.

• Streams and rivers: Wild pandas live near fresh water sources. They’ll walk down to a stream, lower their heads, and lap up water with their tongues—kind of like how dogs drink!
• Bamboo moisture: Bamboo is 40–60% water, so pandas get a lot of hydration just from eating. This is handy in winter when streams might freeze.
• Snow: In cold months, pandas eat fresh snow to quench their thirst. It’s like nature’s slushie!

Zoo pandas have easy access to clean water bowls, but they still love lapping water the “wild way.” 

Fun Activities for Kids

Learning about panda facts for kids doesn’t stop with reading—try these educational activities to mix fun and Chinese learning:

1. Panda Diet Book: Read Panda’s Bamboo Feast. It has colorful pictures and simple Chinese words for foods like “竹子” (zhúzi, bamboo) and “苹果” (píngguǒ, apple). Ask your kid to point to the panda’s snacks!
2. Chinese Word Match Game: Make flashcards with English words (“bamboo,” “water,” “apple”) on one side and Chinese characters on the other. See how fast your child can match them—offer a small prize for a perfect score!
3. Panda Snack Art: Draw a panda and glue “bamboo” (green pipe cleaners) or “fruit” (colored paper) around it. Label each snack in Chinese.

These activities turn panda curiosity into Chinese language skills—perfect for little learners!

Conclusion

Pandas are more than just cute. Their diets are full of surprises that make learning fun! From 99% bamboo meals to sweet fruit snacks, these facts show how amazing nature and Chinese culture is. At WuKong Chinese, we turn this curiosity into language skills—help your kid learn words like “zhúzi” and “shuǐ” while exploring pandas.

Panda Diet FAQs

Jasmine | WuKong Chinese Teacher

With over a decade of dedication to the education sector, I specialize in educational innovation and practice, deeply researching the construction of the basic education ecosystem and the cultivation of students’ core competencies. Holding a Doctorate in Education from Beijing Normal University, I integrate theoretical research with frontline teaching, excelling in stimulating students’ internal learning motivation through interdisciplinary teaching methods. Guided by the mission of “enabling every child to embrace suitable education”, I promote educational equity and personalized development, helping students unlock infinite possibilities in their growth. I am committed to injecting vitality into the high – quality development of education with professional expertise.