Allworthy, S. 2023. Inspired by ABWAK – Making a red panda mirror box. RATEL (Journal of the Association of British and Irish Wild Animal Keepers) 50(1), 15.

I've been lucky enough to work with red pandas for around eight years now and during that time worked on a training plan for health checks, routine weighing and general husbandry. Through this training program we are able to more or less do a top-to-toe health check of our red pandas without the need for sedation or restraint. However the one thing I was never able to easily do is get a good view to check all four feet. Although the front feet are relatively easy to view during feeding or training a foot presentation behaviour, I have always found the bottom of the back feet much more difficult to get a clear view of without a more invasive examination. After attending the 2022 ABWAK symposium at West Midland Safari Park, I was inspired by a presentation by Sioned Davies who had made a mirror box and ramps system that allowed her to check the feet of penguins to look for bumble foot and other problems. The goal was to create a mirror box that allowed a good view of all four feet for a conscious health check and to reduce the need to have future anaesthetics that may be required to look safely at a red panda's feet (particularly the back feet). Since developing this idea we have also been using it with our female red pandas to look at their stomachs and genital areas to monitor for any signs of pregnancy.