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We usually think of weighing oneself as a not-very-pleasing endeavor we either do and no questions asked, or blatantly ignore. But it’s a whole different story if we're talking adorable and tiny animals being put on scales.

Bored Panda has made a compilation of the cutest little pals getting a weigh-in session. Not only are the pictures all too adorable, they also reveal what kind of tricks, scales, and gadgets animal care workers use to measure their buddies. From weighing an unsuspecting koala sittin’ on a tree limb to wrapping an owl in a burrito-like blanket, this is the kind of cuteness overload I've been missing all this time.

Bored Panda reached out to Emily Greenhalgh, a marine biologist and science communicator who worked at the New England Aquarium in Boston and posted a picture of a baby penguin being weighed. Emily explained what the procedure of weighing wild animals looks like.

"As you can imagine, keeping a wild animal still enough to get an accurate weight reading can be a bit of a challenge.” Emily further explained: “Plastic tubs and containers are clutch. The penguin chicks are placed gently in a plastic tub (the kind you would store flour or cereal in) and then the tub is placed on the scale to get an accurate measurement.”

Meanwhile, other animals (like the sea lions and harbor seals) “are trained to hop up onto the scale as part of their enrichment activities, which makes things a bit easier,” said Emily.

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It really depends on the individual animal how often they get a checkup and how they get weighed.

For example, “The Aquarium's 550-lb green sea turtle, Myrtle, gets a full workup twice a year, including weight measurements, ultrasounds, and blood-draws.” Meanwhile, “Much like a human, the Aquarium's giant anacondas get a checkup annually.”

However, the baby animals like the rockhopper and African penguins that are born at the Aquarium get a checkup and a weigh-in much more frequently.

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#13

Animals-Being-Weighted

CamParkZoo Report

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Rissie
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OK, that looks so snuggly! I want my own weighing cuddle basket....

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#19

Animals-Being-Weighted

Winters_Aspen Report

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GirlFriday
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That puppy is the perfect weight. He is a snuggly weight. Give him to me and I will verify.

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#22

Animals-Being-Weighted

mep.purdue.edu Report

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R L
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The part of me that says this shouldn't be necessary because they should not be in captivity, is screaming.

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#24

erinruberry Report

#25

Animals-Being-Weighted

ZookeeperCasi Report

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Michelle Muirhead
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He is cheating, he is leaning on the wall. Hint to me, must remember to do this next time I go to the Doctor’s.

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#28

biologistimo Report

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Rissie
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No if that isn't the definition of awwwwwwwwww, I don't know anymore.

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#29

Animals-Being-Weighted

amyngyn Report

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eli yete
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

now this is a story about how my life got flipped turned upside down...

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#32

Animals-Being-Weighted

erinruberry Report

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Tracey Hirt
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who’s a good, big girl? You are! You're a good, big girl! ❤️

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#41

Animals-Being-Weighted

London Zoo Report

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Kirsten Kerkhof
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Keeper: "You're overweight." Penguin: "Says the one who feeds me while I'm on the actual scales!"

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