Generally, you cannot touch pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, as it is a conservation and research facility where pandas are kept in semi-natural enclosures and strictly protected. While some visitors in the past were able to pay a significant fee to hold a baby panda for a few minutes, this practice has been largely discontinued at the main Chengdu base due to concerns for the animals' health and stress levels. For those determined to have a closer interaction, certain "Panda Keeper" volunteer programs at nearby facilities like the Dujiangyan Panda Base may allow for limited, supervised contact such as briefly touching a panda's back or feeding them, but these opportunities are strictly regulated, expensive, and often require advance booking along with health certificates. Experts strongly discourage these interactions as they can traumatize the pandas and potentially expose them to human diseases.