Armadillos are medium-sized mammals bestowed with natural armor and large claws.Armadillo is derived from a Spanish word, which means little armored one, referring to the bony plates covering their back, head, legs, and tail. The little armadillos belong to the order Cingulata and are native to Central and South America.The barrel-shaped armadillos have an oval-shaped body with a greyish-brown tinge, with an armor shell (carapace) with 7-11 unique band-shaped breaks in the middle; a long head with a pointy snout, small black eyes, and a long, tapering tail. They have four short legs and long, sharp claws adapted for digging and defending themselves against predators. The armadillo can grow to an average length of 30 in (75 cm), including the tail, typically not bigger than the size of a small dog.There are around 21 different species of armadillos, which vary in size from small to big. The Smallest known species of armadillo is the pink fairy armadillo that is about the size of a chipmunk with a length of 5-6 in (13-15 cm). The largest in the species of armadillo is the Giant Armadillo, which can reach the size of a small pig with a length of 59 in (150 cm) and weighs up to 119 lb (54 kg). The official state animal of Texas is the nine-banded armadillo.Keep scrolling down for more such intriguing facts on armadillos!If you find our article compelling, then do explore our other interesting articles, such as What do armadillos eat? and Do armadillos bite?Do armadillos come out during the day?Armadillos are nocturnal animals that have a variety of habitats. They spend most of their day hiding in their burrows and are most active around dawn or dusk. The average life span of an armadillo is around seven to ten years in captivity.Armadillos occasionally come out during the day. However, certain species of armadillos may be diurnal in cool weather and nocturnal during the summer. For example, the six-banded armadillo can be found moving about in the daylight, searching for food, and feasting upon things such as plants, insects, and carrion.You would have possibly spotted an armadillo winding down the side of the road if you went to the United States for a road trip.Where do they usually live in the night?Among all the species of armadillos, the widespread species is the Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded Armadillo), also referred to as the nine-banded long-nosed or Armadilloor common long-nosed Armadillo. It is often seen in Central, North, and South America.Most armadillos live in warm areas of North America since they lack fat stores. In general, armadillos have an average body temperature between 91-97 F (33-36 C), much lower than expected in placental mammals. So, they are very picky about their habitat and usually opt for sandy soils that are loose to live in the night. This is because it becomes easy for them to create burrows and dig for food.One of the species of armadillo, the nine-banded armadillos, prefers to build burrows in warm, moist soil near the streams and creeks. These animals utilize their powerful claws to dig multiple burrows around their home range. These abodes protect them from extreme weather or predators, but they are not territorial and may leave to find a better habitat. An armadillo’s burrow range is about 7-8 in (18-20 cm) wide and goes 15 ft (4.5 m) deep. An armadillo’s abandoned abodes are often hosted by other burrowing animals, like skunks, pine snakes, rats, and eastern indigo snakes.What do they do at night?Except for the nine-banded armadillos found from the southern United States to Argentina, all other armadillos species live in Central and Southern America. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the nine-banded armadillos have spread further north due to their rapid breeding cycle, adaptability, and reduction of predators. They are also found in Texas, Florida, and Missouri. Although they are called nine-banded armadillos, they sometimes only have seven or eleven bands on their armor. Armadillos are nocturnal all through the year, so they keep cool in an underground burrow during the day, and at night they spend their time burrowing or foraging for food. Their eyesight is terrible, so they use their keen sense of smell while foraging for food. They also have wiry hairs along the belly, which they use to feel their way around.Armadillos are insectivores. Their diet consists of 90 percent animal matter, like insects, larvae, and other invertebrates. After digging them out, they use their long sticky tongues to eat ants, beetles, insects, and termites. The diet of different armadillo species may vary. Sometimes their diet contains eggs, small vertebrates, plants, fruits, and also dead animals. Do you know what an armadillo’s snack is? It seems that ants are their favorite food, and a nine-banded armadillo can eat thousands of them in one meal. Isn’t it interesting?When do they sleep?Armadillos are solitary animals, and the only time they get together is to breed or take care of their young ones. The reproduction of armadillos begins in early summer. During the day, armadillos stay in their burrows, spending their time sleeping. They usually sleep up to sixteen hours each day in their underground burrow and are active during the night.The gestation period of armadillos lasts about 60 to 120 days. The nine-banded armadillo exhibit delayed implantation and take up to eight months for a young to be born. They always give birth to identical quadruplets yielded from four identical zygotes, and the seven-banded armadillos give birth to 8-15 identical pups at one time. The baby armadillos are called pups; they mature quickly and become independent at 9-12 months.What to do if you see an armadillo?Armadillos can hold their breath for six minutes; thus, we can see them crossing a river or a stream by walking along the bottom of the stream.Armadillo is not a harmful animal. Though they can help you by eating undesirable insects in your yard or garden, they may end up tearing your lawn to dig a burrow. Therefore, they are often considered a significant pest by humans. Also, they are the only wild animals that contract Hansen’s disease (leprosy). But, the risk of getting leprosy is low as it is infected through hunting them or eating their meat. So, if you see an armadillo in your garden, get rid of them by setting up a live trap near the hole of its burrow and after you catch them, release them at least five mi (8 km) from your home in a wooded area.Conserving ArmadillosIn the wild, armadillos can live from 4-30 years. A three-banded armadillo has an average life expectancy of 16 years. Humans often hunt the species for its meat and carapace.According to the IUCN, armadillos are not endangered, but some are vulnerable, like the giant armadillo.When threatened by predators, armadillos use many defense mechanisms, such as a nine-banded armadillo will jump up to 3-4 ft ( 91-122 cm) in the air. In contrast, the South American three-banded armadillos use their armor for protection. Another species known as the screaming hairy Armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) uses its pair of screeching lungs to produce extremely loud, alarm-like vocalizations as a defense. The three-banded armadillo also defends by enclosing its body in its armor-like shell and making itself into a ball when threatened.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy!If you liked our suggestions for Are Armadillos Nocturnal? then why not take a look at do armadillos lay eggs? or Armadillo Fa
Armadillos are medium-sized mammals bestowed with natural armor and large claws.
