Armadillos

ARMADILLOS
Mammal - Vertebrate - Omnivore

SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO

THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO

PINK FAIRY ARMADILLO - The smallest Armadillo

Male: Boar

Female: Sow

Young: Baby, Pup

ARMADILLO
There are about 20 species of armadillo.

Name comes from Spanish word meaning 'little armoured thing'.
Are closely related to the sloths and anteaters.
The largest is about the size of a pig.
The smallest is about the size of a chipmunk.
The number of bands depends upon the species.
Are covered in with many bony plates - the number of plates giving the armadillo it's name - e.g.

8 plates = 8 banded armadillo.

Nine-banded armadillos give birth to four identical young.
Live up to 12 years.
Have poor eyesight, but a keen sense of smell.
Have short legs, but can move surprisingly fast.
Only the three-banded armadillo can roll into a ball to protect itself from predators.
The nine-banded armadillo, when feeling threatened, will rush to their burrows or bushes for safety or, if water is nearby, they will swim to safety.
The nine-banded armadillo always give birth to identical quadruplets.
They may have more bands than their name implies.
Like to swim.
Can walk under water - they can hold their breath for about 6 minutes.
Are excellent diggers.
Live in burrows.
Eat insects, fire ants, termites, bugs, worms, spiders snakes, frogs, eggs, roots, fruit and sometimes reptiles and small birds.
Have a long, sticky tongue to slurp up bugs.
Sleep for about 18 hours a day.
When startled, they jump straight up in the air.
Have four babies at a time, and they are always the same sex.
Babies have soft shells and they get harder as they grow.
Main predators are dogs, wild cats, wolves, alligators, coyotes, raccoons and black bears.
Are the only animal, besides humans, that can get leprosy.
The shell of an armadillo is so tough that bullets bounce off it.

NINE-BANDED AMADILLO