ARMADILLOS
Mammal          -    Vertebrate          -      Omnivore
Picture
NINE-BANDED AMADILLO
Picture
SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO
Armadillos ...
  • 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
  • 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
  • Have four babies at a time and all of them of the same sex
  • Main predators are dogs, wild cats, wolves, alligators, coyotes, raccoons and black bears
  • Are the only animal, besides humans, that can get leprosy
  • Gives birth to four babies at a time and they are always of the same sex
  • The shell of an armadillo is so tough that bullets bounce off it

There are about 20 species of armadillos

Male   ..........................................................  Boar
Female  .......................................................  Sow
Young  ........................................................  Baby. Pup
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
  1. An arrangement of armadillos
  2. A herd of armadillos
  3. A pack of armadillos
Picture
SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO
Picture
THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO
Picture
PINK FAIRY ARMADILLO - The smallest Armadillo