Armadillo natural predators9/11/2023 They sleep up to sixteen hours per day, awakening from their slumber in the morning and evening to hunt for food and to eat it. Armadillos mark their territory with urine or feces, and defend it when necessary by kicking and chasing intruders. The bolt-holes are connected by tunnels to allow for quick escape from danger. They live in areas where the soil is soft so they can easily dig a series of bolt-holes, or burrows, for sleeping. BehaviorĪrmadillos tend to be solitary animals, associating with others only to mate or when extra warmth is needed. Otherwise, armadillos are considered a “threatened species”, with their numbers declining due to habitat loss and unchecked hunting. This armadillo, which is increasing in numbers due to a lack of natural predators, is common in Texas, Florida, and South Carolina. Only one variety, the nine-banded armadillo, has extended its range into the United States. Paraguay is home to eleven different varieties. They are found as far south as Argentina and north into Central America. Armadillos, due to their inherently low body temperatures and the possession of minuscule body fat depositions, prefer to live in warmer climes. There are about twenty varieties of Armadillos. Armadillos rely on their good sense of smell to find food as their eyesight and hearing are not strong enough to be of much help. Their sticky tongues are extremely efficient at scooping up prey and delivering it into their mouths. They have sharp claws and strong legs which are ideally suited to digging out their food. DietĪrmadillos feed on invertebrates, like grubs, ants, beetles and termites, that dwell in moist soil. In the Andes, their shells have been used in constructing traditional lutes by cottage industry producers of musical instruments. Out of all varieties, only the three-banded armadillo is capable of completely shielding itself from predators by curling up into a penetration-proof ball. It has a soft, pink-colored shell, and a white, fur-like covering on its belly. The pink fairy Armadillos, only found in Argentina, are a notable exception. Armadillos are usually earth-tone in coloring, like brown, red and gray. Armadillos range in size from six inches to over five feet, and can weigh as little as 3 ounces (85 grams) to as much as 120 pounds (54 kilograms). These omnivores eat fruits and other plant materials that fall from trees but they also dig in the ground as they search for insects, worms and rodents.All Armadillos are immediately recognizable by their long snouts, long tails and barrel-shaped bodies. These animals primarily use their sense of hearing and smell to locate their food since their eyesight is quite poor. If the predator approaches, the armadillos will run under a big, thorny bush that will certainly deter a predator but cause no harm to the protective armor on the armadillo. Only the three-banded armadillos can roll into a tight ball, so these six-banded armadillos will quickly burrow into the detritus on the ground and try to camouflage with the leaf litter. eliminated, and that the armadillo can be removed safely. It’s always best to let a professional capture and remove armadillos, to ensure all burrows and food sources are. They are efficient diggers and create burrows, where they live and find prey or escape from predators. Armadillo control and armadillo capture methods are humane, and include armadillo prevention and. Like all armadillos, their carapace (backside) is covered by a plate of armour made of keratin-the same protein that makes up hair, nails, and horn. This is very different from their arboreal cousins, the sloth and smaller anteaters. The six-banded armadillos are found in rainforests, savannas, cerrados and shrublands.įUN FACTS | Similar to their cousins, the giant anteater and aardvark, armadillos spend their entire life on the forest floor or below it. RANGE | This species of armadillos have a range that extends from Brazil and southern Suriname in the northeast, through Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay into northern Argentina in the southeast.
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