Different armadillo types patrol home areas that are around 8 acres — just like a big backyard — with some having bigger summer hangouts and smaller winter spots!
Armadillos - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Armadillos For Kids
Armadillos use their tails for balance when standing on their hind legs!
When they get scared, armadillos can sprint at about 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) — fast enough to give a real dash a run for its money!
Habitat & Survival (Where They Live)
Armadillos can be found from Argentina all the way up to the southern United States!
Most armadillos prefer to live in areas with loose, sandy soil that’s easy to dig!
Armadillos build awesome underground homes — some tunnels stretch as long as 25 to 30 feet, just like a mini maze under the ground!
Armadillos can live in deserts, grasslands, rainforests, and even neighborhoods!
Nine-banded armadillos have expanded their range northward over the past 150 years!
Armadillos prefer places where winters don’t get too cold — when the weather stays warm most of the year and freezes are rare!
Some armadillo homes have lots of ways in — they might have five or more doorways leading to their spooky underground tunnels!
Armadillos don’t wander too far — they usually root around for food within a big backyard or two from their burrow!
Armadillos create special nursery burrows (baby rooms) that are lined with leaves and grass!
Armadillos like living where it rains about 12–15 inches each year — or where the ground stays damp near streams — so they can dig cozy homes and find food!
Life Cycle
Some baby armadillos are born with their eyes open — and even walk just hours after birth!
Baby armadillos start eating solid food when they’re about 2–3 months old!
Female armadillos can delay (wait to have) their pregnancy for up to 4 months or even up to 2 years if conditions (things around them) aren’t right!
Baby armadillos are born with soft armor that starts hardening within days and becomes tough over the first few weeks of life!
Some armadillos are pregnant for about 120 days — around four months — before their babies are born!
Young armadillos start digging their own burrows at about 3–4 months old!
All four baby armadillos in a litter are the same gender (boy or girl)!
Baby armadillos grow quickly, gaining about one-third of their weight in just their first week!
Armadillos grow fast and are fully grown by about their first birthday!
Female nine-banded armadillos can have up to 56 babies in their entire lifetime.
Baby nine-banded armadillos — called pups — are born tiny, weighing about 3 ounces, which is even lighter than a baseball!
Baby three-banded armadillos can walk and curl into a tight, protective ball just hours after being born.
Mother armadillos nurse (feed milk to) their babies for about 2–4 months!
Baby nine-banded armadillos start following their mother to forage (look for food) as early as 3 weeks old (about 20–22 days)!
Most armadillos — and especially the famous nine-banded ones — can start having babies around the time they’re one year old. Some relatives grow up even faster!
Diet & Feeding (What They Eat)
Armadillos eat about 40,000 ants in a single meal!
Armadillos eat lots of different foods like insects, fruits, and small animals to stay healthy and strong!
Armadillos eat about 90% insects in their diet, including ants, beetles, cockroaches, and termites!
Armadillos use their long, sticky tongues to catch insects!
Armadillos sometimes eat small reptiles (lizards and snakes) and amphibians (frogs) they find while digging!
An armadillo’s favorite foods are soft-bodied insects like grubs and termites!
Baby armadillos start eating solid food before they’re fully weaned (stopped drinking milk)!
Armadillos use their claws to tear open rotting logs to find insects!
Conservation & Population
About 12 out of the 21 armadillo types are considered threatened (in danger) or vulnerable (could be in danger)!
The giant armadillo’s population has dropped by about half in the last 30 years!
Giant armadillos are rare and shy animals. Scientists think there are fewer than 10,000 left in the wild, and they’re working hard to protect them!
The pink fairy armadillo is one of the rarest armadillo types!
Habitat loss (losing their homes) is the biggest threat to armadillo survival!
The Brazilian three-banded armadillo was the mascot (special animal symbol) of the 2014 World Cup!
Citizen scientists (regular people who help with science) help track armadillo populations using smartphone apps!
