When they need to cross larger bodies of water, they swim across. Because their heavy shell makes it hard for them to float, they gulp air into their intestines to make them more buoyant. The ability to cross streams and rivers has helped armadillos expand their home range.
Armadillos like to swim, and they are very good at it. They have a strong dog paddle, and can even go quite a distance underwater, walking along the bottom of streams and ponds. They can hold their breath for four to six minutes at a time. When they need to cross larger bodies of water, they swim across.
What is an armadillo?
Armadillo is a Spanish word, translating to ‘little armoured one’, named by Spanish explorers to Latin America. Armadillos are covered in bony plates that create their ‘armour’. They are the only living mammal to wear such a shell. The plates cover their back, legs, head and tail, composed of small epidermal scales of horn-covered bone.
This of course begs the query “How do armadillos defend themselves?”
Other armadillos have to rely on their armored shells for defense while they scuttle away through thick, thorny brush or dig themselves a hole to hide in. For more on this, see the Three-banded Armadillo page.
Yes, the armadillo can move along fairly quickly, in a hopping fashion, if need be. Armadillos will not bite people, or anything really. They have teensy tiny mouths with small pegs for teeth. Most people seem interested in the fact that armadillos can carry the human form of leprosy.
Do armadillos drink water?
If they’re thirsty, they’ll drink it up. I was most pleased with this armadillo as it happily lapped up the water.
Where do armadillos like to live?
Armadillos enjoy warm, wet environments, which is why they stick mostly to the southern states. Most enjoy forests and grasslands, and because they can hold their breath for six minutes, they have no problem crossing a river or a stream. You can even see one walking along the bottom of a clear stream.
Moreover, what attracts armadillos to your yard?
Is your yard filled will an armadillo’s favorite food ? Ants, termites, and many other bugs like beetles and grubs are what these little creatures love most. The armadillo prefers some form of a shield when they tunnel. Safety from predators. Perhaps you have a large hole in your fence, and your neighbors have a dog.
When building burrows, armadillos first use their nose and forefeet to pull back soil until submerged underground. Burrows can extend anywhere from 4 to 24 feet wide and 5 feet deep. As such, armadillo digging can potentially cause structural damage if near foundations and/or driveways. How do you get rid of an armadillo hole?