Armadillos also defend themselves by burrowing into the earth, disappearing completely in a few minutes. Once dug in, they expand their bony shell and wedge themselves into the burrow. They can also run surprisingly fast and, if cornered, will use their claws to fight. In this regard, how does a three banded armadillo protect itself?
Only one species, the three-banded armadillo, can roll itself into a hard armored ball to defend itself against predators. Other armadillo species simply dig a hole quickly and hunker down so that their tender stomach is protected and their armor is the only thing visible.
A frequent question we ran across in our research was “How do armadillos tuck their shields?”.
Its shields are unattached along its lateral sides, and it has extra room between the skin and the shell for tucking in [source: Nowak and Walker]. Other armadillos can hunch over to attempt to conceal most of their abdomens, but their shields provide no space for retracting their limbs.
What are armadillos good at?
Though they have poor vision, armadillos are good at finding cover or a burrow to scurry into in the heat of attack. When threatened, armadillos are also known to jump straight up in order to startle the predator. After that, it’ll hoof it to the nearest safe spot. The three-banded armadillo has another trick up its armor, however.
You should be thinking “What are the Predators of the Armadillo?”
This is what our research found. nevertheless, it still has a handful of predators that can strike at its soft, unprotected belly. In the United States, larger enemies include mountain lions, bears and coyotes. Since the armadillo can’t inflict a wounding bite or do much damage with its claws, how can it protect itself?
It is the only type of armadillo that can roll itself into a ball when endangered. Folding its body in half, the three-banded armadillo tucks its head and legs into its shell .
How tough is the armadillo’s shell?
The armadillo’s outer shell makes it look tough, at least to humans. Nevertheless, it still has a handful of predators that can strike at its soft, unprotected belly.