Armadillos (meaning “little armored thing” in Spanish) have a large number of cheek teeth, which are not divided into premolars and molars, but incisors and/or canines.

In mammalian oral anatomy, canine teeth also known as cuspids or fangs are relatively long, sharp, pointed teeth that can sometimes appear more flattened and are used for firmly holding food in order to tear it apart. Canine teeth are also occasionally used as weapons.

Interestingly enough, armadillos have no enamel on their teeth (the hard outer covering of a tooth). Since the armadillo’s diet consists mainly of insects, these creatures are not really required to do a lot of heavy chewing. What they do have, however, are long sticky tongues that help them slurp up ants and other bugs as quickly as possible. They can often be found digging for bugs in the ground with their strong claws.

Armadillos are often considered pests and are especially unpopular among farmers as they cause a lot of damage to gardens and lawns by digging holes. Of course, these poor creatures were only in search of food, but many find their digging habits to be bothersome. Technically speaking, if it weren’t for the holes these creatures dig they would actually be quite beneficial to your farm since they eat many of the bugs that can destroy one’s garden plants.

An armadillos diet can differ from species to species. Armadillos are omnivores meaning they eat a meat and plant based diet. This diet consists mostly of insects like worms and ants. However ants are their favorite and are often easy for the creature to catch as they mostly dig in soft grounds near rivers or trees in search of the bugs. Something that may come as quite a shock is that armadillos also eat dangerous insects like scorpions and venomous spiders. Other times they might be found resorting to eating berries and roots, however this is more common in times of food scarcity, since 90% of their diet consists of insects and larvae.

Being very good diggers and having claws that are very efficient when searching for food in the ground, these creatures make hunting insects look like a piece of cake. Some armadillos prefer to build their burrows near streams so that they have easier access to their food, while other species just live mainly off of ants and do nothing else. One thing is for sure though, when it comes to all species of armadillos they absolutely adore eating and can be found spending most of their time either eating or searching for food to eat. Surprisingly enough, these animals have poorly developed eyesight, but what they lack in seeing they make up for in their digging skills and strong sense of smell. In fact, they are able to smell their prey from a certain distance (20 cm underground) and can often be seen stopping abruptly and digging aggressively to get to their prey. Armadillos technically hunt purely on their sense of smell. These creatures can also sometimes be found occasionally searching in narrow burrows and dens for a tasty meal.

Another thing that makes armadillos excellent hunters is their special ability to hold their breath for approximately six minutes. This can be very useful when digging up ants and other insects since they do not breathe in the dirt. Another thing that makes insect eating a lot faster and easier for the armadillo are their long, sticky tongues.

Armadillos are unable to survive in a place where the ground is too hard as it renders them unable to dig and eat. If an armadillo is unable to dig to search for food it will eventually starve to death. It is for this reason that these creatures are most often found in sunny warm areas where the ground is soft enough to find food.

Most armadillos lead a solitary lifestyle preferring to be alone and only coming together during the breeding season. However, some species of armadillos have been known to travel in small groups, usually up to three armadillos. The adult armadillos come together to breed and may also spend time together courting before mating. An armadillo’s mating season lasts from October to January. Female armadillos are the sole caregiver of their young. The young armadillos mature quickly, being weaned at 10 weeks and reaching sexual maturity and 9-12 months. Young armadillos also usually venture away from their mother after only a few months time.

The nine banded armadillo mates during the autumn, however she does not give birth until spring, since the egg fecundation is delayed. Armadillos are very unique in their breeding pattern, as four identical twins form from the sole egg the mother armadillo produces. This explains why each armadillo litter always contains offspring of the same sex.

An armadillo’s young are also born well developed, with open eyes. Even more interesting is that these little guys are able to walk just a few hours after being born. They are also covered in a soft skin that gradually hardens as they get older.

Contrary to what some may believe, armadillos do have teeth, although they are quite unique. Because small bugs and soft plants are among the creature’s main food sources it diets upon, and these are not that difficult to chew these creatures do not have very complicated teeth. They do not have incisors or molars and the only teeth that they do have are peg shaped molars. These molars do not have the hard white enamel we are used to seeing in other mammals. Armadillos instead have ever growing teeth that are rootless. They do not require teeth for tearing meat.

Most species of armadillos are able to climb fences if they are not too high. Usually scaling them is no problem at all for armadillos. Armadillos are sometimes able to climb trees as well, in most cases these tree are already at a very acute angle such as one that has practically fallen down, but there have been some cases where an armadillo has been able to scale up a tree no problem, just as it would a fence or any other object. As a general rule, if these creatures can’t dig under something they will find a way to climb over it.

Typically, armadillos are not aggressive animals. In fact, they are usually quite shy, docile and non-aggressive in nature. When these creatures are alarmed they are capable of achieving astonishing speed and agility and are also masters when it comes to dodging. An armadillo’s reaction to danger is usually to run or burrow rapidly into the ground where it then wedges itself into a hold using its back and claws. If pursued, it changes from its normal shifting shuffling gait to a scuttle, and then moves on to a fast gallop with remarkable speed. These creatures can even outrun people over short distances. If caught, they have been known to fight using their claws in order to help defend themselves, however they are not known to bite as they do not have teeth in the front part of their mouths.

While these creatures are typically very calm and shy in nature, under the right circumstances they have been known to get aggressive from time to time. Since they are naturally wild animals, trying to captivate them can sometimes be difficult and could be a potential harm to the person trying to keep the armadillo as a pet as it may try to retaliate.

Although animals have tendencies and certain behavioral traits that they may exhibit more than others, one can never be too sure when something unexpected could occur. There is a first time for everything, and there is always the chance that an armadillo could in fact turn aggressive if it feels threatened in some way, shape or form.

Armadillos do carry diseases. In fact, one of the most common diseases that are often found in armadillos is leprosy. The link between human infection and armadillos has not yet been heavily tested, but it does still remain a risk. In Louisiana alone, 53% of armadillos were found to have leprosy. Symptoms of leprosy include skin lesions, numbness, and nerve damage and muscle weakness. Armadillos are the only animals that can transmit this disease and they do so by attacking with their claws.

Armadillos are also sometimes known to carry rabies, although it is rare compared to other species of animals. Rabies is a virus that progressively paralyzes and kills any mammal, including humans. Rabies is generally contracted through contact with an infected armadillo through biting. It should be noted however, that since armadillos rarely bite, and only possess a few peg shaped molars, that individuals are at lower risk of contracting armadillo rabies than say contracting rabies from an animal such as a raccoon. If an armadillo seems fearless around humans or seems to be very active during the day, there is a good possibility that it is infected with the disease. It is for this reason that individuals should avoid the animal at all costs and call animal control immediately to have the armadillo professionally removed.

Another problem that is not uncommon in these creatures is contracting tapeworms. Tapeworms are parasites of the digestive system that can be transmitted to humans. Armadillos are also known to carry the bacteria salmonella. People who pick up this bacterium can become seriously ill with diarrhea, fever, vomiting and chills. Salmonella can also affect the blood and can in serious cases even be fatal resulting in death. Armadillo salmonella can be easily spread through contact with armadillo fecal matter.

Armadillos are not typically an ideal pet. They are wild animals that do not have a long history of being domesticated such as dogs and cats have and will in fact act wild. Not only is it illegal in most places to own a wild animal such as an armadillo (unless of course you have the proper permit) but it can also prove to be difficult as these creatures require a number of different things in order to survive.

Just one of the many things that armadillos require is a place for them to burrow. They are burrowing and foraging creatures, and as a result of this trying to keep one locked up in a cage or at home as a pet may end up causing some problems. The armadillo could exhibit bad behavior if they are not willing to accept this type of lifestyle.

It is not uncommon for these creatures to act shy and aggressively towards humans if they feel threatened. When put under stress it can also cause them many health problems for the armadillo. Some people have complained about keeping armadillos as pets because they are noisy creatures that make a mess and get into everything. They have been said to be “stinky, messy, and nasty” by some. While others have liked keeping them as pets.

No matter what a person’s personal opinion is on these creatures however, the main thing to consider about this animal is that they are naturally wild animals and for this reason do not make ideal pets. They are nocturnal creatures that have been known to keep people awake during the night as they can be quite noisy and very active during this time. Their musky body odor is one of the biggest problems in keeping them in captivity. They have also destroyed some owner’s lawns with their digging habits.

In addition, these creatures are unable to withstand cold climates, which means that when it gets colder outside the armadillo would have to be kept indoors all of the time. Some people that have tried to keep these creatures as pets have accused them of destroying their homes, knocking over trash cans, etc.

Armadillos are mammals, thus making them warm blooded creatures. Warm blooded creatures such as the armadillo maintain their own body temperatures internally and these temperatures do not vary depending on their external environment. Armadillos live primarily in warm habits, including areas such as Texas, Florida, Central, and South America. However, it should be noted that this selection in habitat has more to do with their body cover than the fact that they are warm blooded creatures.

Mammals can be defined as having hair. They differ in this way from reptiles, since reptiles possess scales. At first glance, it is often difficult to notice the hair of some species of armadillos, but they do in fact have hair though it is very sparse. This is especially true for their sides and underbelly. These creatures use this hair as a way to protect themselves from the cold temperature as well as dust or other environmental conditions that may come across their way. Since these animals are warm blooded however, and tend to reside in warmer areas, this could be a reason for their hair being so sparse.

Another way one can tell that armadillos are warm blooded mammals is because with very few exceptions, mammals (warm blooded creatures) give live birth to babies that drink milk that comes from their mother’s mammary glands. Whereas, cold blooded creatures such as reptiles usually lay eggs or give live birth but do not nurse them. Mammals such as the armadillo can make their own heat when they are outside and start to get cold.