Armadillos are omnivorous creatures who can typically be found eating whatever they are able to find. A few things that they enjoy eating however include: snakes, frogs, termites, ants, carrion, and plants. The majority of an armadillo’s diet is typically made up of insects and larvae. Some have even been known to eat spiders and scorpions. One thing is sure about these hungry creatures, they are not picky when it comes to food. They can often be found digging into the ground to feast upon worms and insects. Diets can vary upon an armadillo’s species.
Although it is not typical for armadillos to be owned in captivity as pets, nor is it legal in most cases, those individuals who do own armadillos have found that the following are the best sources of food to incorporate into the armadillo’s diet:
- Bait worms
- Meal worms
- Grubs
- Ants
- Vegetation (lettuce and fruit work well)
For those who are nursing an armadillo or for armadillos of the nursing age, kitten formula can be fed to the armadillos with an eyedropper. It is very important not to force feed these little guys though. They can easily overeat, which can lead to many complications including severe gastric distress and even death.
For older armadillos, moist canned cat food will provide all of the proper nutrients required to keep the armadillo healthy. However, individuals must always be sure to supplement this with natural food items if the armadillo is to be successfully released into the wild.
When it comes to feeding armadillos in captivity, owners must not only help train their armadillos to find their food by showing them what to eat, but also must teach them how to find their food on their own. This can be done by burying their food in a shallow pan of dirt and then letting the armadillo find the food on its own terms. As the armadillo begins to get larger, you will eventually need to let it outside to begin foraging on its own, preferably in a large outdoor enclosure if you are not going to let them back out into the wild.
It is very important when teaching this process to the armadillos, that they appear to be comfortable with finding their own food before you decide to release it back into the wild. In any case, leaving behind a bit of food in the evenings for the armadillo just in case it can’t find any on its own can be helpful, but can also have the disadvantage of possibly attracting raccoons or stray cats. If the armadillo cannot be released into the wild, try to release it into a place that it can at least survive. The following are the essentials that it needs in order to stay alive:
- Access to water such as a pond or a stream
- Open, grassy area to forage in
- Plenty of room to wander around
- Brush or other undergrowth to hide and burrow in
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