Armadillos   Background Body Length: 15-17 in. Tail: 14-16 in. Weight: 8-17 lbs. The Nine-banded Armadillo is a cat-sized, armored, insect-eating mammal. Similar in form to an anteater, the bony, scaled shell of the armadillo protects it from attacks by predators. Unfortunately, armadillos often fall victim to automobiles and are frequently found dead on roadsides. Although breeding occurs in July, the embryo remains in a dormant state until November. Four young are born in a burrow in March. All four young, always of the same sex, are identical quadruplets and developed from the same egg. They even share a single placenta while in the womb. Armadillos are the only mammals in which multiple young forms from a single egg with any regularity. Damage: Armadillos are prolific diggers. They dig many burrows, as well as dig for food. Many other wildlife species use and benefit from abandoned armadillo burrows. Driven by its appetite for grubs and other insects, they can cause serious damage to lawns or landscaping. The armadillo eats insects and other invertebrates. They are skilled at digging for grubs and occasionally eat berries and bird eggs. Origin: A distant cousin of the sloth and the anteater, the Nine-Banded Armadillo originated in South America.  The armadillo now ranges as far north as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana. Their distribution is often based on soil conditions, and they are not found where the soil is too hard to dig. It immigrated to Texas by way of Mexico in the 19th century. Its name comes from a Spanish word referring to its armor like covering. The shell is made of a bone like casing. In the Nine-Banded Armadillo, the armor consists of a large shield over the shoulders, a second large shield over the rump, and nine bands in the middle. Because the shell itself cannot grow nor be replaced as the armadillo grows, it is soft and leathery when the armadillo is born. It does not harden until its full adult size.   While not as slow as the sloth, armadillos rarely hurry. It walks on the soles of its back feet and the tips of it’s claws on it’s front feet, the armadillo ambles along at a third of a mile per hour.  Its hard shell allows it to run through thorny underbrush when fleeing predators. Swimming: The armadillo has a particularly interesting method for crossing water. Its heavy armor shell causes it to sink. When faced with a narrow stream or a water filled ditch, the armadillo will simply walk across the bottom, under water. However, when up against a wider body of water, the armadillo will swallow enough air to inflate its stomach to twice its normal size. This increased buoyancy then allows the armadillo to swim across. Afterwards, it takes the armadillo several hours to release all the excess air from its body. Disease: The armadillo is the only animal, aside from humans, known to carry leprosy.   To find a Professional in your area click on Locations

Armadillo Pest Control, Armadillo Trappings, Armadillo Removal, Armadillo Relocation