Reproduction

Outside of the breeding season these animals are solitary. They meet in the summer to mate. During this period they may share a nest which is thought to be a means for the male to protect mating rights with the female. Males and females may mate with multiple partners each season.

Females give birth after a four month gestation period. They exhibit delayed implantation meaning the egg does not actually implant immediately. This means the young are born in spring when the weather is warmer. Interestingly they always produce quadruplets and these four young are all male or all female.

Young nurse on milk provided by their mother for two months.

When they are born the shell is not fully hardened and this leaves them vulnerable to predators.

The baby armadillos are known as pups.

Sexual maturity is reached at one year old.

Behavior

The nine-banded armadillo is a successful swimmer. This is aided by the ability to hold largest amounts of air within their digestive tract. This allows them to hold their breath for up to 6 minutes at a time.

In areas with a warm climate the nine-banded armadillo will emerge at night and be primarily nocturnal. When it is colder they can emerge during the day.

They will live in a burrow. At the end of this is a chamber filled with dried grasses which is used as the nest. Some do not burrow and instead nest above ground. This may be shared with other individuals. They may maintain multiple burrow sites.

Often debris is placed around the burrow entrance in an attempt to hide it. Each burrow can have multiple entrances.

Once abandoned these burrows may be occupied by snakes, burrowing owls and mammals such as rats, mink and striped skunks.

Predators and Threats

Natural predators of the nine-banded armadillo include alligators, maned wolves, coyotes, cats such as mountain lions and jaguars, black bears and birds of prey.

When threatened the nine-banded armadillo most often runs away when threatened. If this is not possible they cannot roll up to protect themselves. This trait is only present in the three banded armadillos. Instead they dig or press themselves in to the ground to protect the soft belly.

When frightened they will jump straight up in the air.

Nine-banded armadillos are often victims of vehicle strikes.

Climate change is benefiting the population of nine-banded armadillos as it increases the areas of warm habitat in which they can use. Humans also remove predators from areas allowing them to expand their population.

The building of roadways and bridges has given them ways to cross waterways or canyons which previously would have acted as a barrier to the expansion of their population.

Armadillos may be eaten and during the great depression were nicknamed the "Hoover hog" by citizens who viewed the president as the cause of the depression. They are also hunted for use in crafts and medicines.

Some are also killed as they are seen as a pest in gardens.

Quick facts

The name armadillo means 'little armored one' in Spanish.

The nine-banded armadillo is also known as the long-nosed armadillo.

Armadillos are the only other animals except humans which are recorded to contract leprosy and increasing cases of transmission between the two are being reported. In the past they have been used for studies in to the disease.