Armadillos are born with soft, leathery skin. Over the course of a few weeks, the epidermal scales harden into the shell-like armor that protects them from harm.
Sketch of my dear friend Sheldon. He skitters, curls, and folds perfectly within himself. #armadillo #flyingfoxconservationfund #sheldonthearmadillo #illustration #drawing #sketch #sketchbook
Set out southeast of the city last night with a friend to try and road cruise some canebrakes. The roads were pretty quiet and we had no luck on the canes, but we did see a broad-banded water snake and 3 cottons when we were out checking the water. It was a good night for inverts and armadillos, as well.
A young 9 banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) I captured at work today. Released unharmed after brief examination. Since these guys are one of my favorite native mammals I will celebrate by posting Fun Armadillo Facts™ .
1. Nine-banded armadillos were unheard of in the United States until the late 19th century, when they crossed the Rio-Grande naturally and were introduced to Florida by humans. Their range has expanded rapidly and they now occupy much of the southern US, and are still spreading.
2. Every nine-banded armadillo you see, at one point in its life, had three identical siblings. The species almost invariably produces quadruplets!
3. They are one of the only animals other than humans to be susceptible to leprosy. With a low core temperature and a long lifespan they are perfect for the bacteria to propagate, and actually suffer it systemically rather than on mainly peripheral tissues the way humans do. You are unlikely to get leprosy from the average armadillo, however.
4. Unlike the smaller three-banded armadillo, the nine-banded cannot roll into a ball. Its methods of escape involve either a surprising rapid run, attempting to dig down to where only its carapace is exposed, or, and this is why so many are hit by cars, leaping 3+ vertical feet in order to startle predators. In the words of zefrank, this is precisely the wrong defense to survive a charging honda, regrettably.
5. They can be litter box trained much like a cat!
6.They once had gigantic prehistoric relatives includingDoedicurusandGlyptotherium. Large herbivores reaching the size of small cars. I wish so badly that they remained alive so I could ride one.
