Baby Armadillos are cute, soft-shelled and very fragile.
One night, our dog was going crazy out in the yard. We were getting ready for bed and realized that there was no way we would be able to sleep through all that barking.
We tried turning up our sound machine but it just couldn’t cover up the barking.
Since we live in the country, there was really no telling what she could be barking at. It could be a raccoon up in a tree, a neighbors’ loose dog, a coyote or even a snake.
So, we decided to investigate.
My husband went outside with a flashlight and started looking around. He was about to give up when all of a sudden he came face-to-face with an armadillo that was walking along the top of the fence.
As soon as the light from the flashlight hit the armadillo, it did a backflip onto the ground and scurried off.
You read that right, the armadillo did a backflip!
Why was the armadillo in our yard to begin with? Perhaps it was a mother just taking a break from caring for her young or maybe it was just a curious animal looking for a few crumbs of dog food.
The events made me wonder about armadillos and their lives…especially baby armadillos.
Let’s answer a few common questions about baby armadillos like:
- What is a baby armadillo called?
- Can you have a baby armadillo as a pet?
- Do armadillos lay eggs or have live babies?
- Are armadillos friendly to humans?
- What do baby armadillos eat?
- What to do if you find a baby armadillo.
Let’s get started!
What is a baby armadillo called?
A baby armadillo is called a pup. A group of pups is a litter. Female armadillos can have 1-12 pups in a litter.
In a recent article about baby raccoons, we discussed “baby names” for several other animals.
Did you know that baby moles, baby bats and baby foxes are also called pups?
Can you have a baby armadillo as a pet?
You can have a baby armadillo as a pet depending on which state you live in. Here in Arkansas, it’s legal to have a pet armadillo.
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission:
Up to six individual animals from the following list and taken by hand from the wild may be kept per household:
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bobcats, coyotes, gray foxes, red foxes, opossums, rabbits, raccoons or squirrels.
Species that are neither hunted nor trapped, except birds (such as songbirds, hawks and owls), bats, ornate box turtles, alligator snapping turtles, hellbenders, cave-dwelling creatures or endangered species.
This means you can capture a baby armadillo, a fox, a cottontail rabbit and several other species from the wild and keep them as pets.
Personally, I wouldn’t take an animal from the wild and keep it. I prefer to leave them alone.
Do armadillos lay eggs or have live babies?
Many people find armadillos confusing. They are weird little animals that just wander around wearing their armor.
In fact, for a lot of people, the only time they see armadillos is when they are dead on the side of the road.
So, it’s only natural that there are a lot of questions about them. Like, “Do armadillos lay eggs or have live babies?”
Armadillos may be armored but they have live babies and they nurse their young.
What are armadillo eggs?
So, if armadillos have live babies, what are armadillo eggs? Armadillo eggs are jalapenos that are stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in sausage then smoked, baked or grilled.
The jalapeno filling may have a special blend of cheeses, seasonings and herbs. The ground meat portion can be any combination of proteins or even keep it vegetarian and use plant-based ground meat; feel free to get creative here.
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Are armadillos friendly to humans?
I’ll be honest. Armadillos don’t look friendly but baby armadillos do! So, are they?
Armadillos and baby armadillos are not aggressive toward humans. They are shy and mostly want to stay away from you.
Generally, they won’t attack you or your pet. They will just try to get away from you.
With that being said, it’s important to remember that you should never walk up to a wild animal and try to pet it.
Just because they aren’t aggressive doesn’t mean they want to snuggle.
What do baby armadillos eat?
Baby armadillos will nurse from their mother for about two months. However, they will continue to live with their mother for several months after that.
When the baby armadillos are older, they will eat plants and meats. They eat mostly insects like beetles, ants and termites.
What to do if you find a baby armadillo
We discussed the same topic in our article about baby raccoons.
Keep in mind that the mother armadillo will leave the nest to search for food. Mama has to eat too!
If you find a baby armadillo, place it back in the nest and give the mother time to come back.
If the mother doesn’t come back, place it in a box with a soft towel and call a wildlife expert.
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