Armadillos are not domesticated pets like cuddly ferrets or puppies; they are wild animals that can be challenging to care for in captivity as they need space to roam and dig and are active at night. The most commonly seen type of pet armadillo is the three-banded armadillo, which includes both the Brazilian and southern types.
You might be asking “Can you keep a baby armadillo as a pet?”
One answer is, in some areas, you require a license to keep such exotic species as pets. If it’s a baby armadillo, you can feed it with a feeder or eye dropper like you would feed a kitten . If it’s slightly grown, you can give it moist food items and gradually shift it to its natural foods like ants, worms, and grubs.
One source stated that armadillos can hurt dogs in certain circumstances, but generally speaking, armadillos are not dangerous to dogs. If cornered by a dog, they have sharp claws and can bite. They do carry disease, but the risk of transmission from armadillos to dogs is very low. In simple terms, armadillos will try to avoid contact and conflict with dogs.
Are armadillos bad for Your House?
Armadillos under your shed or porch may cause a lot of damage because they usually tamper with the landscape when they dig and burrow their own channels. Apart from distracting your foundation, they usually make screaming and squealing noises that usually irritate especially during the night.
Is there an armadillo under your porch?
There are certain instances where you will hear noises under your porch; it is advisable to check it out because an armadillo may be setting up its own home within your space. Armadillos under your shed or porch may cause a lot of damage because they usually tamper with the landscape when they dig and burrow their own channels.
You could be thinking “Do armadillos smell?”
Armadillos also have a musky smell that some people dislike. Although they have been kept as pets in the past, the reviews are mixed — some people like them, others find the odor and habits of the animal to be unpleasant. In some parts of South America, they are kept as pets — pets which are occasionally eaten.
What do armadillos need to survive?
Like any pet, armadillos also need constant access to fresh, clean, and clear, non-chlorinated water . Three-banded armadillos have a long, sticky tongue to help them catch their favorite food—insects. Armadillos have a slow metabolism so some people worry that their pets aren’t eating enough; most likely the animal has a normal appetite.
One frequent answer is, many a coyote, bear or badger has been put off by the hard upper shell of the armadillo, and walked away without a meal, never realizing the armor plates do not extend underneath, and that the armadillos belly is completely unprotected. A newborn baby armadillo has a soft shell that hardens within the first few days.
Do armadillos shed?
With the exception of their soft, leathery shells, the young are miniature copies of the adults. Since the shell cannot be shed and replaced with a larger one, it must increase in size as the young armadillo grows, and it does not harden until adult size is reached.
This begs the query “Do armadillos dig and burrow?”
My answer was ideally, armadillos have the habit of digging and burrowing, therefore if you come across large tunnels next to the shed or under the shed then chances are that there is an armadillo invasion. When you come across small holes dug in different areas in the yard then, you are likely to run into an armadillo.