Another reproductive peculiarity of armadillos that has caught the attention of geneticists is the ability to produce multiple births from a single fertilized egg : depending on the species, 4, 8, or 12 genetically identical offspring may be produced. Young armadillos are born in nest chambers within a burrow.
This is what we researched. A single female can produce up to 56 young over the course of her life. This high reproductive rate is a major cause of the species’ rapid expansion.
This of course begs the inquiry “How long does it take for an armadillo to reproduce?”
One answer is, reproduction: Reproduction for the nine-banded armadillo begins in early summer, and the breeding period lasts about 2-3 months. It takes up to 4 months for a fertilized egg to become implanted and another 4 before young are born.
Our chosen answer was Armadillos originated in South America , and a few species have expanded northward due to their rapid breeding cycle, adaptability and a reduction of predators. The only species that has made it into the United States is the nine-banded species, which inhabits Texas and the Gulf Coast states and can be found as far north as Missouri.
Another inquiry we ran across in our research was “Do armadillos give birth to quadruplets?”.
The nine-banded armadillo with a few close cousins are the only known creatures to give birth to same gender quadruplets ( never more or less) from the same embryo . Even though the nine-banded armadillo produces one ovum per year, the development of polyembryony contributes to their massive reproduction rate.
How do armadillos mate?
The mating behaviors of nine-banded armadillos are not well known , but Mc. Donough has made some careful observations of the animals during the breeding season. During the breeding season, males use their powerful noses to find a female with which to “pair.”.
Another popular inquiry is “When do nine-banded armadillos breed?”.
This is what we stumbled across. nine-banded armadillos breed during the summer . This species of armadillo is usually a solitary animal, thus it is not normal to see a male and a female of this species closer together. As the male and the female search for food, they begin to interact in a number of ways.
“Mating takes place during a two- to three-month-long mating season, which occurs from July–August in the Northern Hemisphere and November–January in the Southern Hemisphere.” [1]. An armadillo’s reproductive process is extremely unique and different.
Why do armadillos have delayed implantation?
Interestingly, nine-banded armadillos have delayed implantation. In other words, depending on when the female mated, her eggs may not implant into her uterus for development for several months; this delay allows her to time the birth of her quadruplets with the coming of spring .
When is armadillo mating season?
Florida armadillos mate between July and August every year. The critter’s birth cycle is unique and begins during the mating season. After mating, only a single egg is fertilized.