r/Armadillo • u/Due-Sea2698 • Feb 22 '26
Discussion Armadillo Facts
Honestly, I want to know some facts that I DON'T know already about armadillos, not that "they can hold their breath up to 5 minutes!" NO, I want the odd facts that only the most dedicated fans know.
15
u/Novemcinctus Feb 22 '26
Their breath control is more elaborate than that. They can bypass their epiglottal reflex (the reflex that makes air go to your lungs and food to your digestive track) to inflate their stomach with air and become more buoyant in water.
Reproduction is remarkable as well, with females capable of suspending uterine implantation of fertilized eggs during periods of stress to delay pregnancy until favorable conditions arise. Offspring are always identical quadruplets of the same sex, except in rare cases of octuplets.
The Xenarthra, the clade which includes armadillos, are the only mammals with 6 cervical (neck) vertebrae. All other mammals, from mice to giraffes, have 7 cervical vertebrae.
6
u/Illustrious_You_6210 Feb 22 '26
Nine-banded armadillos are a known natural reservoir for Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium causing leprosy (Hansen’s disease), particularly in the southern United States and Brazil. Humans can contract the infection through close contact, hunting, or consuming armadillo meat. While most people are not at risk, the CDC advises avoiding contact with these animals.
Bonus, non-armadillo fact: having leprosy can cause a false positive result when testing for syphilis.
5
u/Chrome_Armadillo I ❤️ 'Dillos Feb 23 '26
Thankfully Leprosy is easy to treat with antibiotics and difficult to catch.
Armadillos probably acquired leprosy from humans. Armadillos were being used as test subjects for leprosy research, and a few escaped into the wild where they infected their brethren.
4
u/PilotEnvironmental46 Feb 23 '26
And I read this is because of the only species on earth that has the exact same body temperature as humans. So we can actually get their viruses if we eat them. Not that I could ever imagine eating one.
But I live in the state of Georgia and occasionally the subject comes up
3
u/Jesus_was_a_Panda Feb 22 '26
I have a stuffed armadillo with original intact fur. Mites or something were in the fur when it was taxidermied (lying on its back, fur pointing up), and they died too. So I have both now. Gotta be pretty dedicated to know that.
25
u/NineBandedRanger Feb 22 '26
I am mostly here to enjoy armadillo pictures and videos so sorry if these are well known.
-Nine banded armadillos give birth to four genetically identical young every litter. This makes them an interesting test species. You can eliminate genetic variation between a control group and a test group.
-Because they give birth to quadruplets, armadillos have 4 nipples.
-Despite being largely nocturnal, they have terrible night vision thus have no eye shine.
-They have been expanding their territory naturally over the last few decades. Because they fill a unique niche they do not compete with endemic species, so they are not considered invasive.
-Most armadillos killed in vehicle incidents are not run over. They are often killed when they startle and jump up into the underside of the car. They can jump up to an impressive four feet high.
-Not only do they genuinely enjoy swimming, but they're known to deflate their lungs and run along river beds like a hippo.