Simply Lou: Armadillo by Morning

article by Lou Davenport | illustration by Adam Davenport

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Mr. Strait sings it “Amarillo by Morning” but I seriously doubt he’d get too mad at me for “paraphrasing” one of his best songs. There’s not many songs out there about armadillos so I had to “borrow” something. When in doubt, go for the best!

First of alI, I better give some credit to my guest illustrator this month, my son, Adam Davenport. It’s an original oil and in my permanent collection. I don’t have a very large “permanent collection” by my own son because he has come in my house, gotten a painting off the wall (I thought I’d claimed), and sold it! Okay, I understand, but I decided I wanted my very own “Adam painting” of one of my favorite little animals, an armadillo! It took me at least eight months of nagging him on his Facebook page with pictures of armadillos, and got to be a running joke. Everybody got in on the posting! Then, lo and behold, I got my painting from my son for Christmas. I never thought it would happen, and he did not disappoint! I named my little fellow, “Arlo.” Not sure why, but, it seemed to fit. He hangs proudly with my drawing of Willie Nelson and some old road signs. It ties the whole room together!

I’ve liked armadillos since I was little. I think the first one I ever saw was up in the Game Reserve and it was ambling down the dirt road. I was mesmerized… and full of questions! What is that? Where is he going? Can we take it home? What do they eat? You saw a lot more of them 20 years ago than you do now, although it is said their population has not dropped. Some of their habitat is gone, but the armadillos we have around here seem to adapt pretty easily to changing conditions.

There are about 20 different species of armadillo in the world. Only one is native to our area, the “Nine Banded Armadillo.” He is fairly large but not the largest. That would be the 5-foot tall “Giant Armadillo” and it lives in South America, as do most of the other species. One species is very tiny, “the Pink Fairy Armadillo.” It is only six inches long and thrives in the rainforests.

Armadillos are closely related to sloths and anteaters. They have a pointy or shovel shaped snout and small, beady eyes. Most all armadillos are brown, reddish, gray or with a yellowish color. They are all covered by a hard, bony like covering called carapace.

Armadillo comes from the Spanish word, “little armored one.” I’ve always thought they looked like “little tanks” on legs! The bony plates cover the back, head, legs and tail . They have a long tail that looks like a large rat’s. They are really some of nature’s oddest looking creatures. And they are the only living mammals that wear such shells.

Contrary to popular belief, not all armadillos can roll themselves into a ball for protection from predators. Only one species, The Three Banded armadillo, can then curl its head and back feet and contort itself into a hard ball. This confounds predators.

Armadillos live in warm habitats, as in rain forests, grasslands and semi deserts. They have a very low metabolic rate and lack fat stores so cold is their enemy. Extended periods of intemperate temperatures can wipe out whole populations of certain species of armadillo.

Many species dig burrows and sleep a lot, up to 16 hours a day! They forage in the early morning and then in the evening for beetles, ants, termites and other insects. Sometimes they will eat a small invertebrate or fruit and sometimes carrion.

Armadillos can be very noisy building their burrows, and sometimes their burrows can be quite large. If the weather gets very cold, armadillos will burrow up with other armadillo groups to stay warm. They prefer loose, porous soil that is easier to dig but they have large front claws that make them some of the fastest and most prolific “diggers” in the animal kingdom. They can also swim and some can hold their breath for up to six minutes. This allows them to float! They use their long and sticky tongues while digging to get food. They do have poor eyesight, but with a keen sense of smell, they do alright.

Armadillos used to live only in South America, but the nine banded crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and have since migrated to Texas, all the Gulf South, and even Missouri. The animals are built for defense, not offense, and live rather peacefully, usually causing damage only to yards. One night, one wanted to dig a burrow under our house in Vicksburg. He might have been little, but he could throw dirt at least 30 feet! Our dogs barked at him so much, I guess he moved along because we never saw him again.

It is theorized that the armadillo may carry bacterium lepta that causes leprosy. Rabies may or may not be carried by their bites, as very few cases have ever been reported. Armadillos are very peaceful and probably would not hurt anything, except maybe dig a burrow or two in the yard. They are scary looking enough, and I don’t think my dog or cats would want much to do with them, so I’m not worried. Just leave well enough alone.

One reason the population of the nine banded armadillo has not became endangered is the interesting way they reproduce. Reproduction begins in the early summer and the breeding periods last about two to three months. It takes up to four months for a fertilized egg to become implanted and another four months for the young to be born. Here’s where it gets interesting – each time, the fertilized egg breaks into four identical zygotes, yielding quaduplets every time. Only the nine banded armadillo reproduce in this way.

The Scientific name for Armadillos is Dasypodidae. They are mammals and omnivores. Armadillos can live up to 12 – 15 years old. They weigh from three ounces to 120 pounds.

In making sure your animals are safe from a possible armadillo bite, make sure they have their rabies shots. If armadillos have moved in at your house and set up housekeeping in your yard, call a professional to remove them. Just the thought of leprosy on those big powerful claws would have me on the phone!

“Armadillo by morning…..up from San Antone….Everything that I got is just what I got on.
When that sun is high in that Texas sky, I’ll be buckin’ at the county fair..
Armadillo by morning
Armadillo, I’ll be there”

– George Strait

Thank you George and Adam…. two great Texans!