astronomy-to-zoology: Armadillos have four babies at a time, always all the same sex. They are perfect quadruplets (the fertilized cell split into quarters, resulting in four identical armadillos). Some female armadillos who were captured for research gave birth long after being captured (up to 2 years later). These odd delayed births are a result of the female’s ability to delay the implantation of the fertilized egg during times of stress. This is a result of a reproductive tactic and is a reason why armadillos can easily populate new areas. On average, an armadillo gets 18 1/2 hours of sleep a day. Armadillos are the ONLY animal other than humans that can get leprosy. There are 20 different species of armadillos, and if the sex organs are disconnected from the animal they are still active. When frightened, armadillos have been known to jump strait up in the air. Armadillos don’t require a lot of oxygen. Even when they burrow they can stop breathing for up to 6 minutes just by storing air in their tracheas. The regulation of the body temperature of about 32°C is a big problem. Armadillos don’t survive long periods of frost, except the fairy armadillo that lives in Patagonia and hibernates. The three-banded armadillo hardly digs a burrow; it protects itself by rolling up like a hedgehog. The only opening is covered by the shields of the head and the tail, so that even a dog can’t open this ball. As the body fat would disturb while rolling up, the fat moved to the dorsal part of the animal during evolution. Image source
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astronomy-to-zoology:

Armadillos have four babies at a time, always all the same sex. They are perfect quadruplets (the fertilized cell split into quarters, resulting in four identical armadillos). Some female armadillos who were captured for research gave birth long after being captured (up to 2 years later). These odd delayed births are a result of the female’s ability to delay the implantation of the fertilized egg during times of stress. This is a result of a reproductive tactic and is a reason why armadillos can easily populate new areas.

On average, an armadillo gets 18 1/2 hours of sleep a day. Armadillos are the ONLY animal other than humans that can get leprosy. There are 20 different species of armadillos, and if the sex organs are disconnected from the animal they are still active. When frightened, armadillos have been known to jump strait up in the air.

Armadillos don’t require a lot of oxygen. Even when they burrow they can stop breathing for up to 6 minutes just by storing air in their tracheas. The regulation of the body temperature of about 32°C is a big problem. Armadillos don’t survive long periods of frost, except the fairy armadillo that lives in Patagonia and hibernates.

The three-banded armadillo hardly digs a burrow; it protects itself by rolling up like a hedgehog. The only opening is covered by the shields of the head and the tail, so that even a dog can’t open this ball. As the body fat would disturb while rolling up, the fat moved to the dorsal part of the animal during evolution.


Image source