Keeping Armadillos as Pets

Armadillos are fascinating critters and some people wonder about keeping armadillos as pets. What do you really know about armadillos? Should they be kept as pets? Do they have endearing qualities that make them ideal pets? Lets take your curiosity a step further and take a good look at armadillos and you can form your own opinion about keeping armadillos as pets.

Armadillos originally came from South America, but today armadillo habitat includes Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri and Georgia. There are 20 species of armadillos, which are mammals.

An armadillo's back is covered with what looks like a shell and it is actually made of bone. They are covered with protective plating, which makes them somewhat protected from predators. Only one out of 20 species is flexible enough to curl into a protective ball like the one you see on TV. Colors vary depending upon the species; most range from a pebbled looking gray, to khaki or brown shades.

If you are considering keeping armadillos as pets you need to be aware, they are real diggers. That is how they find most of their natural food. They dig through loose soil and rotting logs looking for insects, grubs, beetles, termites and ants. Naturally, if you try to keep one as a pet this digging will be going on in your yard. Armadillo habitat requirements include swimming in ponds, lakes, creeks or streams. Water helps to keep them cool. Something to consider if you're thinking of keeping armadillos as pets.

Overall armadillo critters are mellow. Unless they are attacked, they just mind their own business and keep foraging for food. Because the armadillo diet is mainly composed of insects, there are not many teeth to speak of. If provoked or threatened, they could use their sharp, strong claws to defend themselves. They have even been known to ignore dogs with no confrontation.

In case you are not aware, the wild animal that you may be considering as a pet armadillo is nocturnal. That's right; they do most of their scampering and foraging for food at night. For most of us, this could be a conflict since a lot of us sleep at night. Armadillos also have a musky smell about them that some people don't care for. You may have noticed the armadillo habitat only includes the states listed above. This is because they require exacting temperatures that are not too terribly hot or too cold. If the temperature drops too cold the poor things can freeze to death.

You cannot just pick up armadillos as pets. Each state can vary according to their laws or whether they consider it legal to keep armadillos as pets. In some states, it is illegal to keep pet armadillos. If you should spot an armadillo that you think needs help you can contact a local wildlife rescue center for aid.

Sources:

https://www.msu.edu/~nixonjos/armadillo/care.html

http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/blog/blogarmadillocontrol.html

http://www.helium.com/items/1732919-how-to-care-for-a-pet-armadillo

http://www.outwitcritters.com/armadillo/habitat.html