Referred to as pups, baby Nine-banded Armadillos almost always come in fours. The fertilized egg breaks into four identical zygotes, yielding quadruplets.
No adult was to be seen supervising this quartet of constant movement. They nurse for two to three months then gradually venture off on their own.
Insects, larvae and other food found on or in the ground make up the Armadillo’s diet.
This fellow shows off his claw and snout, the tools used to maximize his grazing.
Francis Beidler Forest, SC
July 9, 2022
Wow, you actually caught all four 👏👏👏
In the right place, and fast!
Thanks Ellen.. what a great post! I’ve shared via twitter.
Thanks, Liz, glad that you liked it! They were cute, in their own strange way 😜.
Thanks for this interesting information, I did not know about the eggs breaking up. Nice shots of these youngsters.
You’re welcome, Rudi, glad you found that interesting. Evidently they are the only animals that always do that. And, perhaps even odder–the eggs don’t implant to the uterus for several months. Somehow it works for them, they are spreading north in the US, pushed by habitat destruction in Florida and changing climate.