With a new eating plan, combined with a little more exercise, we are confident she will not be biting off more than she should chew in the future. “We are not unduly concerned at the moment but we will be keeping a close eye on her over the coming months. They have a varied diet made up of beetle larvae, ants, termites and fruits. We have therefore made a few adjustments to her eating plan to ensure she remains happy and healthy.” The southern three banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) is commonly found. She is making great progress so far but she still has about 500g to lose. Mark commented: “Gretel loves her food but we have noticed that she does put on weight easily. Supervised by the volunteers at the Park, Gretel works out in the Discovery Centre every day in an effort to shift those persistent pounds. In addition to altering her food plan, drill master Kenward has also put Gretel on a new exercise regime. Armadillos have few wild predators, but coyotes, dogs, black bears, bobcats, cougars, foxes and raccoons are reported to catch and kill armadillos in places. ![]() Keepers have therefore filled her diet with some delicious fat fighting fayre in order to make a difference. Nevertheless, she has a tendency to put on weight easily and despite eating a varied diet of locusts, mealworms, wax worms, eggs, rice and vegetables, she can’t quite beat the bulge. She is and incredibly friendly and since her arrival, she has been introduced to numerous school children visiting the zoo. Gretel arrived at Drusillas back in February from Askham Bryan College and will be two in March. They have a hard shell made up of bone and tough tissue which is not found amongst any other mammal and their name literally means ‘little armoured one’ in Spanish. ![]() In the wild, armadillos are found in the grasslands, forests and savannahs of South America. One rotund resident in particular has recently attracted his attention Gretel the big hairy armadillo appears to have eaten more than her festive fair share and has been put on a New Year health kick. The diets of different armadillo species vary, but consist mainly of insects, grubs. It’s not just us humans that need to diet and detox after the Christmas extravagances sometimes our four legged friends need to watch their waistlines too.Īt Drusillas Park in East Sussex, Head Keeper Mark Kenward is responsible for monitoring animal diets and making adjustments to their food plans where necessary. Armadillos are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. “Euphractus sexcinctus” (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. While fruit makes up less than 10 percent of an armadillo’s diet, throwing away fallen fruit removes both insects that may be enjoying the fruit and a source of nutrients for the armadillo as well. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T8306A47441708. Six-Banded Armadillo – The Living Rainforest. Prey: Armadillos are omnivores and their diet consist. Six Banded Armadillo – Fun Facts & Information For Kids. Certain careers focus primarily on the dietary habits and requirements of animals, such as Nutritionists. They are able swimmers and will swallow air before entering the water to help with buoyancy.Īmbrose, J., 2015. The best place to explore feeding options is to find out what zoos feed their armadillos. The eyesight of the six-banded armadillo is poor and they rely upon their sight to find food. Armadillos should have a varied diet in captivity consisting of protein-sources appropriate for insectivores and smaller amounts of plant matter. However, generally, armadillos eat insects, grubs and other invertebrates. Six-banded armadillos tend to change their location every few days. Armadillos are omnivores and the specific diet varies from species to species. Finally, armadillos are not the most popular animal to eat in the United States. Second, armadillos are high in fat and should be consumed in moderation. First, be sure to cook the armadillo thoroughlyovercooking can make it unsafe. They will bite and scratch other six-banded armadillos which enter their territory. The meat is safe to consume, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Each armadillo forms a territory which is marked using scent. ![]() At most times a six-banded armadillo will be found on its own. The six-banded armadillo will dig a burrow in the ground which can be as much as 2m (6.6ft) deep. Solid food can be eaten from 1 month old. Six-banded armadillos are capable of delayed implantation.Īfter 22-25 days the eyes of the six-banded armadillo has opened. A group of males will chase a female in an attempt to gain mating rights.įollowing a gestation of 60-64 days the female will give birth to between 1 and 3 young.
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