The armadillos are Warren animals that are covered with natural armor. Their tough armor works well against most predators, but they won't be able to withstand the force of a moving car. The possibility of running over by the car is higher compared to other species. Only one type of armadillo can be found in North America, on the contrary 19 types of this creature thrive in South America. Here are some of the interesting facts about the creature that you ought to know. 

Appearance

There are around 21 types of Michigan armadillos living around the world. Some of them are quite small and there are others that are large. The tiniest armadillo, Pinky Fairy Armadillo, will only grow to at least 6 inches in terms of length. The Giant Armadillos can grow up to 1.5 meters. The tough armor of the armadillos is actually overlapping of plates that cover their back, tails, legs, and head. Their armored bands can be used to determine the types of armadillo. Out of all the 21 types of armadillo, only one of them has the capacity to roll into a hard ball when defending against the predator. Their tongues are long and sticky which is similar to their cousin, the anteaters. They have very poor eyesight so they mostly rely on their sense of smell when hunting for food.

Habitat

Most of the Warren armadillos can be found close to the equator line. They love temperate areas since they do not have the capacity to store fats. They will be picky when choosing the place to establish their den. They will even consider the type of soil in a particular place before building their den. They look for a loam or sandy soil or any soil that may be porous and loose. This will make it easier for them to hunt for their foods and create their own burrows.

Behavior

The Michigan armadillo's regular day is mostly composed of sleeping. They are anti-social creatures that will spend at least 16 hours inside their burrows sleeping. The remaining hours will be used in foraging for foods. They will only meet with the other armadillos when the breeding season comes. They may also share the same burrow during the cold months to transmit body heat. 

Diet

The armadillos are known as omnivores. This means that they can digest both plant and meat-based product. Around 90% of their diet is comprised of larvae and insect. They use their sticky tongues in catching termites, beetles, and ants. Apart from insects, they will also eat fruits, eggs, and plants. There are also times when they will scavenge on the carcass of the dead animal.

Gestation period of the Warren armadillo will last for around 2-5 months. While pregnant, the female armadillo will build the birth den. It will then give birth to 1-12 young armadillo per litter. The birth den can extend up to 15 ft. The little armadillos will quickly mature and they will be ready to build their own family once they reach 9 months. They have an average life span of 16 years, but some of them can live up to 40 years old.