Habitat

They are prolific diggers, and many species use their sharp claws to dig for food such as grubs and/or to dig dens. The 9-banded armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos near which it generally lives and feeds. The diet of armadillo species varies, but consists mainly of insects , grubs, and other invertebrates . Some species, however, are almost entirely termite/ant specialists.

Armadillos have poor vision but are not blind.

The armor is formed by plates of dermal bone covered in small, overlapping, epidermal scales called " scutes ". This armor-like skin would appear to be the main defense of many armadillos, although, in fact, most flee predators by running and/or digging, rather than relying on their armor. Armadillos have short legs but can move quickly. They can also hold their breath and walk on the bottom of a lake or any body of water for 6 mins. Only the South American three-banded armadillos ( Tolypeutes ) tend to rely heavily on their armor. When threatened by a predator , Tolypeutes species will frequently roll up into a ball. Other armadillo species cannot roll up because they have too many plates to curl. Instead, they will sometimes escape predators by running into thorny brush, relying on their armor to protect them from the thorns. The North American Nine-banded Armadillo tends to jump straight in the air when surprised and consequently often collides with the undercarriage of vehicles that might pass over it.