Armadillo quadruplets!
ICYMI: Our nine-banded armadillo Patsy gave birth to female identical quadruplets! Mom and babies are all doing well and bonding behind-the-scenes. #Funfact– Nine-banded armadillos (almost) always give birth to identical quadruplets! pic.twitter.com/QaojUO4A1h
— Roger Williams Park Zoo (@RWPZoo) March 12, 2025
They always give birth to quadruplets:
All litters of this species derive from a single fertilized egg that divides into four. The same-sex pups arrive in the spring, and even as newborns look like miniature adults. Armadillo pups nurse for two to three months before switching to an adult diet.
When startled or scared, these armadillos can jump four to five feet high. Usually this surprises any creature trying to have it for lunch. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work so well when startled by a moving car, which is why they are common road kill.
These guys are insectivores. They mostly eat bugs, beetles, grubs, worms, spiders and termites. Once in a while they do eat fungus, fruits and seeds, as well as some carrion. But they love bugs the most.
These little armored mammals are actually good swimmers when they need to be. They can also hold their breath for up to six minutes and are really skilled at walking underwater to cross streams.