Zoo database

Armadillo

Dasypodidae spp.

Natural diet Armadillo

Fruits
Herbs
Insects
Invertebrates / crustaceans
Leaves
Vertebrates

Armadillos are opportunistic omnivores that consumes largely consumes insects but also other plants and prey depending on what is available. While some armadillo species are specialist, others may have a very diverse diet and eat just about anything.

Feeding advice Armadillo

Feed quantity per day

3-8% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 2 kg and eats 5% of its body weight, it will get

2 x 0.05 = 0.1 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

30% Meat products and whole prey
40% Insects and other invertebrates
20% Concentrates
10% Other vegetables

Proportions (fresh product)

0.3 x 0.1 kg = 30 g meat products and whole prey
0.4 x 0.1 kg = 40 g insects and other invertebrates
0.2 x 0.1 kg = 20 g concentrates
0.1 x 0.1 kg = 10 g other vegetables

Diet suggestions

Not recommended

Fruits

Additional advice

Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
Supplement the diet with sufficient vitamin K. When feeding appropriate concentrates, this is not necessary.
Supplement a variety of diet components to avoid nutrient deficiencies in the animal (read more about differences in vegetables).
Although present in their natural diet, feeding fruits might lead to abnormal fermentation in the hindgut because of high sugar levels in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
Stimulate foraging behaviour by hiding, stacking or hanging the feed (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Rear limb paresis
Anorexia
Vitamin K deficiency
Obesity
Tongue tip constriction
Diabetes

Species within this group

Six-banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus)
Big hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus)
Southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus)

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

DK Omnivore diet

DK Insectivore diet

Crickets

Mealworms

Day Old Chicks (Black Box)

Marloes van Steendelaar

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