Although armadillos generally do well in captivity, armadillo pups are very prone to suddenly and rapidly declining and dying, for no apparent reason. Please understand that raising a baby armadillo is a very tricky thing to do. If you can’t release the armadillo in a place that you can visit it to provide supplemental food until it settles into its new home, try to release it in a place that will give it everything it needs to survive:.If you were successful, the armadillo will eventually settle in nearby, or will wander away from your yard into the wild. It is probably best to let it out in your yard, and leave food out for it in the evenings if it is possible to do so without attracting other guests, like stray cats or raccoons. Make sure the armadillo feels comfortable finding its own food before you release it.As it gets larger, you’ll need to let it outside to forage on its own, preferably in a large outdoor enclosure like a fenced-in yard or dog pen. Start by burying the food in a shallow pan of dirt, and let the armadillo find the items on its own. In addition to showing it what to eat, you’ll need to teach it how to find this food.Ants (catch them in a jar, or just find an anthill and let the armadillo loose on them!).Grubs (you can sometimes get them from stores, or dig them out of lawns or rotten wood).Meal worms (bait or pet stores generally carry these).Bait worms (from a bait shop, naturally).You can start by supplementing its diet with natural foods, including: You will need to train the armadillo to find its own food.However, you must supplement this with natural food items if the armadillo is to be successfully released into the wild. For older animals, moist canned cat food will provide all the nutrients required to keep the armadillo healthy.Be very careful not to force-feed the armadillo pup! They can easily over-eat, and this will cause severe gastric distress or death. For animals of nursing age, use kitten formula, and feed the armadillo with an eyedropper.Only do this if you are unable to find a rehab center willing to accept the animal! The best chance for an orphaned or abandoned armadillo pup is a licensed wildlife rehab center or experienced vet. If you can’t find a center in your phone book, you can try this online directory of rehab centers. I strongly urge you to take any orphaned animals to a rehab / rescue center, both for your own protection and for the well-being of the animal. As a surrogate “mother” to these animals, you will need to know how to teach them to live on their own, and be prepared to deal with any emergency medical care. The average person does not have the training to successfully raise an orphaned animal and release into the wild, with any chance of survival. In many places, keeping a wild animal in your home is illegal, even if your intentions are to help it. use the following list as a guideline to care for the abandoned or orphan armadillo pup.Ī local wildlife rescue center, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, or a veterinarian who is experienced with wild animals is the best and safest option both for you and for the armadillo. If you know for sure that the mother is not there to help - that is, in cases where the mother has been killed by a car, etc. Odds are that most of the time the armadillo’s mother is nearby, and she will take care of the baby herself. If you find a baby armadillo, the best thing you can do for it is to leave it alone. Always check your local rules and regulations, proceed with caution, seek sound medical advice, and follow the guidelines below at your own risk. Caring for a wild animal without a wildlife rehabilitation license may be illegal. Caring for a wild animal may be risky both to yourself and to the animal. So you have an armadillo on your hands - what do you do? Hopefully this page will help you.ĭISCLAIMER: The advice and information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for medical care from a licensed veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitator.
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