You have to admire them. Despite their odd appearance and their penchance for ending up as roadkill, the armadillo is one determined critter. Over the years they've migrated from the Southwest, slowly making their way north despite their sensitivity to cold. Unfortunately, the reason we know they're migrating is due to the increasing number of dead dillos lining the highways. Oh well...

I've been collecting armadillo memorabilia for about 20 years now, ranging from stuffed animals to movie drinking cups to hats to you name it. Mind you, it's not easy finding the stuff up here, but then again,if I lived in Texas, it'd be too easy!

Some interesting facts about our little armored friends:

• Armadillos are mammals. Interestingly, they are the only other creature besides humans that can contract leprosy. (Uh-oh)
• There are about 20 species of armadillo, ranging from the 130-pound giant armadillo to the pygmy.
• The peba, or nine-banded armadillo, is found in South and Central America, Texas, southern Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and parts of Florida.
• The six-banded armadillo, the three-banded armadillo (the apar), and the giant armadillo (not to be confused with the giant, invisible, Lone Star Beer-swilling armadillo) are all found in South America.
• Nine-banded armadillos cannot curl up into impregnable balls--which is just as well, as the shells are pliable and relatively thin. But their smoothness makes it difficult for predators to get a good grip.
• Dillos can leap up three or four feet when startled. Which explains the interesting truck grille art in Texas.
• Dillos are fairly quick on the ground and excellent swimmers.
• Dillos have no incisors or canines, and only spikelike, unenameled molars. Their main diet is grubs and other soft, chewy bugs.
• Dillos are near-sighted as hell.
• Armadillos have the smallest brains of any North American mammal. (Explains a lot, doesn't it?)
• Armadillos only mate once a year, and always give birth to four genetically identical infants of the same sex.

This is from The Armadillo Book by Bill Bryant, copyright 1983. The ISBN is 0-88289-383-1, if you're feeling particularly dedicated to finding a copy.

Other books you might want to check out include:

The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynne Cherry (ISBN 0-15-20359-2)

Armadillo Ray by John Beifuss (Peggy Turley illos) (ISBN 0-81-182135-8)

The Beginning of the Armadillos by Rudyard Kipling (several books, try ISBN 0-15-20638-03)

Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett (ISBN 0399228039)

Be sure to check out Amazon.com for these and other books!

Presenting my armadillo collection, lovingly photo-compiled last January (and in dire need of updating!)

A card so cute it'll make you barf.

A Christmas Card so cute it'll make you barf.

An article from several years back about Lincoln, a baby armadillo born at the St. Louis Zoo.

Back in 1992, the United States Interregional Soccer League (remember them? Didn't think so) had none other than the Austin Soccadillos. Here's the cover to their program book.

A rather battered postcard from many years back.

The illos on this page (and on the main page) were obtained from Dr. Deborah W. Craton's home page. She's another dedicated collector and has a great list of links to visit!

Got dillo problems? Check out Armadillo Control!

The October 1995 issue of Smithsonian had an excellent article about armadillos.

CyberDillo is a great little site with a lot to offer, including the

 (from Wiley’s Non Sequitur)