Despite its name this species does not always have nine bands. It ranges from 8 to 10 bands and has bony armor with leathery skin and they cannot roll into a ball to escape predators like it’s three-banded cousin.
They are nocturnal, foraging at night for mainly insects, grubs, and other invertebrates.
They will have many unconnected burrows within their territories, number depending on soil quality, and usually live near a constant water source.
They have poor circulation and eyesight, but a very excellent sense of smell.
Nine-banded armadillos always give birth to four identical young, the only mammal known to do so. All four young develop from the same egg, and they even share the same placenta.
They may have short legs but can move quite quickly. Because of the density of its armor, an armadillo will sink in water unless it inflates its stomach and intestines with air, which often doubles its size and allows it to swim across streams and rivers, but they can remain underwater for as long as six minutes, walking along the bottom.
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