Armand! You are a true bad ass, what WILL I do with you? (My adventures with an Armadillo friend)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Armand showed up a couple months ago and mooched his way into my heart.

He’s a beggar. You can look in his beady eyes and see hunger.
I’ve found most dry foods are not his thing.
I have several cans of food my cats have decided they hate. Well, until I started opening them, anew. It’s all interesting now. And causes riots.

Armand enjoys it. It’s so cute seeing him eat, daintily.
We read grubs were a good food for them and got a container. OMG. His favorite thing ever! They are gross, tho’.

He shows up, not exactly daily, but regular enough that I see his hyjinx.
It’s funny when he puts his front feet up on a log or his barrel. Yes, he has a barrel house. Right next to the garage.
He’s not ventured inside. The garage cats are in there. They’re not friendly, much.
He seems alarmed by them.
The dogs don’t bother him. I think they’re bored with my wildlife whims.

I discouraged him rooting around the burn barrel and the kitchen garden. Not much growing now, but I do have greens I prefer not having Leprosy germs near.

I heard a commotion this morning when I let the dogs out, at the crack of 6am. I could see alittle scuffle by the barrel.
Armand had his feets up on the burn barrel, there were 2 crows giving him the what-for. They had claimed what was in there. Not that Armand was any threat to it.
The noise he made was strange, high pitched squeak.
The crows didn’t like it, not one bit.
They made the most noise, squawking and kinda dive bombing him.
He never ran. Just fussed.

The crows got bored and moved on.
Armand stayed there.
Obviously he was proud of his conquest.

I looked over and the garage cats were looking admirably at him.
They really hate the crows.

I predict a fast friendly connection between them.

We shall see.

2

Can an opossum be reincarnated as an armadillo?

3

C’mon, Beck, you know the rules about pet threads.

4

I think I read a story about that barrel house. It was called The Cask of Armadillo.

5

I just want to say that when I saw the thread title – about an armadillo with a totally appropriate cute name – I immediately guessed who the OP was!

Enjoy your new (outdoor) pet, and please post your continuing adventures! :smiley:

6

His name was chosen for him, by other than me.

The kids voted for “Pickle” (as in Dill pickle).

Armand has grown on me. He’s so dapper in his Leprosy suit of armor.
And he has dainty habits.

The walk is hilarious.

7

My late, beloved father’s name is Armand; that’s enough to for me know this is a special creature and fortunate enough to join Beck’s Menagerie.
Pics, please!

8

What’s this about armadillos and … leprosy?

Oh sure, I could Google it. But I’d rather hear about here.

9

Apparently they are the only other mammal that can carry the bug.

Not sure how easy it would be to catch it from them. I don’t intend on letting him sleep in my bed. Anywhoo.

10

When I hear “Armand”, my head goes to Robin Williams in “The Birdcage”.

11

Nice Hat!

12

I also read that armadillos have, always, litters of four, identical quadrulplets. So in research for the disease there are natural born controls.

13

It’s not even easy to catch it from humans. It’s suspected that the Biblical leprosy was a different disease from what we now know by that name, because what’s described in the Bible sounds like it’s expected to spread much more easily.

14

I think the official name for the disease now is Hansen’s disease, to avoid the stigma of the word leprosy.

15

Their armor – so I discovered – typically constitutes about 15% of their body weight.

Maybe you could have somebody 3D print him a lighter … maybe summer suit … out of carbon fiber.

How light, agile, and avant-garde would he feel??

It comes in a nearly unlimited array of colors, incidentally. He could look awfully festive.

16

Ewwwww. Nekked Armadillo

17

I think you will like this video:

https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/comments/xe2ojk/how_armadillos_fit_together_rolled_up/

18

I have seen someone 3D printing metal armor for hermit crabs. Once he got his technique right, the crabs seemed to like the armor just fine.

19

I’m sure The Hansen’s are thrilled about this. Not like The Leprosy Family could have taken the hit.

Anyway… Yes! We want Fucking Pictures, Goddammit! Enough with the excuses!

20

Aw, so cute. I didn’t know they could roll up into a ball, hedgehog style. Also didn’t know they’re hairy on the underside.