Sherman and his Kong

A screaming hairy armadillo at the Smithsonian National Zoo loves his enrichment toy very much

You are watching Sherman the hairy armadillo from the Smithsonian Zoo having a great time with his Kong toy. I think my cats aren’t even as enthusiastic about their catnip; and they really love catnip.

The small mammal house at the Smithsonian National Zoo takes animal enrichment seriously. To make sure the animals under their care stay stimulated and energetic, they provide a toy or game to each animal daily. The keepers maintain a schedule to make sure the toys are swapped out regularly and they carefully regulate the items introduced to ensure the toy is appropriate and interesting. Some of their animals like painting, some like puzzle solving. But Sherman loves tackle-and-wrestle games.

Screaming hairy armadillos are native to the Monte Desert in South America, covering Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. Like all armadillos, they have overlapping armored scales (”scutes”) that protect them, several of which can slide so that the animal can curl up into a ball when threatened. As the name suggests, hairy armadillos have tufts of hair that peek out from under their scutes and covering their arms and belly. The screaming variety are the smallest of the three existing types of hairy armadillos, weighing no more than an average of 1.9 pounds (0.86 kilograms) and growing to between 8.7 and 15.7 inches (22 to 40 centimeters), their tails adding another 3.5 to 6.9 inches (9 to 17.5 centimeters). Males are typically larger than females.

When threatened, a screaming hairy armadillo will emit a loud squeal:

Screaming hairy armadillos are omnivores, eating plants available to them in season, insects, small reptiles and birds. Sometimes they will employ an unusual hunting strategy, throwing themselves sideways onto snakes and allowing their armored carapace to cut their prey. They will dig in search of grubs and beetles, but instead of using their paws, they employ their pointed snout and spin in a circle, creating a conical hole. They have very efficient kidneys and therefore do not need to drink often, obtaining their moisture from the foods they consume. While foraging, they consume large quantities of sand: up to 50% of their stomach might be filled with it. They are mostly active at night in the summer months, but as the weather cools they will emerge from their burrows diurnally. They mate in the fall and have litters of two or three babies after 60 to 75 days. Screaming hairy armadillos typically live to 8 or 9 years old. That adds up to a lot of quality time for Sherman to enjoy tackling his next toy.

Wikipedia: Armadillo

Smithsonian's National Zoo & conservation Biology Institute: Screaming Hair Armadillo