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Get rid of Armadillos

How to get rid of Armadillos? (Humanely)

Armadillos are rarely dangerous creatures. Although they may look somewhat menacing, it is not in an armadillo’s nature to attack humans. It’s important to remember this: the armor-like exterior that many people find menacing is actually made to protect him and not to injure you. Rarely do armadillos act strangely and aggressively, and in those cases, it is often the result of a rabies infection. If you suspect that you are dealing with a rabid armadillo, wait and call for a professional to get rid of it.

Even though armadillos are not set to attack you, their digging habits can become quite destructive to you and your property. So if you think you may be dealing with armadillos, it’s good to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

In this guide, we will talk about how to get rid of an armadillo as humanely and as painlessly as possible.

1. First, make sure it is an armadillo you’re dealing with and not something else.
Since armadillos do most of their digging at night, you more than likely won’t catch them at it and have no way of knowing for sure that an armadillo is the culprit.

Armadillos generally dig around your yard in search of food or start digging next to and under your house for shelter.

They will dig holes in and around your lawn (max 3” deep) and have no qualms about uprooting shrubs and plants. They tend to burrow underneath taller structures, like shrubbery, maybe a tree, or even under the foundation of your house.

You are likely to find cracks in your foundation or even the sidewalk. These cracks appear because of an armadillo’s burrowing.

2. You want to make sure your yard isn’t armadillo friendly.
The next obvious step is to make your yard as unattractive as possible. Of course, you can’t do so completely because armadillos go for food that is underground, rather than above. Still, a good first step is to keep your yard clean of any fallen fruit or food, as these may attract the creatures (as well as other pests).

Another thing you can do to deter armadillos from approaching is to eliminate any burrowing places. Once again, an armadillo loves burrowing under cover and where he’s fairly hidden from view. So if you want to make sure an armadillo doesn’t wander into your yard and decide to make it their permanent hang-out, you’ll want to remove such burrowing spots. Shrubs, woodpiles, low-lying bushes – all need to go.

3. Consider your next steps
Many people rush toward trapping as their go-to pest removing solution, but we urge you to consider other options. First of all, you need to become familiar with your state laws and find out if trapping animals is legal for non-professionals in your area.

Second, if you do decide to attempt to trap an armadillo, please choose live trapping.

  • Trapping
    There are some really handy live traps on the market out there, so take your time picking out the best one. You can find traps with one door or even double door traps that encourage more suspicious animals to wander into it.

    You’ll want to place down the live trap at night, right as you’re going to bed because armadillos tend to be out in the dark and find it more comfortable to walk around your yard when the house is relatively quiet and they don’t risk detection.

    You’ll want to place the live trap right at the entrance of the armadillo’s burrow or by the wall or fence where you suspect the armadillo’s been digging.

  • Fencing
    Many people shy away from fencing because they find it unappealing and unaesthetic, but the truth is, it’s one of the best ways to keep an armadillo away.

    Be careful when you’re choosing your fence, because you want to make sure it meets a few guidelines. Your fence needs to penetrate in the ground at least 15” deep. The shorter your fence is, the more likely it’ll be that the armadillo will dig under it, rendering it useless.

    You also want to make sure your fence is around 25” tall and slightly curved at the top (toward the exterior, of course), so as to deter armadillos from getting over it.

    Armadillos are wanderers by nature, but they do not tend to be aggressive. If they find a well-fenced property, they aren’t likely to bother making their way into it.

  • Sprinkling
    These things are also known as ‘electronic repellents’ and are an incredibly useful way to protect your property against armadillos. Electronic repellents are often placed strategically next to a vegetable patch, flowerbed or pathway. An electronic repellent is usually motion-activated and begins sprinkling water around when it detects movement. Armadillos are generally scared creatures and will run away if they get sprayed with water.
  • Repelling
    There are other, non-electronic ways to repel an armadillo as well. Many people opt for castor oil repellents, because they’re widely available and easy to use. A castor repellent will penetrate the ground and spoil the armadillo’s food sources, like worms and insects.

    Castor oil will not only emit an unpleasant smell for the armadillo, but it will also make the ‘food’ taste bad, which will deter any armadillos from coming back.

    If you don’t want to use castor oil, no worries, just keep in mind that an armadillo has a heightened sense of smell. There are certain scents an armadillo will not like, such as ammonia, mothballs, or vinegar. So, if your yard smells of any of these, an armadillo will keep away.

As we’ve seen, there are many ways to repel and deter armadillos from approaching your property. One thing you need to remember, however, is that armadillos can be a long-lasting problem. Even if you do get rid of the original armadillo that bothered you, others are likely to wander in because it’s in their nature. So you want to have a permanent armadillo-repelling system in place.