Expert Advice: How To Get An Armadillo Out Of Your Yard

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Expert Advice: How To Get An Armadillo Out Of Your Yard

What attracts armadillos to your yard? Often, it’s a simple search for food. These creatures love to eat insects, grubs, worms, and other small things they find in the soil. If your yard has a good supply of these tasty treats, an armadillo might decide it’s the perfect place to dig around. Getting them to leave requires making your yard less appealing and sometimes using specific removal methods.

Seeing the Problem: Signs an Armadillo Is Visiting

How can you tell if an armadillo is digging in your yard? They leave clear clues. These clues are the main signs of armadillo damage.

Armadillos are always looking for food buried underground. They use their sharp claws and long snouts to find it. This search leads to them digging small holes.

• Small holes: Look for holes about 3 to 5 inches wide and 1 to 3 inches deep. They look like someone poked many small holes with a stick or shovel handle. These holes are often cone-shaped.
• Uprooted plants: As they dig for bugs, they can disturb garden beds. You might see plants that look like they were lifted slightly out of the ground.
• Turned-over soil: They might flip over patches of soil, especially near flower beds, walkways, or the edges of the yard.
• Damage to structures: Sometimes, they dig under porches, decks, or foundations while looking for food or shelter. This can cause bigger problems over time.

Seeing these signs, especially the small holes, strongly suggests an armadillo is visiting your property. Knowing these signs of armadillo damage helps you know what you are dealing with.

Learning About Them: Nocturnal Armadillo Behavior

It helps to know how armadillos act. This is especially true about their nocturnal armadillo behavior.

“Nocturnal” means they are most active at night. You are not likely to see an armadillo walking around your yard during the day. They usually sleep in burrows during the day and come out when the sun goes down.

• Active at night: They start looking for food from dusk until dawn. This is why you might not see them but see their digging work in the morning.
• Constant diggers: Their main activity is digging. They dig for food, and they dig to make burrows for sleeping and raising young.
• Poor eyesight: They do not see well. They rely heavily on their sense of smell and hearing to find food and stay safe. This is important when thinking about armadillo repellent or other deterrents.
• Solitary animals: Armadillos usually live alone, except when raising babies. If you see one, there might not be a whole family, but another could be nearby.
• Can move quickly: Despite their looks, they can run fast and jump surprisingly high when startled. Do not corner them.

Knowing their nocturnal armadillo behavior helps you figure out when they are in your yard and why they are digging. It also helps you plan the best way to get them to leave.

Getting Them Out: Armadillo Removal Methods

Once you know you have an armadillo and see the signs of armadillo damage, you need to decide what to do. There are a few armadillo removal methods you can try. Some methods aim to scare them away, others involve catching them, and some focus on changing the yard.

Here are the main ways to handle an armadillo in your yard:

• Making the yard less attractive (prevention).
• Using things to scare them away (deterrents/repellents).
• Catching them (trapping).
• Getting help from experts (wildlife services).

Let’s look at each of these armadillo removal methods in detail.

Making Your Yard Less Appealing

This is a key step in preventing armadillos from coming or staying. Remember, what attracts armadillos is food. If you remove their food source, they have less reason to stay.

• Control lawn pests: Armadillos eat grubs and insects in your lawn. Using organic or approved methods to reduce these bugs can make your yard less appealing. If they can’t find food easily, they might go somewhere else.
• Clean up food sources: Pick up fallen fruits, nuts, or pet food left outside. While not their main food, they might eat these if available.
• Water less: Armadillos like to dig in soft, moist soil. If you water your lawn less, the soil might become harder to dig in. This makes finding grubs harder for them. Avoid overwatering.

By making these changes, you make your yard a less inviting place for armadillos looking for a meal. This is a gentle way to encourage them to leave.

Using Deterrents and Repellents

Many people look for an armadillo repellent or deterrents for armadillos. The idea is to use smells, tastes, or things that scare them to make them avoid your yard.

• Commercial Repellents: You can find sprays or granules sold as armadillo repellent. These often contain ingredients like castor oil or predator urine smells. The goal is to make the food smell bad or make the armadillo think a predator is nearby.
  • How effective are they? Be careful with these. Many experts say that most armadillo repellent products do not work well or only work for a very short time. Armadillos are driven strongly by hunger. If they are hungry, they might ignore the repellent. The effects can also wash away easily with rain or watering.
• Homemade Remedies: Some people suggest using things like cayenne pepper, garlic, or vinegar. Like commercial products, the success of these homemade deterrents for armadillos is often limited and not proven.
• Physical Deterrents: These can be more effective than smell-based ones.
  • Fencing: Building a fence is one of the best deterrents for armadillos. The fence needs to be at least 1-2 feet high and buried 1-2 feet deep underground. Armadillos are good climbers but better diggers. Burying the fence stops them from digging under it. This is a great way to prevent armadillos digging into a specific area like a garden.
  • Hard surfaces: Armadillos do not like digging in hard areas. Using stone paths, mulch beds (less appealing than grass), or paving can help.
  • Motion-activated sprinklers or lights: Sudden bursts of water or light can scare an armadillo away when they trigger the sensor at night. Since they are nocturnal, lights can bother them. These are deterrents for armadillos that use surprise. You need to place them where the armadillo usually enters the yard or digs.

While repellents might not be a sure fix, combining them with physical deterrents for armadillos can make your yard a less pleasant place for them. The most reliable physical deterrent is a properly installed fence to prevent armadillos digging where you do not want them.

Trapping the Armadillo

Trapping is one of the most direct armadillo removal methods. The goal is often humane armadillo trapping so the animal can be moved safely.

• Using Live Traps: The most common way to how to catch an armadillo is using a live trap. These are cage-like traps that catch the animal without hurting it.

  • What kind of trap? Use a sturdy, medium-sized live trap (like those used for raccoons or opossums). A size of about 10x12x32 inches is good.
  • What bait to use? This is tricky. Armadillos eat live insects and grubs. Unlike raccoons who like pet food, armadillos are not reliably attracted to bait like fruit, vegetables, or meat placed in a trap. Some sources suggest using rotten fruit or digging up some worms and placing them near the trap entrance. However, the best way how to catch an armadillo is often to guide them into the trap using fences or boards.
  • Where to place the trap? Place the trap near active digging spots or along paths the armadillo uses (they often follow fences or walls). Armadillos tend to bump into things as they walk. Put the trap in their path. You can use boards or mesh to create a funnel leading into the trap opening. This is often more effective than relying on bait.
  • Setting the trap: Set the trap’s trigger mechanism according to the instructions. Place it on a flat surface.
  • Check the trap often: You must check the trap at least once every morning. Leaving an animal trapped for a long time is not humane. They can become stressed, hungry, or too hot/cold. Check it early.

• Handling a Trapped Armadillo: If you catch an armadillo, be careful. They can scratch or carry diseases (like leprosy, though transmission to humans is rare). Do not handle the animal directly.

  • Moving the trap: Cover the trap with a blanket or tarp to keep the animal calm and reduce stress. Lift the trap carefully.
  • Relocation: Releasing the armadillo somewhere else might be an option, but check local laws first. Some areas do not allow relocating wildlife. If you can relocate, take the animal several miles away from your home (at least 5-10 miles) in a suitable habitat like a wooded area, away from roads and homes. Make sure the release site is legal.
  • Consider the animal’s well-being: Releasing an animal far from its home territory can be stressful and might not guarantee its survival. This is part of thinking about humane armadillo trapping.

Trapping can work, but it requires effort, patience, and understanding how to catch an armadillo effectively (using funnels is key) while practicing humane armadillo trapping by checking traps frequently and handling relocation responsibly or seeking other options.

Getting Professional Help

Sometimes, the problem is too big or too difficult to handle on your own. This is when you might need wildlife removal services.

• When to call professionals:
  • If you have tried other methods without success.
  • If the armadillo is causing major damage (like digging under your house).
  • If you are uncomfortable trapping or handling the animal.
  • If local laws make self-removal difficult or illegal.
  • If you suspect you have a family of armadillos rather than just one.
• What they do: Wildlife removal services have experience with animals like armadillos. They know the most effective armadillo removal methods. They can assess the situation, use traps correctly, and handle the animal’s removal and possible relocation according to regulations.
• Finding a service: Look for licensed and insured wildlife removal services in your area. Ask about their methods, especially if you prefer humane armadillo trapping. Get an estimate of the cost.

Using wildlife removal services is often the most reliable way to solve a persistent armadillo problem, especially when dealing with significant damage or local rules about wildlife.

Stopping Them From Coming Back: Prevention is Key

Getting an armadillo out is one thing. Keeping them from coming back is another. The best way to avoid future problems is to use deterrents for armadillos and take steps to prevent armadillos digging in your yard in the first place.

Think about what attracts them (what attracts armadillos is primarily food and shelter) and remove those things or make them hard to get.

• Secure your property:
  • Install that fence we talked about. Remember, it needs to be buried deep to prevent armadillos digging under it. A fence around a garden bed or the entire yard works well.
  • Seal openings under porches, decks, and sheds. Armadillos might use these areas for shelter. Use strong mesh or boards. Bury the bottom edge into the ground.
• Reduce the food supply:
  • Keep your lawn healthy but try to manage grub and insect populations using safe methods if they are abundant. A lawn treatment targeted at grubs can help reduce the primary what attracts armadillos.
  • Remove leaf piles or debris where insects and other small creatures live.
• Make the yard less appealing:
  • Consider motion-activated lights or sprinklers near areas they frequent.
  • Try some armadillo repellent products around specific beds, but do not rely solely on them.
  • Reduce areas with soft, easy-to-dig soil, if possible.

Taking these steps helps prevent armadillos digging and reduces the chance they will find your yard suitable for dinner or a home. Prevention is often easier and less stressful than removal.

Combining Methods for Best Results

Often, the most effective way to deal with an armadillo is to use a mix of the armadillo removal methods.

1. Confirm the visitor: Look for the signs of armadillo damage to be sure it’s an armadillo.
2. Find the attractant: Think about what attracts armadillos to your yard. Is it a grub problem? Easy access?
3. Consider removal: Decide if you want to trap the animal (how to catch an armadillo using a live trap and funnel) or hire wildlife removal services. If trapping, focus on humane armadillo trapping practices.
4. Put up defenses: Use deterrents for armadillos. Build fences, secure structures.
5. Make the yard less tasty: Reduce food sources like grubs.
6. Be patient: Getting rid of wildlife takes time and effort.

By tackling the problem from several angles – removing the animal, making the yard less attractive, and adding physical deterrents for armadillos – you have the best chance of solving your armadillo issue and preventing future ones. Remember, consistency with prevention efforts is key to prevent armadillos digging again.

Table of Common Armadillo Removal Methods

Here is a quick look at the different armadillo removal methods and their pros and cons.

Method	Description	Pros	Cons	Effectiveness	Focus
Reduce Food Source	Manage insects/grubs in lawn. Clean up food scraps.	Addresses what attracts armadillos, gentle, long-term.	Takes time, may require pest control.	Good long-term prevention.	Prevention
Physical Barriers (Fencing)	Build fences buried underground, secure structures.	Very effective at specific areas, long-lasting.	Can be expensive, takes effort to install correctly to prevent armadillos digging.	High for protected areas.	Deterrents for armadillos, Prevent armadillos digging
Repellents (Smell/Taste)	Sprays/granules with bad smells or tastes.	Easy to apply.	Often not effective for armadillos, washes away.	Low to moderate, usually short-term.	Armadillo repellent, Deterrents for armadillos
Motion Sprinklers/Lights	Devices triggered by movement at night.	Can startle and scare them away.	Armadillos may get used to them, need power/water.	Moderate, works on surprise.	Deterrents for armadillos
Live Trapping	Catching the animal in a cage.	Removes the specific animal, allows for humane armadillo trapping.	Requires effort to set/check, relocating can be difficult/illegal, bait not reliable (how to catch an armadillo relies more on placement).	Moderate to high if done correctly with funnels.	Armadillo removal methods, How to catch an armadillo
Professional Services	Hiring experts to remove the animal.	Most reliable, handles legal/humane issues, saves effort.	Can be expensive.	High, uses effective armadillo removal methods.	Wildlife removal services

Remember that armadillos are driven by instinct, especially their need to find food. Combining steps that limit their food and make your yard physically hard to access is usually the most successful approach. Addressing the signs of armadillo damage by removing the cause is the main goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions people ask about armadillos in the yard.

Q: Can armadillos spray like a skunk?

A: No, armadillos cannot spray a bad-smelling liquid like skunks do.

Q: Do armadillos carry diseases?

A: Armadillos can carry leprosy (Hansen’s disease), but the risk to humans is very low. It’s best not to handle them directly and to be careful. They can also carry other things like rabies, though it is not common in armadillos.

Q: Will fencing really stop them from digging under?

A: Yes, if the fence is buried deep enough. Burying the bottom 1 to 2 feet into the ground prevents them from easily digging underneath it to get into an area. This is a key part of using fences as deterrents for armadillos.

Q: How long do armadillos stay in one place?

A: An armadillo will stay as long as they can find food and shelter. If your yard is a good food source (what attracts armadillos), they might keep coming back or even make a burrow nearby. Removing the food source is important.

Q: Is it illegal to trap or move armadillos?

A: Laws about wildlife vary by location. In some places, it is illegal to trap or relocate animals yourself. Always check with your local animal control or state wildlife agency before attempting armadillo removal methods like trapping. Wildlife removal services will know the local rules.

Q: What times are armadillos most active?

A: Armadillos are nocturnal. They are most active from dusk through the night until dawn. This nocturnal armadillo behavior is why you often see the damage in the morning but rarely see the animal.

Q: Can armadillos hurt my pets?

A: Armadillos are not usually aggressive towards pets. They are more likely to run away or curl up. However, a scared or cornered armadillo might try to scratch. The main risk is indirect, such as holes dug that a pet could trip in, or potential disease if a pet tries to interact with one.

Q: Are there natural armadillo repellent options that work?

A: Many “natural” remedies like garlic or pepper are suggested, but there is little proof they work reliably as an armadillo repellent. Castor oil is an ingredient in some commercial repellents and might make the food taste bad, but its effectiveness is debated. Physical barriers are more reliable.

Q: How do I know if I have a family of armadillos?

A: You might see multiple animals at once, or the amount of digging could increase greatly in a short time. However, seeing a single armadillo is more common. If you suspect a family, it might be best to call wildlife removal services.

Q: What is the most humane way to get rid of them?

A: The most humane approach is often prevention. Making your yard less attractive (what attracts armadillos) reduces their need to be there. If removal is necessary, humane armadillo trapping involves using a live trap, checking it often, and handling the animal safely and according to local laws (either releasing quickly nearby if allowed and safe, or having wildlife removal services handle it). Avoiding poisons or harmful methods is crucial.

Getting an armadillo out of your yard takes understanding why they are there and using the right steps to make them leave and stay away. Be patient, be safe, and consider professional help if needed.