How to Get Rid of Armadillos

Found uprooted flowers and vegetables on your property? Tired of shallow holes? It’s time to take control over roly-poly creatures.

Keeping pesky armadillos out of your yard often requires maximum effort and the combination of methods. If you suspect you have armadillo activity on your property, take action to drive them away before any serious damage is done.

Armadillos’ control is more successful when several tactics are combined. How to trap and repel armadillos? How to bait the trap? What are the best control products? Here is smartly integrated armadillo pest control plan to make your yard and property armadillo-free.

Armadillo facts

Originated from South America, Armadillos have been rapidly expanding their range within the United States. These animals are mammals, just like humans. Armadillos inhabit hot places because they can’t survive in cold temperatures. Although these animals have short legs, they can quickly move.

Armadillos are well-known for their armour-like shell and for their digging habits. Despite their dense armor – that is their protector – armadillos are good swimmers. When threatened, three-banded armadillos can easily roll up into a ball.

Armadillo damage can be tremendous due to their digging habits. While hunting for food, these destructive pests dig small to medium holes in several locations. Therefore armadillo pest control is very important for those who want to make their property armadillo-free.

Habitat information

Where do armadillos live? Armadillos love warm, moist climates. They prefer to live in a-lot-of-shade places with sandy soil – for easy digging. Many armadillo species are endangered. What about armadillos in Florida? They are not native to this state but are now common over most of Florida. They love forested habitats with loose soil that allows these pests to dig easily.

These mammals use their strong claws for digging burrows throughout the home range they live in. The burrow of armadillo is up to fifteen feet deep and about 8 feet wide.

What do armadillos eat?

Generally, they eat insects. 90% of armadillo’s diet consists of animal matter – insects and other invertebrates. However, in cold weather, these animals are known to eat small reptiles and amphibians. Less than 10% of armadillo’s diet is composed of non-animal matter, but fruits, tubers, and seeds are eaten occasionally.

Tasty fruits – found in your garden – grubs and turf worms can attract destructive armadillos to your property. Once these mammals start coming around, they’ll return every night expecting to find some food. Armadillos can dig violently until the food is found. This way or another, the mess they leave is damaging once it begins.

How to remove armadillos using Armadillo trap option

Want to protect your lawn and garden from armadillos? Trapping is one of the best options. This control method is especially useful to evict pesky armadillos in places that are difficult to reach with repellents. As far as these destructive creatures have predictable habits, it makes them quite easy to trap.

So, how to catch an armadillo? First of all, you are to choose the perfect armadillo trap. It can be either a one or two-door model. Determine the place of the trap.

Effective locations for the trap include:

When setting the trap, follow your traps instructions as each trap may set in a different way. Set the trap just before armadillos come out to forage. These animals are mostly nocturnal but in winter they often can come during the day.

Next step is to check the trap. Armadillos will try to escape, digging into the bottom of any trap. Check the trap to avoid neglecting a caught armadillo. After removing the animal, make sure your yard is not attractive to armadillos.  We suggest applying the following Armadillo traps for sale.

What to buy:

Remember, these pests are wanderers. If you think that after trapping and relocating armadillos they will never come again, then you are wrong. Ascertain animals live your yard, others may enter.

Maintaining an armadillo pest control plan after their successful removal – especially in high-armadillo-density location – is a necessity. After armadillos’ removal, ensure that all burrows on your property are empty and fill them with gravel.

What to do after you have caught the animal? You can relocate it to a forested environment. Relocate armadillo at least six miles away from your yard. When releasing the animal allow it to calmly exit.

How to easily trap armadillos? To make trapping successful, use baits. For successful catching, position the bait strategically inside the trap.

Baits that attract roly poly creatures

As it was mentioned, armadillos prefer insects and invertebrates that live underground. However, some trappers choose not to use the bait in traps as it can attract other creatures like opossums and raccoons. But, if you will use baits that target unique preferences of armadillos – like rotten foods – you can surely find success.

Here is what they like:

You can also bait your trap with the following products that are available on the market:

When baiting armadillo trap, don’t forget to wear gloves. Why? These animals have sensitive noses and will avoid a trap with a human scent. Place the bait away from the walls to prevent armadillos from stealing it from the outside.

Armadillo repellent options that drive pests away

After removing these unique creatures with live traps, keep them out with a working armadillo repellent. Before starting the armadillo repelling plan, you are to know that all areas on your property should be treated. Remember, once these wandering animals find the area bad for digging they will quickly move onto the more suitable one.

How to choose the right armadillo control option? First of all, identify the areas where these destructive animals are causing damage.

Signs of armadillo damage:

Think your repellent is ineffective? Keep in mind repelling these creatures takes patience and persistence. It takes some time for the armadillos to associate the effects of any repellents with the protected area.

How to get rid of armadillos in yard? There are 3 effective ways in which you can repel them:

As far as armadillos can differently react to various techniques you are to employ several control methods.

Choose one of the following methods:

1. Spoil their food

Want to keep these pests away? Deliver foul smell to their burrows with the help of the following:

2. Frighten them away

This can be done with the help of motion-activated sprinklers. The product will:

You can place the product in front of a burrow to discourage the animal from returning, around the house or in any place where you want to prevent wandering armadillos from digging underneath.

Human Armadillo deterrent options

So, you have these roly-poly creatures on your property. It’s time to deter them. We suggest using motion-activated sprinklers or electronic devices.

Here is what you can buy:

As you can see, armadillos can be effectively removed by trapping and repelling program. We recommend using both methods. Once roly-poly creatures are gone it’s very important checking and treating your yard to ensure other armadillos don’t wander onto your property after in years.