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:
- along a fence or wall line;
- on a well-travelled path;
- above the burrow entrance.
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:
Havahart Large one door Animal trap – the most effective option for catching armadillos.
Price: $49.99- Havahart Large Two door trap – reliable option with 2 doors that allow armadillos to enter from either direction.
Price: $69.99
- Havahart Large One door Trap 2 pack – contains 2 of Havahart traditional traps. Perfect for multiple catching. Effective for those who are looking for easy and cost-effective way to catch multiple armadillos.
Price: $79.98 
Havahart Large One door Collapsible trap – excellent, space-saving option. Strong solution, that is perfect for catching pesky pests.
Price: $69.99
Tomahawk Original Series Collapsible Trap for Armadillos – easy to set and available in various sizes.
Price: $111.06- Heavy Duty Large Cage Trap by Duke – strong one door cage, effective for catching armadillos.
Price: $59.56
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:
- Maggots
- Spoiled meat
- Meal worms
- Overripe fruit
You can also bait your trap with the following products that are available on the market:
Grub Bait 8 oz – effective bait that is used to lure armadillos or other wildlife digging in your yard.
Price: $12.00
Loganberry paste – effective berry flavoured bait that armadillos cannot resist. A tablespoon is enough to lure the armadillo.
Price: $25.00
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:
- Holes – about 4-5” wide and 2-3” deep
- Burrow entrances next to or underneath sidewalks, structures, brush pile
- Uprooted plants and seedlings
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:
- by frightening armadillos with scare tactics;
- by spoiling armadillo’s food sources;
- by creating not-pleasant-to-armadillos scent in their burrows.
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:
Mole and Gopher Repellent Sprayer by Sweeney’s – quick solution for making away with armadillos that are destroying your yard. This castor oil repellent soaks into the ground making the grubs and earthworms unpleasant to eat.
Price: $11.25
For best results – apply granule castor oil pellets inside armadillo’s burrows over a period of four days. Granules will quickly repel armadillos from your property.
Armadillo repellent by Liquid Fence – safe on vegetation, bio-degradable solution that effectively repels armadillos and stops the digging in lawns and garden areas.
Price: $80.99
All Natural Repellent Armadillo Blocker by BuyBlocker – provides a powerful taste and scent repellent that armadillos find really unpleasant. This option doesn’t harm nasty armadillos and naturally drives them away.
Price: $15.97
Nature Defence – All purpose pest repellent – repels armadillos without chemicals and traps. The natural-ingredients of the product create an irritating scent to repel armadillos.
Price: $10.59
Don’t let them open up your yard. Remove attractants – fruit or fallen berries – and cover like woodpiles, brush and low-lying bushes.
2. Frighten them away
This can be done with the help of motion-activated sprinklers. The product will:
- Detect armadillo’s activity;
- Release a burst of water;
- Release sound and motion.
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. I suggest using the best motion-activated sprinkler or electronic device.
Here is what you can buy:
Spray Away Elite II – deters armadillos by using a sprinkler sound and water. Effectively conditions armadillos to stay away from the protected area.
Price: $179.99 and $324.00 for 2 Pack
Spray Away 2.0 – environmentally-friendly solution for your lawn. It uses only noise and water to detect destructive armadillos.
Price: $119.00 for 2 Pack
Yard Gard – electronic solution that safely and humanely keeps armadillos out of your yard. Ideal for use at basements, garages and attic.
Price: $99.00- Yard Gard – contains only natural ingredients therefore is safe to use around home and garden. No poisons or chemicals to worry about.
Price: $41.95
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.
How is it sensible or polite to others to do non-lethal removal of these pestilences, to have them go wreck other people’s property? A varmint gun is much more effective as these things are prolific if you let them prosper.
No problem shooting them and I had prefer them dead. Problem is they don’t come till the middle of the night.