How do I get rid of armadillos?

To get rid of armadillos, set up a live trap, a large cage humanely catches pests. Place it in an area where you've seen the armadillo crawl through, or near the hole of its burrow. Once you catch the armadillo, release it in a wooded area at least 5 miles from your home. To deter armadillos from returning, install a fence that begins at least 1 foot below the ground. Additionally, spread castor oil, cayenne pepper, or mothballs around your yard since armadillos don't like these smells. To learn how to use parasitic worms to keep armadillos out of your garden, keep reading!

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Armadillos can damage your flower beds and other soil areas in search of food. They do this by digging holes in the ground. Thankfully, there are several means by which you can get rid of them and stop them from causing further damage.

Getting rid of armadillos is no longer a problem reserved for Texans. They were first seen in the Lone Star State in the 1850’s and over the next hundred years, they’d waddled their way to Alabama and beyond. Armadillo control has become a concern throughout the southwest and beyond. Eventually, they’ll be found in any state where winters are mild. They’re known for tearing up flower beds in search of bugs and worms and leaving 3 by 5 inch (8 x 13 cm.) divots in the lawn where they’ve dug up the turf looking for grubs. Before you ask about how to get rid of armadillos, you need to know a little about them.

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcintus) is nocturnal, which means it does most of its foraging at night. Its strong legs and claws are built for tearing apart termite mounds and digging burrows that can reach 15 feet (4.5 m.) long. They eat bugs, grubs, and worms, but the claim that they carry and spread leprosy is largely unprovable and unfounded. One of the reasons getting rid of armadillos is so difficult is that they aren’t territorial. The one that’s in your yard today may not be the one that did all that damage last week.

How to Stop Armadillos in the Garden

Unfortunately, the best method to stop armadillos from entering your yard is not only the most expensive, but might also be the least attractive. A stout fence with no spaces big enough for the critters to crawl through and buried a foot (31 cm.) or more underground so they can’t dig under it, is the best form of armadillo control.

If you’re not agreeable to living inside a fenced fortress, using their own biology against them might be a more practical and effective method of getting rid of armadillos.

Armadillos have a great sense of smell and a large part of their brain is dedicated to it, so the answer to how to get rid of armadillos is fairly simple. Make your yard stink! Yes, strong scented, eye-stinging scents like those of vinegar, ammonia, or good old pine cleaner can stop armadillos in their tracks, driving them from their borrows and your yard. Rumor has it these roly-poly creatures are offended by the smell of pine needles or pine bark. You might try switching to one of these as mulch for your garden beds.

There is no repellent currently registered for armadillo control although there are several ultrasonic pest devices that claim to do much the same thing.

Trapping and Killing Armadillos

If easier, less confrontational methods fail, you might want to try trapping your midnight visitors. There are several devices available that are designed to capture without killing. Armadillos are partial to overripe fruit and earthworms as bait. Try setting out a dish of bait for several nights before loading the trap to capture their interest first.

Killing armadillos may be your last and only solution to ridding your yard of this nocturnal pest. These animals are so focused on their search for food they notice little else, including flashlights and people! If you choose this method of getting rid of armadillos, make sure you check local ordinances governing the use of firearms and weapons.

As you can see, there are a variety of methods to stop armadillos from destroying your yard. Test them all and see which works best for you.

An armadillo's digging habits can be extremely destructive, which is why it's important to take control at the first signs of damage. An integrated control plan is best, because layering different products takes care of the problem from all possible angles. Below, Havahart® offers step-by-step instructions teaching you how to get rid of armadillos under your home or in your yard.

Shop Armadillo Solutions » view Full Pest Library »

• Facts
• How to Get Rid Of
• How to Trap
• How to Repel
• Baits

1 Reduce Attractants

Armadillos wander into your yard in search of food and shelter. Because the majority of an armadillo's food is underground, completely removing attractants is nearly impossible. However there are important steps you can take to make your yard less welcoming:

• Remove cover like brush, woodpiles, low-lying bushes and shrubs. Armadillos prefer to burrow in areas with ample cover, so by opening up your yard, they'll feel less at home.
• Clean up any fallen berries or fruit, which may attract armadillos.

2 Identify Areas of Damage

Whether they are excavating your lawn for food or burrowing underground for shelter, armadillos are most destructive when they're digging. Identifying areas of damage will help you determine the best control option.

Common armadillo activities include:

• digging holes throughout lawn, about 3-5" wide and about 1-3" deep
• uprooting plants and seedlings
• burrowing next to or underneath structures, sidewalks, brush piles, low-lying shrubs, or other cover
• damaging underground pipes and/or wires
• creating cracks in sidewalks, driveways or building foundations as a result of burrowing

3 Choose the Right Control Method

Once you target your armadillo problem, you can select the best control method for you. Each method plays its own role in getting rid of armadillos, so it's important to note that the more control methods you employ, the more effective your defense will be.

Live Armadillo Trap

Use a live trap to manually remove armadillos living in burrows on your property. Trapping is simple with the proper trap placement. Armadillos rely on common pathways when foraging, which makes their behavior very predictable. Some placement tips to follow include:

• At night, place the trap directly in front of the burrow entrance.
• Place the trap along the wall or fence line closest to the damage.
• Create a "V" with wooden planks to funnel the armadillo towards the trap opening.

For more information, read How to Trap an Armadillo »

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Armadillo Repellents

Use an effective castor oil-based repellent to drive armadillos out and to prevent them from digging for food on your property. Castor oil is an all-natural oil that penetrates the ground, and repels armadillos in two ways:

• spoils the food sources (insects, grubs, etc.) underground, making them unpleasant to eat.
• creates an unpleasant odor inside burrows.

For more information, read How to Repel Armadillos »

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Electronic Repellents

Use an electronic repellent to scare skittish armadillos away from targeted areas. A motion-activated sprinkler uses startling bursts of water to repel passing armadillos. Motion-activated sprinklers can be used to protect:

• vegetable gardens
• plants
• mulch beds

• yards/lawns
• structures
• flowerbeds

• pathways
• entryways
• trees

Electronic repellents immediately repel armadillos above ground, making them a great addition to castor-oil repellents, which produce longer-term effects underground.

For more information, read Why Electronics »

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Fencing

Use a properly constructed fence to completely exclude armadillos from your yard or garden. Your armadillo fence should achieve the following in order to keep armadillos out:

• stand at least 24" tall
• penetrate the ground at least 6-12"
• angle outwards at the top, about 40°

Fencing may be intrusive to the aesthetic of your backyard, but it's effective and one of the best ways to keep your yard clear of armadillo destruction.

What is a good armadillo repellent?

Armadillos hate the smell of ammonia, vinegar and mothballs [source: MSU]. Using any of these items regularly will ward off armadillos. Trapping For effective trapping, place more than one trap in various locations, especially near the armadillos' burrows.

How do you keep an armadillo out of your yard?

Armadillo Removal and Prevention Tips.

Get a fence. ... .

Make your yard inhospitable. ... .

Get rid of small insects in your soil. ... .

Add scented deterrents – Armadillos are not big fans of spicy scents. ... .

Traps – You can set armadillo traps either on top of their burrows or at strategic points around your yard..

What time do armadillos come out at night?

They usually live 12-15 years in captivity. Armadillos sleep about 16 hours each day and come out to forage around dusk and dawn.