When most people think of wildlife pests that can invade their property, they don't necessarily picture armadillos. If you have ever had one of these creatures on your property, then you know that they can quickly become a hassle. Armadillos are more common in certain areas of the country than others. Armadillos on your property will make their presence known by leaving plenty of small holes and divots throughout your lawn and garden. This is the evidence of their search for grubs and other delicious treats in your dirt. There isn't a risk of catching diseases from these animals in most cases, but homeowners want to get rid of them because of the mess they can make of your lawn.

Don't Try Killing
You could theoretically try to kill the armadillos on your property. Some people choose to shoot or kill them with a knife. Other may want to turn to poison or a lethal trap. You should always avoid killing since it is an inhumane method and armadillos won't do you any harm. Besides, it is highly impractical to kill an armadillo with a knife and many areas don't allow it with a gun. Poison is never a good option since there is no guarantee that the armadillo will be the one who finds the poison. Another animal could discover it and be an accidental victim. Additionally, any animal that eats the dead animal will be poisoned as well. To make matters worse, poisons cause a slow, painful death. Lethal traps are also usually ineffective since they aren't designed for armadillos. This means that instead of killing the animal instantly, they will experience the same slow, stress-filled death as with poison.

Repellents Don't Work
Many people suggest using repellents to keep armadillos away. You can find dozens of store bought options and home remedies of varying effectiveness. In most cases, however, these will not work and you will have simply wasted time and money. Because of this, if you truly want to try a repellent, you should consider a homemade option. When this doesn't work, you won't be out a lot of money since you most likely had the items lying around your house. In fact, if you searched for an approved armadillo-specific repellent, you won't find a single option in the United States.

Some people suggest strong scents like ammonia, vinegar, or even pine cleaner. You can also try cayenne pepper or predator urine. The thing with all these methods is that they will need to be reapplied regularly to maintain the smell, including after every rainfall. Even then, the armadillo will eventually get used to the smell. Depending on what you use, there is also a risk that the substance will put your pets, family, or other nearby animals in danger. Ammonia, for example, can be toxic to animals and people and hurt the environment.

Prevention
Perhaps the absolute best method of getting rid of armadillos is stopping them from entering in the first place. You will want to set up a fence that can effectively keep these animals out; luckily, it should also deter other nuisance wildlife. When setting up the fence, make sure that the spaces between slats are small enough where armadillos won't fit through. You will also want to bury it at least a foot under the ground since armadillos are likely to dig under the fence if it is more shallow than this.



You can also try to make an effort to make your property less appealing to armadillos. You can reduce the amount of grubs and earthworms on the land by replacing mulch with gravel. You can also try to get rid of overripe fruit or other potential food sources.

Trapping
If the armadillos are already on your property, you will want to consider trapping the animals to relocate them. Always pick a non-kill trap as opposed to a lethal one since there are multiple options available and these are more humane. Before you load the trap, put out some bait for a few nights; good options include earthworms and overripe fruit.

Try to set up the trap in an area that the armadillo frequently walks by. It can be helpful to set up barriers such as boards to guide the animals to the entrance of the trap. Before relocating the armadillo you trap, check your local regulations to make sure this is legal and check whether there are any restrictions. Aim to select a relocation site with water and away from predators as well as a reasonable distance from your home.

Exclusion
If there is an armadillo inside your home, under your porch, or in another enclosed area, you can try using the exclusion method. This involves sealing up all entry points except one and replacing that with a one-way door or other similar barrier.

After you successfully get armadillos off your property, whether by trapping and relocation, exclusion, or professional help, be sure to take steps to prevent new animals. This typically involves the preventative techniques mentioned above.

Read the How to get rid of armadillos page or these other pages:
About Armadillos: Appearance, biology, life cycle, habitat, diet, behavior
Armadillo Prevention Tips: How To Keep Armadillos Away
Armadillo Trapping: How To Trap An Armadillo
Armadillo Repellent
How to Kill an Armadillo
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