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How To Get Rid Of Armadillos In The Yard Fast & Permanently
Can I get rid of armadillos in my yard? Yes, you can get rid of armadillos in your yard using a combination of deterrents, removal, and exclusion methods. How do I stop armadillos from digging? You can stop armadillos from digging by making your yard less attractive to them, removing their food sources, and by creating physical barriers.
Armadillos, with their unique armor and digging prowess, can transform a well-maintained lawn into a minefield of divots and tunnels. Their nocturnal habits and love for grub-rich soil make them a common nuisance for homeowners. But fret not, there are effective strategies to tackle these armored invaders and reclaim your yard. This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to get rid of armadillos in the yard fast and permanently.
Comprehending Armadillo Behavior: The Key to Effective Control
Before you can effectively remove armadillos from your yard, it’s crucial to understand their motivations. Armadillos are primarily insectivores, their diet consisting of insects, grubs, earthworms, ants, and even small reptiles. They are not aggressive creatures but their digging can cause significant damage, undermining landscaping, creating tripping hazards, and unearthing prized plants.
Their primary goal is to find food. This means your yard becomes a buffet if it’s teeming with insects. They also dig to create burrows for shelter and to escape predators. These burrows can be extensive, with multiple entrances and chambers.
Fathoming Armadillo Needs:
- Food: Grubs, insects, earthworms, ants, termites.
- Shelter: Burrows for sleeping, protection from predators, and raising young.
- Water: While they get most moisture from their food, they will drink from puddles and shallow water sources.
Swift Solutions: Immediate Measures to Deter Armadillos
When you’re looking for ways to get rid of armadillos in the yard fast, immediate deterrents are your first line of defense. These methods aim to make your yard an unappealing place for armadillos, encouraging them to move on.
Aroma Repellents: Making Your Yard Smell Unpleasant
Armadillos have a keen sense of smell, and certain odors can be highly off-putting. Using armadillo repellent that utilizes strong, natural scents can be quite effective in the short term.
Natural Armadillo Repellent Options:
- Castor Oil: This is a popular choice. Mix castor oil with water and a mild soap (like liquid dish soap) and spray it liberally around your yard, especially in areas where you’ve seen armadillo activity. The taste and smell are unpleasant for them. Reapply after rain.
- Garlic and Cayenne Pepper: A mixture of minced garlic, cayenne pepper, and water can be sprayed around your yard. The strong odor and potential for irritation are deterrents.
- Ammonia: Diluted ammonia can be sprayed around the perimeter. However, use this with caution as it can also be harmful to plants if applied too heavily.
- Peppermint Oil: Armadillos dislike the strong scent of peppermint. Mix several drops of peppermint essential oil with water and spray.
Important Note on Repellents: While these can offer quick relief, they often require frequent reapplication, especially after rain, and their effectiveness can vary. They are best used as a supplementary method rather than a standalone permanent solution.
Sound and Vibration Deterrents: Disrupting Their Peace
Armadillos are sensitive to vibrations and loud noises. Employing these can disrupt their foraging and resting habits.
- Ultrasonic Devices: These devices emit high-frequency sounds that are inaudible to humans but irritating to animals like armadillos. Place them strategically in your yard.
- Radios: Leaving a radio on in your yard, particularly at night, can mimic human presence and deter them. Tuning into talk radio can be particularly effective due to the varied sounds and voices.
- Wind Chimes and Rattles: Unexpected noises from wind chimes or strategically placed rattles can startle them and make them wary of the area.
Long-Term Strategies: Permanent Armadillo Control
To truly get rid of armadillos in the yard permanently, you need to address the root causes of their presence and implement more robust armadillo control measures. This involves making your yard inhospitable and preventing their return.
Eliminating the Food Source: Starving Them Out
The most effective way to stop armadillos digging and make your yard unattractive is to remove what they are seeking: food. This is a cornerstone of natural armadillo control.
How to Reduce Insect and Grub Populations:
- Healthy Lawn Care: A healthy lawn with deep roots is less susceptible to grub infestations. Aerate your lawn, overseed bare patches, and ensure proper watering and fertilization.
- Beneficial Nematodes: These microscopic roundworms are natural predators of grubs and other soil-dwelling insects. They are safe for pets and humans and can be applied to your lawn.
- Milky Spore Disease: This is a natural bacterium that specifically targets Japanese beetle grubs, a favorite food for armadillos. It takes a few years to establish but provides long-term control.
- Remove Outdoor Food Sources: Ensure trash cans are sealed, and clean up any pet food left outdoors.
- Check for Termite Activity: If you have a termite problem, this will attract armadillos. Address termite infestations promptly.
Habitat Modification: Making Your Yard Less Appealing
Beyond food, armadillos seek out areas that offer shelter and easy access. Modifying your yard’s landscape can make it far less inviting.
- Clear Debris: Armadillos like to hide under woodpiles, leaf litter, and brush. Regularly clear these areas.
- Fill Existing Holes: If you find abandoned burrows, fill them in. This removes potential shelter for other armadillos.
- Water Management: While they don’t require much water, standing water can attract insects, which in turn attract armadillos. Ensure your yard has good drainage.
Humane Armadillo Removal: Live Trapping and Relocation
For immediate results or if your armadillo problem is severe, humane armadillo removal through live trapping is a viable option. This involves capturing the animal without causing it harm and relocating it to a suitable habitat away from residential areas.
Live Trapping Guidelines:
- Choose the Right Trap: Use a live animal trap that is appropriately sized for an armadillo (around 30-36 inches long). Cage traps with a single door that closes when the animal steps on a trigger plate are common.
- Baiting the Trap: Armadillos are attracted to insects, so placing bait like mealworms, grubs, or a small amount of canned sardines inside the trap can be effective. You can also place the bait leading into the trap to guide them inside.
- Placement of the Trap: Set the trap along known armadillo pathways, near their burrows, or in areas where you’ve seen significant digging.
- Checking the Trap Regularly: It is crucial to check the trap at least twice a day (morning and evening) to avoid stressing or harming the captured animal.
- Relocation: Once trapped, transport the armadillo several miles away to an area with suitable habitat (like a wooded area with plenty of insect life) and far from human settlements. Ensure you are following local wildlife regulations regarding trapping and relocation.
Important Considerations for Live Trapping:
- Legality: Always check your local and state wildlife regulations before trapping or relocating any wildlife. Some areas have restrictions on when and how you can trap certain animals.
- Stress: Trapping can be stressful for animals. Handle the trap with care and release the armadillo as soon as possible.
- Effectiveness: While effective for individual animals, if the underlying conditions that attract armadillos remain, new ones may move in.
Armadillo Exclusion: Building Physical Barriers
Armadillo exclusion is a crucial step for permanent armadillo control. This involves creating physical barriers to prevent them from entering your yard and accessing specific areas.
Burying Barriers: The Most Effective Exclusion Method
The most robust way to stop armadillos digging and prevent them from entering your yard is to install an underground barrier. This is a long-term burrowing armadillo solution.
How to Install an Underground Barrier:
- Dig a Trench: Dig a trench around the perimeter of your yard or the specific area you want to protect. The trench should be at least 12 inches deep.
- Install Barrier Material: Use sturdy mesh hardware cloth (1/2 inch or 1/4 inch galvanized steel mesh) or heavy-gauge chicken wire.
- Bend the Mesh: Fold the bottom 6 inches of the mesh at a 90-degree angle outwards. This “L” shape will deter digging from both the inside and outside.
- Secure the Mesh: Place the mesh in the trench, with the outward-facing bend at the bottom.
- Backfill the Trench: Fill the trench with soil, ensuring the mesh is buried securely.
- Extend Above Ground: It’s advisable to have a few inches of the mesh extend above the ground level, potentially disguised with landscaping, to further deter digging.
Table: Barrier Material and Depth Recommendations
| Barrier Material | Trench Depth | Above Ground Extension | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 inch Galvanized Hardware Cloth | 12 inches | 3-6 inches | Prevents digging, resilient |
| Heavy-Gauge Chicken Wire | 12 inches | 3-6 inches | Cost-effective, may require more frequent checks |
Considerations for Exclusion Fencing:
- Coverage: Ensure the barrier is continuous around the entire area you wish to protect. Gaps will be exploited.
- Gates: If you need gates, ensure they are also secured to the barrier and fit snugly to prevent armadillos from squeezing through.
- Maintenance: Periodically check the barrier for any signs of damage or burrowing attempts that may have bypassed the fence.
Protecting Specific Areas: Garden Beds and Foundations
You can also apply exclusion techniques to protect specific valuable areas like garden beds or the foundation of your home.
- Garden Beds: Bury hardware cloth around the perimeter of your raised garden beds, extending at least 6 inches down and 3 inches up.
- Foundations: Ensure there are no gaps or openings under decks, sheds, or around the foundation of your home where armadillos can burrow. Seal any potential entry points.
Natural Armadillo Control: Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Methods
For those who prefer natural armadillo control, the focus is on creating an environment that is naturally unappealing to them, without the use of harsh chemicals. This often ties into eliminating food sources and habitat modification.
Key Natural Control Practices:
- Encourage Natural Predators: While not always practical in suburban areas, the presence of natural predators like coyotes or foxes can help keep armadillo populations in check.
- Manual Removal of Grubs: Regularly inspect your lawn for grub infestations and manually remove them if found, or employ natural grub control methods like beneficial nematodes.
- Diatomaceous Earth: Food-grade diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled around garden beds or areas where armadillos frequent. While it’s primarily known for insect control, its abrasive nature might deter some animals. Use cautiously and follow product instructions.
- Planting Certain Plants: While not a guaranteed solution, some anecdotal evidence suggests that armadillos dislike the smell of certain plants like mothballs (though mothballs are toxic and not recommended for widespread use) or plants with strong odors. However, relying solely on plants is unlikely to be effective.
Preventing Armadillo Damage: Proactive Measures
The best way to prevent armadillo damage is to be proactive. Once you’ve successfully removed them, take steps to ensure they don’t return.
- Maintain a Clean Yard: Regularly clear leaf litter, brush, and debris.
- Address Insect Infestations Promptly: Keep your lawn and garden healthy to minimize grub and insect populations.
- Regularly Inspect for Activity: Keep an eye out for new digging or burrowing signs. Early detection makes control much easier.
- Maintain Exclusion Barriers: Ensure any fencing or barriers remain intact and secure.
What to Do if Armadillos Are Burrowing Under Your House
If you discover armadillos are burrowing under your house, this is a serious concern that requires immediate attention to prevent structural damage and potential pest infestations within your home.
Steps for Addressing Burrows Under Structures:
- Identify Entry Points: Carefully examine the exterior of your house foundation to find where the armadillos are entering. Look for freshly dug holes.
- Humane Removal: Attempt humane trapping as described earlier. It’s vital to ensure the burrow is empty before proceeding with exclusion.
- Seal Entry Points: Once you are certain the burrow is empty, immediately and securely seal the entry points. Use sturdy materials like concrete, metal flashing, or heavy-gauge wire mesh. Ensure the seal is robust and prevents future access.
- Consider Professional Help: If the burrows are extensive or you are uncomfortable dealing with the situation yourself, contact a professional wildlife removal service. They have the expertise and equipment to safely remove armadillos from yard areas and structures.
- Address Attracting Factors: Re-evaluate your yard for food sources or attractive habitats that might have drawn the armadillos to your property in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Are armadillos dangerous?
Armadillos are generally not dangerous to humans or pets. They are not aggressive and will typically try to escape rather than confront. However, their claws can cause injuries if they feel threatened, and they can carry diseases like leprosy, though the risk of transmission to humans is very low.
Q2: Do armadillos bite?
Armadillos will bite if they feel cornered or threatened, but their bite is not venomous and is usually more of a warning than an attack.
Q3: Will repellents permanently get rid of armadillos?
Repellents are usually a temporary solution. To achieve permanent armadillo control, you need to combine repellents with habitat modification, exclusion, and addressing their food sources.
Q4: How do I know if an armadillo is still in a burrow before I seal it?
You can try placing something loose at the entrance, like a few dry leaves or a bit of soil. Check periodically to see if it has been disturbed. You can also listen for sounds from within the burrow. However, the most foolproof way is to trap and remove any present animals.
Q5: Can I use mothballs to deter armadillos?
While mothballs are often suggested as a deterrent, they contain naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, which are toxic to humans, pets, and wildlife. Their use is not recommended for natural armadillo control or in areas frequented by children and pets.
Q6: What is the best time of year to deal with armadillos?
Armadillos are most active in warmer months. Dealing with them in spring or early summer, before young are born, can be an effective time to implement trapping and removal strategies. Exclusion methods can be implemented year-round.
By implementing a multi-faceted approach that combines immediate deterrents with long-term exclusion and habitat modification, you can effectively get rid of armadillos in the yard fast & permanently. Patience and persistence are key to a pest-free lawn.