How To Get Rid of Armadillos

We are experts in armadillo control methods, having performed thousands of armadillo trapping and removal jobs nationwide.

Summary of 5 steps to get rid of armadillos in your yard

Step 1 - Purchase a large and sturdy cage trap, raccoon size, at least 32x10x12 inches.

Step 2 - If you have an identifiable armadillo burrow on the property, level an area of dirt adjacent or even over top the burrow, and set the trap there.

Step 3 - If there is no burrow, just yard digging, set a trap with barriers, made of either wood or construction fencing, in a v-shape, leading into the trap door.

Step 4 - You don't need bait. In fact, no bait will work. Using the above placement methods, the armadillo will simply walk right into the trap.

Step 5 - Relocate the animal (if state law allows). In fact, only do trapping if your state permits you.

Read below for much more detail. You may be able to solve your armadillo problem yourself. If you need to hire professional help, you may want to find out what we typically charge for armadillo removal. Pro help is most relevant if you are unable to effectively or legally trap and relocate animals, or if you have a difficult case. If you need armadillo removal in your hometown, we service over 500 USA locations! Click here to hire us in your town and check our prices - updated for year 2024.

Armadillo Info: The Nine-Banded Armadillo is an unusual creature. It is very ancient, in a family similar to anteaters. They have the unique advantage of wearing a suit of armor, made of bone-like material. They thrive in warm climates with soft soil, such as Texas and Florida. They dig for all of their food, which consists primarily of grubs and earthworms. They also dig large, deep burrows into the ground in which they live and raise young. Armadillos always have identical quadruplets.

They have an excellent sense of smell. When startled, they often jump straight up, then run surprisingly fast. They are usually about two feet long and about 12 pounds as adults. They are primarily nocturnal, but sometimes emerge after a rain or in cool weather.

Nuisance concerns: Armadillos are expert diggers. They can cause serious damage to a lawn or a nicely landscaped area. However, most of the calls I get regarding armadillos involve their large burrows. They often dig holes in undesirable places, such as underneath a concrete porch, the foundation of a house, or near gas/water lines. If they remove too much dirt from under a concrete foundation, the foundation faces the danger of cracking. Their burrows also attract other animals. If you see a large hole on your property with a lot of dirt thrown out, that's the work of an armadillo. They need to be trapped.


How to get rid of them: The only two ways to get rid of armadillos are via armadillo trapping and relocation, or via prevention techniques, such as exclusion fencing that goes deep into the ground. Physical exclusion of armadillos is labor intensive, because the animals usually just dig under or around whatever barriers you devise. But you can certainly build a fence around a porch, deck, or shed that goes into the ground at least 18 inches with a 90 degree outward bend at the bottom. Oftentimes, the easier method is simply trapping and removal. While lethal traps do exist, they are very difficult and dangerous to use, and illegal in most states. Plus, there's no need to kill armadillos. An experienced armadillo trapper has no problem getting the animal. It's all a matter of experience, because dillos will not respond to bait. Many people ask me what type of armadillo bait I use to catch them, but the truth is that I use no bait, because no bait works. It's all in the location and type of trap setup.

Click for my armadillo removal photo gallery.
Over 30 photographs of actual armadillo trapping and removal jobs I've done.

Visit my awesome armadillo trapping blog!
Over 25 examples of specific armadillo control jobs I've done. Get ideas!

The trick is to get the animal into the trap, and that's all about trap set and placement. Do these four things:

• Set the trap on level ground, make sure it doesn't wobble, and line the bottom of the trap with dirt to cover the metal cage.
• If you can obtain dirt from a burrow, which already has the scent of the armadillo on it, that will help.
• Put a little plant debris in there as well, but do not block the trip pan or arm mechanisms!
• Set the trap right on a pathway armadillos travel, with the opening of the trap on a direction the dillo will walk.
• If possible, set the trap right next to, or even over a burrow hole. Don't worry, the animal is rarely in the burrow, and if it is, it'll just push the trap out of the way.
• If you can't set over a burrow, place barriers to direct the animal to walk into the trap. It really does work.
• Use 2x8 wood boards held up with stakes or concrete blocks, or construction fencing, in a v-pattern leading to the opening of the trap.
• Never put any kind of bait or scent in the trap, because that will lure in non-target animals you don't want to catch.
• Don't leave any trapped armadillo out in the sun, or in the trap long, because it could die of heat stroke or injury.

Wondering how to get rid of armadillos easily and quickly? There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell predator urine, such as coyote or fox urine to get rid of dillos, but that doesn't work. They also try to sell ultrasonic sound emitters. These devices are worthless at eliminating armadillos. Some old wive's tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave, but I've been to countless homes where these techniques failed - biologists know that these attempts won't work. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of your problem is with trapping and removal of the animals. If you need to find a professional trapper in your hometown, just click our comprehensive list of hundreds of wildlife removal professionals, and you can have your problem quickly taken care of!



Having read the above information, in the event that you wish to hire an armadillo removal company, you may want to see how much does armadillo removal cost?

The below links offer more armadillo control information:

Some of the topics covered by my armadillo journal blog include information on how to catch an armadillo by hand, which is not an easy task, but it can be done, and they can be lifted by the tail. I have an article on how to solve an armadillo problem with tips on prevention and trapping methods. I also explain why you don't exactly hire an armadillo pest control company, but rather a dedicated wildlife specialist, who employs trapping, without the use of armadillo bait, which is not necessary. I also discuss other advanced armadillo removal tactics that an armadillo trapper employs in his bag of tricks. I must also address, since so many people ask me about it, armadillo repellent. The answer is that there is no such thing in order to stop armadillo digging, which is really the primary concern regarding these animals. Some people worry about armadillos and leprosy, since these critters can carry that disease in the state of Texas and Florida armadillo control. I also discuss roadkill armadillo, since this animal is often a victim. Some people do armadillo hunting, but that's not really what we do. We do armadillo capture via the use of humane cage traps to catch armadillos in Florida, and armadillos in Texas.

How do you trap an armadillo? It's usually best left to an expert, because of state laws regarding armadillo trapping, and because of the nuances of dillo trapping, which are often complex. Subtle things, like the type of trap, the scent of the trap, the type of soil and debris masking the bottom, the angle in relation to the armadillo hole and trail all make a big difference.  Experience matters a great deal!  This fine dillo in this armadillo picture seems to agree.

The bottom line is that getting rid of armadillos is not a simple task. When people ask me how do you get an armadillo out of your yard, the only real answer is with trapping and removal, because there's no repellent that will keep armadillos away. Experienced trappers know that there's no bait that will lure them in, and that use of bait is a bad idea. Only a few makes and models of trap properly do the job. The trap setup often involves excavation, and the setup of directional barriers. Armadillos also leave a strong scent behind, and new armadillos will seek out this scent and try to dig the same area, after you've filled it in. Thus, I often install a steel mesh below the dirt at the dig site, to stop any new burrow attempts. It's important to comply with all state laws and regulations regarding wildlife removal, and as a non-native species, armadillos are subject to special regulations in several states.

Additional articles I wrote:
Armadillo Trapping Tips: How to Trap an Armadillo
Armadillo Repellents
Armadillo Prevention Tips: How to Keep Armadillos Away
How to Kill an Armadillo