Halcyon Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Help! We bought our house on 2 acres last summer, and our lawn is being decimating by digging armadillos. I actually don't mind the holes that are far away from the house, but these guys seem to be active RIGHT around our house, and UNDER our house. I am afraid the boys will break a leg slipping into their holes---there are about 20 of them! So there's a lot of activity. I have read about mothballs, cayenne, vinegar, ammonia as "household" remedies that don't really work. I don't want to use chemicals. I understand they have a very strong sense of smell, and my dogs pee right near their holes, but that's not deterring them. Ideas? Trap and release? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 No ideas, but when we moved to Alabama and I saw our first armadillo dead on the side of the road, I was shocked! Silly northerner I was, didn't realize that armadillos lived here! Hope you get some good advice. Have you thought about calling a pest control service? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Well, I don't want to kill the critters, just get them to go away. I found a Havaheart trap on Amazon; I used to trap stray cats to neuter them and based on reviews, it seems it might be the way to go. I am a little skittish about handling a cage with a live armadillo in it!!! I can call it a science homeschool lesson with the boys, though, right??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 I would try and find a "humane pest control" service to trap them and dump them someplace they belong. Don't think too hard about the likelihood they'll be eaten by gators. Alternately, they're probably edible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 I would try and find a "humane pest control" service to trap them and dump them someplace they belong. Don't think too hard about the likelihood they'll be eaten by gators. Alternately, they're probably edible. Not edible! Armadillos can carry leprosy. I would also not handle them. http://www.cnn.com/2...rosy/index.html http://www.nytimes.c.../28leprosy.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Armadillo control, via Texas Wildlife Services: http://agrilifecdn.tamu.edu/txwildlifeservices/files/2011/07/Armadillo.pdf "The best time to shoot armadillos is during the twilight hours or at night by spotlight when they are active. Either a shotgun or rifle can be used." Then you just have to choose ... chicken-fry, or barbecue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Though seriously.... Get rid of the underbrush and the insects. They go where there's bed and board, and if you trap and move them, their friends will just move in until they have a reason not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bensmom Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 My parents had an armadillo problem and tried for ages to trap the things. The humane trap caught squirrlels, the neighbor's cat, and a bunny. Even after many months of trying, it did not catch a single armadillo. A shotgun (fired out the kitchen window) was very effective. Df killed about 10 of them total and all of them were out browsing in the lawn between 2:00 a.m. and dawn. He actually started setting the alarm clock for 2:00 because they were so active at that hour. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Or you could respect nature's balance, and get a coyote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Or you could respect nature's balance, and get a coyote. Or upset nature's balance and get a python from the 'Glades. But really, good luck. I saw one once at our beach condo and really freaked out. (And threw a pool noodle at it. That didn't work.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 When we lived in MS we had an armadillo in our yard. Well, we saw the big hole and our neighbor actually saw the critter; we never did. Dh got the idea to run the garden hose down the hole and leave the water on. It was on for at least an hour and we didn't see water coming out anywhere but I think that chased it away because the hole wasn't maintained after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 When we lived in MS we had an armadillo in our yard. Well, we saw the big hole and our neighbor actually saw the critter; we never did. Dh got the idea to run the garden hose down the hole and leave the water on. It was on for at least an hour and we didn't see water coming out anywhere but I think that chased it away because the hole wasn't maintained after that. We had pocket gophers at our last house. Like OP, kids tripping over holes in the yard was my main concern. We did the hose in their burrow trick...one popped out of the other end and barred its long teeth at our kitten. In all this excitement, DS, in a valiant effort to protect the kitty, hit the gopher with a stick and killed it. We were all traumatized for months afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Just beware of late night knocking on the door!! My mom was sitting up reading one windy night and heard a knock. Looked out and didn't see anything, so she opened the door and walked to the end of the porch to peer around the garage. Still nothing. Turned to go back in and saw an armadillo heading in the house!! She jumped in front of it and stomped her foot and it turned and ambled on out. She texted me and I was LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrichor Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 For some reason, I was reading "ant eater." I was like "how cool!" :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 i heard they were the secret ingredient in texas chili? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 You need to get rid of their food. Do you have grubs? They love grubs. Check your land for the insects they eat. Get rid of those and the armadillos will look elsewhere for their meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 We get them around here. Put dog poo poo all around the house and in the holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 My Grandma's solution was a .22 rifle. Nothing else worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I have been looking at this for fire ants and mosquitoes. They claim to repel armadillos too. http://www.garlicbarrier.com/facts.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Then you just have to choose ... chicken-fry, or barbecue. The big question is what side dish? Coleslaw or potato salad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 We had squirrels nesting in our attic last summer. My pest control company recommended TruTech http://www.trutechinc.com/ They came out and put traps on my roof, hauled the squirrels away to release them somewhere else and then patched up the holes in the soffit where the squirrels were getting in. It was pricey, but I no longer have squirrels climbing all over my house. It looks like they do armadillo removal, too. I'm not sure if they're in you county, but they have a nice 24-hour customer service person in GA that can tell you if they have guys in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 My dh's boss captures them, drives them over to work, and releases them back in a wooded area, LoL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Our neighbor put dynamite in the hole, then plugged it (and ran)!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 You know, I'm afraid to say it because as soon as I do... But I am NEVER moving south. Between the scorpions, the bugs, the spiders, now armadillos? Eeesh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Armadillo control, via Texas Wildlife Services: http://agrilifecdn.t...7/Armadillo.pdf "The best time to shoot armadillos is during the twilight hours or at night by spotlight when they are active. Either a shotgun or rifle can be used." Then you just have to choose ... chicken-fry, or barbecue. I love it, the Texan way to take car of business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 The big question is what side dish? Coleslaw or potato salad? Why, both of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Shoot and bury seems to be the control method most used where I live. Getting rid of the grubs has done the most for us since I'm opposed to shoot and bury. You can apply Milky Spore treatment to your yard to rid yourself of the grubs. In my case, the hot summer cooked most of them last year and I didn't mulch. The year we had the most trouble was the year I mulched the herb garden. They rooted up the place like mad looking for lunch. The big question is what side dish? Coleslaw or potato salad? Don't forget the baked beans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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