Last Updated on June 15, 2020 by Kimberly Crawford
Aside from looking peculiar yet seemingly harmless, armadillos could be a real nuisance in the garden.
They live in burrows, digging for food, feeding on insects and other smaller critters. For these reasons alone, you should be wary of having even just one in your yard.
If you have seen firsthand what they could do to the yard, then we totally get why you would want to get rid of armadillos. But how do you do that?
Pictures of Armadillos
Why do I have armadillos in my yard?
Fun fact, armadillos have the poorest eyesight but they have above A-grade sense of smell. On top of that, they are nocturnal so you won’t see them burrowing in the morning.
There are two answers as to how you have armadillos in your yard.
First, your yard has a stable food source. Your garden may be too vibrant and well taken care of that is why critters thrive and they keep coming back.
Second, your yard is a safe haven for them. You see, they hate being seen by fellow critters, other animals and humans. This being the case, your yard may be wide enough for them to change burrows every now and then or your soil is compact enough for them to have strong burrow holes. If you have both, you should worry.
Why should I get rid of armadillos in my yard?
Aside from making burrow holes which loosens the soil and of course compromises how your plants will grow sturdy roots, they are also famous for being disease conduits.
They dig, scavenge, and do not really discriminate when it comes to what they consider food. And because they are very elusive, they can be feral at the sight of “others.” When they do so, their defense is to attack you by clawing and they sure could hurt.
Commonly associated with diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella, among others, you have a good reason to get rid of them off your yard. And needless to say, this does not just compromise humans but even other animals too including your pets who are always in the yard.
How do I keep armadillos off the yard?
There are a lot of natural ways to keep armadillos off the yard but honestly, you can just all some them up in four ways and these are how.
1. Build up a fence
There is a reason why a fence is always a good investment in a home. But armadillos are a special case.
There are exact measurements that will keep them off. For instance, the fence you should build must be 24 inches high from the ground and must be at least 18 inches deep below the surface.
Most importantly, they must be at a slanted angle of 40 or more degrees to keep them from ever entering and burrow in.
2. Disbalance their food source
As scavengers, they would not niche if they are no longer expecting a stable food source. So how do you eliminate their food source? Applying nematodes all over the lawn is one thing to eliminate their favorite insects and grubs.
3. Cage traps
If you don’t want to disturb your landscape with all those measurement fuss, you might want to resort to setting up cage traps.
Of course, you cannot drastically set them up at night while they are on the move so you have to put them in the entrance of their burrows in the late afternoon or better yet while they are sleeping soundly which is early in the morning.
When you successfully trap them, you have to call up animal control to take them out for you because they know better in evading those little claws from scratching you. Aside from this, most states have ordinances prohibiting you to handle and take out these critters on your own so you have to check on that.
4. Predator urine spray
It is the last on the list for a reason and it’s not just about the foul smell. This method has proven to be hit or miss through the years.
You see, some armadillo packs have grown desensitized with predator’s scent and they have outgrown the fear but it is always worth the shot.
You can buy fox urine spray in the market or online for starters. You can also make use of dog fur after grooming and just scatter them in the burrow’s entrance.
Conclusion
To conclude, even though they look harmless and burrow unknowingly in the day without you knowing it, armadillo could be a real problem. The thing is, they are not just a problem for the plants, for your soil, or for your yard, they could pose harm for you and your pets too. Given these, it is understandable why you should get rid of them. Luckily, we have these easy ways.