Edited by Ami285, Maluniu, Chris
Armadillos can be found worldwide, but if you live in the United States, the kind that you are encountering will be the nine-banded armadillo (formal name Dasypus novemcinctus), which is a grub-eating mammal first spotted in the United States in the 1800s. The Dasypus novemcinctus can grow to around 2 feet (.61 m) in length and typically weighs anywhere from 8 to 17 lbs. (3.64 to 7.73 kilos). They have a hard exoskeleton, typically have poor eyesight, are nocturnal and are burrowers. It is because of that burrowing that they are considered a pest. They can easily tear up a yard, a farm or a garden by digging up the soil with their sharp claws.
1Use natural armadillo control methods.
- Put cayenne pepper around your home, farm or garden. Sprinkle it on the ground, and wait to see if sniffing the pepper up its nose deters the armadillo.
- Purchase a container of predator urine. You can find these at area hunting stores, and one popular product is called Shake-Away.
- Keep outdoor dogs, particularly at night. Both the smell of the dog and the noise that he makes will help deter the offending pests. Outdoor dogs might also chase after the armadillo and prevent it from returning.
2Set live traps to catch armadillos.
- Use large cages and set multiple ones. Set them by burrow openings, and consider putting boards in a "V" shape extending out from them to lure the animal in.
- Bait the traps with nylon stockings full of earthworms.
3Relocate the armadillo by dropping it off as far as possible from your home or property. An ideal location would be near a water source and in a spot that the animal will not bother other families or people.
4Chase after and catch armadillos only if you are wearing proper gloves. This is not an advisable method, but it is an option. Armadillos will bite and scratch (they have long nails) so it is advised to pick them up from the tail end as you attempt to grab hold of them. Once you have caught the animal, place it in a cage and remove by dropping it off far away from your property.
5Hire a professional if the cost of his service falls in line with your home or business budget.
- Check out the list by state of nationwide trapping professionals.
6Use block-out methods such as barricading under your home or other structure after you've rid the armadillos from the area. Or, install fencing that not only extends vertically from the ground up but also fencing that provides a barrier under the ground as well.
- Regardless of the removal method, realize that when armadillos breed, they typically give birth to identical quadruplets. So if you have one armadillo, chances are you have multiple armadillos in your vicinity, and with that many potential animals, hiring professional help may end up being costly.
- There have been reported cases of Mycobacterium leprae, otherwise known as leprosy, from armadillo contact. While most humans are naturally immune, it is estimated that 1 in 6 armadillos carries leprosy, so it is advised not to handle armadillos (or at least do so minimally and wear outdoor leather work gloves) or to eat them.
Categories: Pest Control
Recent edits by: Maluniu, Ami285
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