Q&A for How to Get Rid of Armadillos

You can also install barriers, like chicken wire or hardware cloth around your property to prevent them from digging inside. If these methods don’t work, start considering a professional wildlife removal service for more specialized solutions.

I have not tried castor oil for armadillos, but I have used it for moles. I would recommend that you mix the oil with water and enough dish soap to emulsify it (meaning the oil won't float on the water anymore). Then, spray liberally on lawns and gardens. Don't spray when rain is eminent or you'll have to do it all again. If you are using it on structures or non-organic surfaces (like driveways, sidewalks, etc.), the oil can be mixed with alcohol for better spray control and a faster dry time. Just be sure to test any finishes first, like car paint, to make sure the alcohol won't damage it.

It looks like a golf divot, but deeper. The holes in my yard are about 3" in diameter and 2-3" deep. We are spreading nematodes in our yard to kill the grubs which the armadillos feed on. Hoping that works as we are tired of the damage they are causing to the lawn and our privacy.

In my experience, mothballs do not work at all. I tried it and it looked like they were eating them.

Probably because it likes it there and has no reason to leave. They need food, water and a secure comfortable location. Follow the steps in the article if you really feel the need to have it gone.

If an armadillo dies in your backyard, call Animal Control Services to dispose of the body. Armadillos are one of the only animals that can transfer leprosy to humans, so avoid touching the body yourself.

The best traps are wooden. It costs a little more to get one that already has armadillo scent inside, but it's worth the extra money.

Try meal worms, maggots, overripe fruit, and spoiled meat, but it also depends on where you live.

Definitely; armadillos can transmit diseases to humans, and children might not know better.

They isn't any bait that works for armadillos (they eat worms and grubs). The best thing to use if you want to trap them is place trap in an area they have been active in and use 12"-high boards or short fence to create a funnel into the trap entrance. I used this many times and it works very well. I take the trapped animals about 5 miles or more to a unpopulated area and release.

Because they are still breathing! They need food, and they will keep coming to your yard if there is a good source there. They're probably not the same ones, though, if you took them 15 miles away. There are lots of them and they can destroy a yard in just a few nights.

Armadillos are usually most active late at night or early in the morning, so you could get up early or stay up late to try to trap it, or you could use a live trap so you won't have to do the work.

Just use hot pepper flakes, the kind you use on pizza. You can buy it by the 5 lb bag for approximately $25 or less. I buy it on Amazon and use it on my food, but mostly to sprinkle around my yard and where armadillos and other mammals dig or visit. It works like a charm. Broadcast it like weed and feed or tick killer. If they try to come back, do more the next night. Do this approximately once a month, because rain may neutralize it somewhat, but not completely.

Put loose sticks across their entrance hole. If the sticks are pushed aside, then you know it is an active entry/exit. Do this several nights to establish their in/out habits. They're usually active at night and early morning. Block hole with a big rock then.