- LAST UPDATED: July 16, 2024
Live trapping is the best way to get an armadillo off of your property, especially when they are burrowed in hard-to-reach places.
You should buy a trap that is large and sturdy enough to lure in an armadillo. The trap is placed near areas of armadillo activity with attractive bait. Once an armadillo is caught, it can be released elsewhere according to local and state regulations. Preventative methods should be implemented to deter future armadillos from wreaking havoc on your yard.
This article offers step-by-step instructions on how to use an armadillo trap along with tips and considerations for use, as well as prevention methods.
How To Use An Armadillo Trap (5 Steps)
The following steps offer a guide on how to trap an armadillo.
1. Before You Start …
Know The Law
Before you trap an armadillo, you must check with your local or state wildlife office for any regulations and laws. A local pest control service can also assist with information that you need to know.
Understand Armadillo Behavior
To trap an armadillo, it is important to understand its activity. These creatures are nocturnal, live in underground burrows, and dig deep into the soil to eat worms, grubs, and other insects. They have poor eyesight and use their powerful sense of smell to lead them to underground sources of food.
Verify That The Pest Is An Armadillo
Make sure you know that an armadillo is the pest that is destroying your yard. If you don’t catch sight of one, you’ll likely smell their offensive droppings.
Their droppings are often near or buried in their burrows and dug-out food pits. They are about 1 inch in length and indigestible remnants of insects, soil, and other debris can be seen in them.
Other signs of armadillo presence are dug-up gardens, lawns, and holes several inches deep and about 5 inches wide. They burrow underneath structures, foundations, and porches. Pooling water and muddy areas are formed as a result of digging and burrowing.
Be Safe
Do not handle armadillos or their feces without PPE protection. They carry the potential risk of exposure to rabies or the bacteria that causes Hansen’s disease (leprosy).
2. Purchase an Armadillo Trap
- Scented: Our traps Carry the scent from Live Armadillos.
- Why Scented? Armadillos search for food in the ground and other Armadillos. These Traps Lure in the Armadillos, without the need of any bait.
- Construction: 3/4" Treated Plywood and other treated wood. Very Durable construction and Weather Resistant. New Trip rod and aluminum plate, much easier to set and works great!
- Easy To Set: Just pull down on Trip Rod and set notch onto aluminum Plate.
- Effective: If you have Armadillos this Trap will Catch Them, without guides needed by cage Traps. Light Assembly Required: Traps are pre-assembled at our wood shop and tested. The traps are then partially disassembled for shipment. Customer has a 5-minute assembly with Illustrated instructions.
- Trap comes pre-scented or pre-seasoned meaning no bait is required and armadillos will be lured to the trap as it is. Armadillos associate with one another via scent like many animals however an armadillos sense of smell is phenominal. Everytime you catch an armadillo your trap will be "Re-scented" thus self perpetuating the scent or lure of the trap.
- The trap is made from 3/4 pressure treated plywood and will last years outside. Simply set the trap and check it daily.
- Set up and assembly, is a breeze. Inside the box are instructions as well as a QR Code link to an assembly video.
- The Original Armadillo Trap! With over 20 years experience making armadillo traps go with the ones who know. We guarantee success.
- The Armadillo Trap catches armadillos unharmed.
- Humanely Captures Animals – Ideal for armadillos, beavers, cats, small dogs, small foxes, groundhogs, opossums, and raccoons
- Innovative Safety Features – Smooth internal edges prevent injuries to animals while inside & a handle guard protects you from contact with the animal
- 2-Door Design – Two spring-loaded doors create a clear path, encouraging animal interaction and increasing catch rates
- Designed by Pros – The fine-tuned trip mechanism targets heavier critters, eliminating false triggers, while the powerful door ensures secure captures
- Built to Last – Made with galvanized, one-piece wire mesh for maximum resistance to rust and corrosion. The solid steel door adds to the durability
Choose a sturdy metal catch-and-release trap that can hold at least a raccoon-sized pest. It should be minimally 30 inches long, 12 inches high, and 10 inches wide. Our armadillo control guide offers suggestions on which traps are ideal.
One example is the Havahart Large 1-Door Humane Catch and Release Live Animal Trap.
This armadillo trap has the following features:
- 32 x 10 x 12 inches
- Alloy steel construction
- Resists rust and corrosion
- Handle guard
- 1-door design to inhibit escape
- Designed for heavier-weight pests such as armadillos and raccoons
- User guide
This sturdy trap stands up to the outdoor elements and is constructed with 12-gauge steel wire mesh. The spring-loaded door responds to heavier animals to prevent false alarms and holds the animal securely inside.
The inside edges are smooth to protect the animal from harm. A large carrying handle puts distance between the user and the animal to avoid direct contact.
3. Set Up The Armadillo Trap With Bait
Placement
For a trap to be effective, it should be properly placed. Armadillos tend to follow the same pathways, often moving along edges and fences on the property.
Often you can see matted lawns and vegetation since they stick to the same routes. Escape burrows are often near their pathways in case of danger.
Traps should be placed on the pathway or over the entrance to a burrow. Essentially, traps work best when placed directly where there is armadillo activity. Follow the user instructions to set the trigger mechanism.
Tips For Setting Up Traps
- The trap should be flat and flush with the surface.
- The trigger mechanism should be free and clear of debris.
- If possible, adjust the pan tension high to prevent misfires. The armadillo itself should be heavy enough to trigger it.
- Create a clean line for entry by adding barriers around the path. For example, line the path near the trap with a barrier of rocks, logs, or other material.
- Ensure that the trap doesn’t have any “bad scents” on it. Use gloves when handling the trap and avoid using lotions, cologne, or perfume.
- Don’t clean the cage with strong odors such as pine or bleach before using it. If you do, make sure you wash it with soapy water and rinse it clean until the scent is no longer present.
- Set up traps before dusk, right before armadillos become active.
Using Bait
Some people prefer to avoid using bait due to concern over trapping unwanted pests or even a cat. However, traps work best to lure in an armadillo when an attractive bait is used.
Keep in mind that armadillos typically dig for insects, so the bait must offer something similar. While they primarily eat insects, they will also eat rotten fruit, eggs, and carrion.
What To Do
- Wear gloves to keep your scent off of the bait.
- Mix rotten fruit, mealworms, grubs, sardines, or even maggots into a small pile of dirt.
- Place the mixture in the far end of the trap and wait for the armadillo to sniff it out.
4. Check The Trap
Some homeowners find that armadillos will damage the trap as they try to use their powerful claws to dig free. This often happens if the armadillo is caught but the trap is not checked on promptly.
Refer to user instructions, but at the very least check the trap the morning after setting it.
5. Release The Armadillo Elsewhere
As a reminder, you must check with local authorities about catching and releasing armadillos. You should never release an armadillo on private property or in high-traffic areas.
Generally, armadillos must be released at least 6 miles away from where they were active.
Transport the trapped armadillo in the trunk of your vehicle with a disposable tarp underneath it. Refer to the user guide, but open the trap away from you and step back. Wait patiently for the armadillo to leave.
All items that touched the armadillo should be disinfected using a diluted bleach solution or another suitable disinfectant. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly.
What To Do After The Armadillo Is Gone
Repair The Yard
Now that the armadillo is gone, take time to repair the yard, garden, and landscaping.
Fill in holes and divots, spread grass seed, and discard feces as described in our armadillo poop article.
Burrows can be filled in with gravel to prevent or slow down future burrowing in the same areas.
Take Preventative Steps To Deter Future Armadillos
Implement strategies to keep any future armadillos off of your property.
- Using odors such as vinegar or pine around gardens
- Keeping the yard tidy to eliminate hiding spots
- Getting rid of pooling water to keep insect populations down
- Installing an angled fence buried into the ground that armadillos cannot dig under or jump over
Conclusion
Trapping armadillos is an effective way to get them off of your property.
It is important to understand their behavior so that armadillo traps can be placed in the right spots. Trapping can be an art to get the right spot, bait, and pressure for tripping it to catch the pest.
Use time, patience, and the tips above and eventually that armadillo will walk right in. If all else fails, a professional pest control service can assist you.
