Can you keep armadillos from digging in your yard? Yes, you can deter them by making your yard less appealing and by using safe, humane methods. This guide will walk you through various strategies for preventing armadillo digging and ensuring your lawn remains armadillo proof.
Armadillos, with their distinctive armor and impressive digging skills, can turn a beautifully manicured lawn into a battlefield of holes. These fascinating creatures, while important for insect control, can cause significant damage to gardens, flowerbeds, and even foundations. Fathoming why they dig is the first step to successful armadillo excavation prevention. They dig primarily for food – insects like grubs, ants, termites, and other invertebrates found in the soil. They also dig to create burrows for shelter and to escape predators. Fortunately, there are many effective and humane ways to manage these tunneling mammals and protect your yard.
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Why Armadillos Dig: A Closer Look
Armadillos are built for digging. Their strong claws and powerful bodies are perfectly adapted for unearthing their prey. This natural behavior, while a nuisance to homeowners, is essential for their survival.
Food Sources
The primary driver for armadillo digging is the search for a meal. Their diet consists almost exclusively of insects and other small invertebrates found just below the soil surface.
- Grubs: Larvae of beetles, often found in lawns.
- Ants and Termites: They locate ant hills and termite mounds, often digging into the ground to access colonies.
- Earthworms: Another common food source found in moist soil.
- Other Invertebrates: This can include millipedes, beetles, and spiders.
Shelter and Burrowing
Armadillos also dig to create dens. These burrows serve as safe havens from predators and harsh weather conditions. They often have multiple burrows scattered throughout their territory, used for sleeping, raising young, and escaping danger. These burrows can be quite extensive, sometimes featuring multiple entrances and chambers. The creation of these burrows can lead to significant upheaval of the ground, potentially undermining small structures or creating tripping hazards.
Effective Armadillo Deterrents
The goal of armadillo deterrents is to make your yard an unattractive place for them to forage or burrow. This involves a combination of habitat modification and repellent strategies.
Making Your Yard Less Appealing
Armadillos prefer certain conditions. By altering these conditions, you can make your yard less inviting.
Reducing Food Availability
The most effective way to discourage armadillos is to remove their primary food source: insects.
- Lawn Care: Healthy lawns with less thatch (dead grass at the base) are less attractive to grubs. Regularly aerating and dethatching your lawn can help.
- Insecticide Use: While not always the most environmentally friendly option, targeted use of insecticides for grub control can reduce the armadillo’s food supply. Opt for organic or least-toxic options when possible.
- Water Management: Armadillos often favor moist soil, which is also attractive to invertebrates. Avoid overwatering your lawn and garden.
Eliminating Shelter
Armadillos seek out protected areas for their burrows.
- Clear Debris: Piles of leaves, brush, woodpiles, and dense ground cover provide ideal shelter. Keep your yard clean and tidy.
- Secure Structures: Check crawl spaces, under sheds, decks, and porches. Seal any openings to prevent them from creating burrows in these protected areas. Use sturdy materials like hardware cloth or concrete.
DIY Armadillo Repellent Strategies
Several homemade solutions can help discourage armadillo tunneling. These often involve strong scents that armadillos dislike.
- Castor Oil: A mixture of castor oil and dish soap can be effective. Mix about 2 tablespoons of castor oil with 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap in a gallon of water. Spray this mixture liberally around the affected areas of your yard, especially near entrances to burrows or areas where digging is prevalent. The oily residue can irritate their paws and mouths, making the area unpleasant.
- Cayenne Pepper or Hot Sauce: Armadillos have sensitive noses and mouths. Sprinkling cayenne pepper or applying diluted hot sauce (again, mixed with water and a little soap) around gardens and lawns can deter them. Reapply after rain or watering.
- Ammonia: The strong smell of ammonia is unpleasant to many animals. Soak rags in ammonia and place them strategically around your yard, particularly near burrow entrances. Be cautious with ammonia as it can be harmful if ingested by pets or children.
- Garlic: Strong-smelling garlic, either in crushed form or as a spray (garlic juice mixed with water), can also act as a repellent.
Important Note on Repellents: While these DIY solutions can be helpful, their effectiveness can vary. Armadillos are persistent, and repeated applications may be necessary. Always test any repellent on a small, inconspicuous area of your lawn first to ensure it doesn’t cause damage.
Natural Armadillo Repellents
For those who prefer an eco-friendly approach, natural armadillo repellents offer a safer alternative for your yard and its inhabitants.
- Essential Oils: Certain essential oils have strong scents that armadillos tend to avoid. Peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and castor oil (as mentioned earlier) are good options. Mix a few drops of these oils with water and a bit of mild soap, then spray around your yard. Reapply regularly, especially after rainfall.
- Coffee Grounds: Used coffee grounds, when spread around your garden beds, can deter armadillos. The scent and texture may be unappealing to them.
- Citrus Peels: Armadillos reportedly dislike the strong smell of citrus. Leave orange, lemon, or grapefruit peels around areas where they are digging.
Commercial Armadillo Repellents
If DIY and natural methods aren’t yielding the desired results, commercial repellents are available. Look for products specifically designed to repel armadillos. These often contain ingredients like castor oil, essential oils, or predator urine (e.g., fox or coyote urine), which can signal danger to the armadillos. Always follow the product instructions carefully for safe and effective application.
Armadillo Fencing Solutions
Physical barriers are one of the most reliable ways to keep armadillos out of specific areas, such as gardens or yards. Armadillo fencing solutions need to be robust and installed correctly.
Types of Fencing
- Solid Barriers: Solid fencing, like a solid wooden fence or a poured concrete barrier, is highly effective. Armadillos cannot easily dig through or under these. However, this is often impractical for large areas.
- Wire Mesh Fencing: This is a more common and practical solution.
- Material: Use sturdy wire mesh, such as galvanized hardware cloth or chicken wire with small openings (1 inch or less). This prevents them from squeezing through.
- Height: The fence should be at least 2 to 3 feet tall to prevent them from easily going over.
- Depth: This is crucial. Armadillos are excellent diggers. To make your fencing armadillo proof, you must bury the bottom edge of the fence at least 8 to 12 inches into the ground. This prevents them from tunneling underneath.
- Angling: For added security, consider angling the bottom of the fence outward (away from the protected area) by about 6 inches and burying it. This creates an “L” shape underground, making it much harder for an armadillo to dig under.
Installation Tips
- Secure Attachments: Ensure the mesh is securely attached to posts with sturdy staples or wire.
- No Gaps: Check for any gaps or openings in the fence, as armadillos can squeeze through surprisingly small spaces.
- Continuous Barrier: The fence must be a continuous barrier. Any breaks or gaps will be exploited.
Humane Armadillo Control Methods
When dealing with armadillos, humane armadillo control should always be the priority. This means avoiding harm to the animals while still achieving your goal of protecting your yard.
Relocation (Use with Caution)
Relocating armadillos is an option, but it’s often complex and not always effective.
- Trapping: Live traps can be used. Bait the trap with something like earthworms, mealworms, or canned cat food. Place the trap near active burrows or frequent foraging areas.
- Relocation Laws: Before trapping and relocating, check your local wildlife regulations. Some areas have specific rules regarding the trapping and relocation of certain species.
- Relocation Site: The success of relocation depends heavily on the new environment. The armadillo needs access to food, water, and shelter, and it must be a suitable habitat for the species. Relocating an animal into an area already populated by its own kind can lead to conflict. Furthermore, relocated animals often struggle to survive in unfamiliar territory.
Encouraging Natural Predators
While not a direct control method for your yard, encouraging natural predators can help manage armadillo populations in the broader area.
- Predators: Natural predators of armadillos include large birds of prey (like owls and hawks), coyotes, bobcats, and domestic dogs.
- Habitat: Creating habitats that support these predators (e.g., not removing all brush or wooded areas on your property or nearby) can indirectly help control armadillo numbers.
Addressing Existing Armadillo Burrows
Discovering an armadillo burrow in your yard can be disheartening. Armadillo burrow removal requires careful consideration.
Safety First
- Never Block a Burrow Entrance with the Animal Inside: Armadillos are nocturnal. If you suspect an armadillo is inside a burrow, do not block the entrance. You could trap it, leading to its death and potential odor problems, or cause it to dig an escape route elsewhere, possibly under your house.
- Observe: Try to determine if the burrow is actively being used. Look for fresh dirt, tracks, or signs of recent digging.
Dealing with Active Burrows
- Wait for Eviction: The most humane approach is often to wait for the armadillo to leave on its own. They may move on if their food source is depleted or if the area becomes less hospitable.
- Gentle Deterrents: Once you are reasonably sure the burrow is empty, you can try to gently discourage reoccupation.
- Water Flushing: Pouring water into the burrow might encourage them to leave if they are inside. However, this can also lead to flooding and further damage.
- Fumigants (Use with Extreme Caution): Some commercially available fumigants are designed for burrowing animals. These should be used with extreme caution, as they can be toxic to other wildlife, pets, and even humans, and their effectiveness against armadillos can be limited. Always follow label instructions precisely.
Filling Abandoned Burrows
Once you are certain a burrow is no longer occupied:
- Excavation: Carefully excavate the burrow.
- Backfilling: Fill the hole with soil, gravel, or a mixture of both. Compact the soil firmly to prevent future digging in that spot.
- Reinforcement: Consider placing a layer of chicken wire or hardware cloth at the bottom before backfilling, especially if the burrow is near a foundation or valuable plants, to deter future digging attempts in the same location.
Creating an Armadillo Proof Yard: A Comprehensive Approach
Achieving an armadillo proof yard is an ongoing process that combines several strategies to create an unwelcoming environment.
Regular Maintenance
- Lawn Health: Maintain a healthy, well-aerated lawn. This reduces the availability of grubs and other insects.
- Yard Tidiness: Keep your yard free of debris, woodpiles, and thick ground cover that can serve as shelter.
- Inspect and Repair: Regularly inspect fences, decks, and foundations for any signs of damage or potential entry points. Seal them promptly.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Think of armadillo control as part of a broader IPM strategy for your yard.
- Monitor: Regularly walk your property to identify early signs of armadillo activity (new digging, tracks).
- Identify Cause: Determine why they are attracted to your yard (food, shelter).
- Implement Solutions: Use a combination of deterrents, repellents, and physical barriers as needed.
- Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of your methods and adjust your approach as necessary.
Professional Help
If you are struggling to manage armadillo activity, consider consulting a wildlife control professional. They have the experience and resources to implement more advanced solutions, always emphasizing humane methods.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What do armadillos eat?
A1: Armadillos primarily eat insects and other invertebrates found in the soil, such as grubs, ants, termites, earthworms, beetles, and millipedes. They may occasionally eat small amounts of fruits, seeds, or even carrion.
Q2: Can armadillos damage my house foundation?
A2: Yes, armadillos can dig burrows that undermine shallow foundations, especially if they are made of wood or are otherwise accessible. It’s important to secure crawl spaces and the areas around your home.
Q3: Are armadillos dangerous to humans or pets?
A3: Armadillos are generally not aggressive towards humans or pets. They are more likely to flee if approached. However, they can carry diseases like leprosy, so it’s advisable not to handle them directly. Their digging can create tripping hazards, and their burrows can damage lawns and gardens.
Q4: How can I tell if an armadillo burrow is active?
A4: Look for fresh soil piled at the entrance, recent digging marks, or tracks leading to and from the burrow. You might also hear noises from within if the animal is present.
Q5: How do I get rid of an armadillo that has already dug in my yard?
A5: To remove an armadillo, you can try humane trapping and relocation (following local laws), or make the area as unattractive as possible by removing food sources and shelter. Repellents and fencing can also help drive them away and prevent their return.
Q6: What is the best time to try and remove armadillos?
A6: Armadillos are most active at dawn and dusk. If you are using traps, this is generally the best time to set them. If you are trying to drive them away, making the yard less hospitable during their active hours can be effective.
Q7: Can I use mothballs to deter armadillos?
A7: While mothballs are sometimes used as animal repellents, they are toxic and can be harmful to pets, children, and other wildlife. Their effectiveness against armadillos is also questionable, and they are not generally recommended for this purpose due to safety and environmental concerns. It’s better to use safer, purpose-made repellents.
By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage armadillo activity and keep your yard safe and undamaged. Remember that consistency and a multi-faceted approach are key to success in preventing armadillo digging.