Armadillo Trapping Techniques

How to trap an armadillo - 3 easy steps:
  • 1) Buy a large steel cage trap, at least 30" long, like the Havahart 1079
  • 2) Place the trap in areas armadillos walk. On pathways or even over an open burrow is the best place. Make sure the trap is stable and inviting to enter. Use boards or temporary fencing leading to the mouth of the trap to encourage the animal to enter. Armadillos are dumb, and will wander right in. DO NOT USE BAIT. You do not need bait to catch an armadillo, which digs for all food, and bait will only lure in possums or other animals.
  • 3) I guess that's it, really. Once the animal is caught, you can relocate it.


Where Should I Relocate a Trapped Armadillo - Considering that you have been using live traps, instead of death traps, and you have managed to capture armadillo that was molesting you, now you are wondering what the best option would be to do.

Depending on the laws in your state, you can either euthanize an armadillo, or relocate it. Many people choose relocating it rather than euthanizing an armadillo, as it is more humane thing to do.

Nevertheless, before you even consider relocating an armadillo, you must have in your mind what are the armadillo habitats are.

First, make sure that you do not release the caught armadillo anywhere near your yard; it is recommended that you release the animal at least five or six miles away from the place you first caught it. You should also make sure that there are no houses anywhere near the areas with houses. If you do so, you might cause damage to other people and their yards.

As armadillos are mammals that are similar to anteaters, their dieting consists of insects and vertebrae, so the right place to release the armadillo you’ve captured would be in the moist areas. That is, you can release it near some swamp, or a lake, just make sure there are no houses in the near.

As armadillos are the sort of animals that usually hide, and are active during the night, the perfect spot for releasing one would be in the shrubs, or bushes.

Before all this, and after capturing an armadillo, it is important to remember: armadillos have sharp claws on their front feet.

Therefore, when you trap an armadillo, wear protective gloves, even though the animal is inside the trap, it will become nervous and try to escape. It could scratch you while doing so. Be careful while carrying the trap and be gentle, as you do not want to hurt the animal, but to release it.

Place the animal inside the truck, or in the trunk, and take it to the wild. This way you will feel relieved because you got rid of this annoying little animal, and you managed doing so without hurting it.

To sum it all up, after you’ve caught the armadillo that was molesting you, keep this little pest inside the trap, be cautious while handling the trap, put it in the back of your car, and get it as far from your home as possible. Do not just ‘get rid’ of it anywhere you like, but find the place that will be suitable for an armadillo to live. If you see other armadillos in the area where you want to relocate the caught one, it will be great, as you know the area is supplied with food and water.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Armadillos home page.

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