Armadillos are nocturnal mammals with a bony shell that can adapt to any environment they are placed in. Armadillos are diggers with sharp claws. They dig to make dens and to find food. Although they will eat vegetables and destroy your vegetable garden, their main source of food is worms and grubs. Nothing stands in the way of an armadillo's digging. They will undermine concrete foundations, water and sewer lines, and even telephone lines. Sometimes burrows made underneath a house will cause in cracks in the walls and foundations [source: United Wildlife]. Therefore, if you notice an armadillo in your yard, it's imperative to get rid of it immediately. Here's a list of some of the things you can do.
- Prevention It's best to prevent armadillos from entering your yard. This can be achieved by installing a fence at least 18 inches (46 centimeters) into the ground. This will make it harder for armadillos to burrow under it. The top portion of the fence should be at a 45 degree angle, to prevent armadillos from jumping over it [source: Animal Control].
- Deterrents If you already have an armadillo problem, you may want to try a deterrent to encourage the armadillo to leave on its own. The best deterrent is to make your yard smell. Armadillos hate the smell of ammonia, vinegar and mothballs [source: MSU]. Using any of these items regularly will ward off armadillos.
- Trapping For effective trapping, place more than one trap in various locations, especially near the armadillos' burrows. Although some people believe in baiting the traps with some ripe fruit and earthworms, others believe all you need is a good, strong trap. (If the trap isn't strong enough the armadillo might be able to break out of it.) Once they're trapped, release the armadillos in a remote place [source: Jackson, Mizell].
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