How to Trap Armadillos
One of the key factors in catching an armadillo is figuring out its habits. Typically, armadillos are conservative creatures that prefer to move along fencelines and near structures to avoid detection and harassment from predators. They will stand completely still and make little noise if they want to, and like to dig and rush into thorny brush if they feel threatened. Be sure to place your traps at night as that is when they are the most active.
What Type Of Trap Do I Use To Catch An Armadillo?
You've got two options, a live trap, and a kill trap. Kill traps mean more mess and possible animal disposal laws to abide by. Live traps mean a live animal to release and animal relocation laws to abide by. Youre pick, but live traps work pretty well for DIY trapping and relocation, and homeowners are usually not in the mood to deal with the responsibility of an animal carcass. I agree, and even though these animals are a nuisance, we should protect these animals as much as possible because they eat all kinds of creepy crawlies out of the soil and help control bug populations.
Using Kill Traps for Armadillos
Body grip traps and similar mechanisms that crush or otherwise remove the heads of animals from their spines are popular and effective. You won't want to bait this type of trap because armadillos don't eat human food, don't scavenge, and won't eat anything unless they find it in the dirt themselves. They'd turn their noses up at Kobe beef, even. Weird, but reasonable seeing as they are primary insectivores.
Once you've got yourself a very dead armadillo, you'll need to get that thing out of there ASAP. Buzzards or Turkey vultures can smell those things pretty well because they're splattered all over roads in the Southern United States, and they make a tasty snack for them. In addition to buzzards, other birds of prey might take a bite, or smaller mammals. Not to mention the insect population, from the tiniest little ant to the common house fly, everything in the local area's gonna want a piece of the armadillo. Who turns down a free meal?
Live Trapping and Releasing Armadillos
Don't get yourself into a legal entanglement over an armadillo. Do your due diligence and research laws regardign armadillo relocation in your area. Some laws prohibit animals be release on property other than where they were captured. What kind of sense does that make, you may ask? I'm not sure–I just follow the rules and letter of the law.
After inspecting you should have a pretty good idea of where the armadillo might make a path to move aroudn and look for food. Stick your live trap right in that path and don't bait it. You'll likely get a squirrel or tiny raccoon in there. Remember, armadillos eat insects from the ground. No type of bait works on armadillos.