{"id":9618,"date":"2021-10-07T10:54:25","date_gmt":"2021-10-07T10:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9618"},"modified":"2022-09-30T02:32:43","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T07:32:43","slug":"how-do-you-get-rid-of-an-armadillo-in-your-yard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/how-do-you-get-rid-of-an-armadillo-in-your-yard\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do You Get Rid Of An Armadillo In Your Yard?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Armadillos<\/a> are cute little creatures that we all love, but they can cause unsightly landscaping damage. So, how do you get rid of an armadillo in your yard? Keep reading to find out more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Armadillos Good to Have Around?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Armadillos are generally harmless little creatures. The main reason people want to get rid of them is the problems they can cause in lawns and gardens. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armadillos search for food by digging; they mostly eat earthworms, grubs, and other in-ground insects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because they\u2019re always digging for their next meal, they frequently cause scratch holes throughout your lawn. These holes are usually small, but they are often paired with areas of torn up grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As armadillos dig more and more areas of your yard, the grass will begin to die, giving your yard a patchy, torn up look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armadillos may also dig up flowers and other small plants. They often target gardens and flower beds because the ground is already soft and easy to dig, as well as full of worms and other bugs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If an armadillo likes what your yard has to offer, it may decide to move in. Armadillo burrows<\/a> may begin showing up in your yard; they are easily recognizable by the large entrance and exit holes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, armadillos generally don\u2019t cause too many issues; but if you care about the appearance of your yard or have gardens and flower beds growing, you may want to take steps to get rid of armadillos and keep them out of your yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can an Armadillo Hurt You?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Armadillos have spikes on their body armor as well as sharp claws. While they don\u2019t make a point of attacking or attempting to injure anyone, they may scratch and thrash around if you try to handle them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s best to allow professional wildlife removal specialists to do the job if your armadillos need to be removed by hand. They have the proper training and protective gear for handling armadillos without injuring the creatures or becoming injured themselves.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another possible concern related to armadillos is the fact that many of them harbor the leprosy bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This interview from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> goes into detail about this potential risk, but the takeaway is that the threat of catching leprosy from an armadillo is small, and even if you do catch it, the disease is easily treatable and curable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most humans have a natural immunity to leprosy, and the bacteria is not easily transmitted between armadillos and humans. To be able to get leprosy from an infected armadillo, you would have to either eat the armadillo without thoroughly cooking it or be in contact with the animal\u2019s blood or body tissues for an extended period of time.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, if you\u2019re going to be handling armadillos, you may want to take precautions and wear gloves. Change your clothes and wash the gloves when you are done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, if you have a lot of armadillos digging in your garden, there\u2019s a nominal chance that some of the leprosy bacteria may be in your garden soil. In this case, it might be a good idea to wear gloves while you\u2019re working in your garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Get Rid of Armadillos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Armadillos are not the easiest wildlife to get rid of, but they\u2019re not the hardest to get rid of either. As long as you know what you\u2019re doing, there are several methods of getting rid of armadillos that are highly effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before getting started, check out this video to see what armadillo damage looks like as well as some tips on getting rid of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Q1mgo6NqgSc<\/a>