Ranging from New Mexico and Missouri to Florida and Georgia, the nine-banded armadillo burrows into the ground to create nests. Armadillos create extensive underground burrows that seriously damage yards and building foundations. If an armadillo is disrupting your yard, you can remove it yourself, but armadillos have sharp claws and carry diseases, including rabies and the bacteria that cause leprosy. Whether you call a professional animal controller or not, you must first find the burrow.
Search during the middle of the day to decrease your chances of encountering the armadillo. Burrows can house five armadillos: the mother and her quadruplet children.
Although armadillos are not typically aggressive, they are wild animals that can injure people. Stay alert and careful.
Look for signs of an armadillo, including areas in your yard that have been scratched or the sod has been pulled up and replaced incorrectly. If present, an armadillo digs for insects in your yard.
Search for loose soil in the usual places for armadillo burrows: under buildings, driveways, woodpiles, sheds and decks.
Investigate any other shaded areas that provide coverage, such as woods, orchards, and places with excessive brush.
Seek out a second burrow after you locate the first one. Sometimes armadillos dig a second burrow for predator evasion, but they do not always do so.
Tips
Warnings
References
Tips
- Search during the middle of the day to decrease your chances of encountering the armadillo.
- Burrows can house five armadillos: the mother and her quadruplet children.
Warnings
- Although armadillos are not typically aggressive, they are wild animals that can injure people. Stay alert and careful.
About the Author
Born and raised in West Virginia, Megan Hippler has been writing environmental articles since 2008. Her work has appeared on the websites of various state government departments. Hippler has a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from Hollins University.
Photo Credits
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