How to Kill Armadillos

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Gun: If you legally own a firearm and are permitted to shoot it on your property, you can use a gun to kill armadillos. The gun must be powerful enough to pierce the armadillo's armor - which while not as tough as a turtle's shell, does provide some degree of protection. In many areas, it is not legal to discharge a firearm in a residential area. Shooting an armadillo could be difficult, because these animals are elusive, and not active for very long, and nocturnal. For these reasons, they may be hard to spot. They also don't sit still for long, constantly rooting and on the move.

Lethal Trap: A strong body grip trap, like a connibear 120 or 220 will actually do a good job of killing an armadillo, if properly set over a burrow, such as in the below photographs. However, these traps are dangerous, and best left to experienced trappers. They are not a good option to set in a suburban area, or any place with other animals that might come sniffing around, such as cats. I have heard too many horror stories of unintended injury and death resulting from these traps.

Poison: This is not an option. Armadillos only eat live worms and grubs that they dig out of the ground. They won't eat anything not alive. Thus, it's impossible to attempt to use any type of poison to kill them.

After you read my full article about killing armadillos, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does armadillo removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of armadillos - my main armadillo removal info guide.
Example armadillo trapping photographs - get do-it-yourself ideas.
Armadillo job blog - learn from great examples of armadillo jobs I've done.

You don't need to kill armadillos. If it's legal in your state, it's easier to trap them in live cage traps and relocate them. Even if you do intend to kill the animal, it's easier to catch in a live trap than by lethal means. Some folks with a rosy hue on their necks like to shoot and eat armadillos, but if you just want them off your property, you can have a professional trap and remove them.





Here we see an armadillo caught via a 120 Connibear or body grip type trap. These photos came from a trapper in Alabama. If this type of trap is legal in your state, you can set it over the burrow, and it will catch the animal coming in or going out. The hard shell poses no problem. This type of trap will very quickly kill a dillo. It's not the type of trap a homeowner could likely buy, and definitely not the type a novice could set, so call a pro if you want this type of armadillo exterminating. My company cannot offer this type of service, and I only do live cage trapping.

Live Cage Trapping: This is the easiest and most effective means of removing an unwanted armadillo from a property. Use a large, sturdy cage trap, rated raccoon size, and set it flush over a dillo burrow, or even on a dillo path near the burrow, along a wall. You can use wooden boards to steer the animal toward the mouth the trap. No bait necessary, nor effective. Believe me, the animal will just wander into the trap, provided that it is flush to the ground and doesn't wobble. These critters are actually fairly easy to catch. Once you catch it, you can kill it, preferably with a firearm or CO2 chamber. Do not drown any animal, that's a cruel and lazy redneck move. If you must kill any animal, please do so in a respectful and professional manner - I believe in you that you can be a responsible person.

For more armadillo information, go back to the armadillo removal page.

AAAnimal Control is a professional nuisance wildlife control company located in Orlando, FL We offer solutions to wildlife problems throughout the Greater Orlando area. Services include animal trapping, capture & removal, plus animal damage repairs and preventative measures. We also offer biological cleanup and many other services.  It's been my pleasure educating the public about how to kill armadillos. Give us a call at 407-729-6946 any time to discuss your wildlife problem and schedule an appointment. You can always browse this site for more details, and you can even check out prices ahead of time. If you live elsewhere in the US and have found this site and need a local trapper in your area, click here for a nationwide list of 100's of professional wildlife control experts.