Can You Relocate Armadillos?

If you are asking whether you can relocate armadillos, the short answer is yes in some places, but it is often the wrong fix for the problem. A trapped armadillo can be moved only if your state and local wildlife rules allow it, and the animal still needs a legal release site with suitable habitat. For most homeowners, exclusion and burrow control stop the digging damage faster and with less risk of creating a new problem somewhere else.

What relocation really means for armadillos

Relocation means trapping an armadillo, removing it from your property, and releasing it at another site. That sounds simple, but it creates three issues: legality, animal stress, and return risk. Armadillos are strong diggers and can travel back if released too close. If the release is too far from good cover and soil, the animal may not survive. For those reasons, relocation is not the best first choice for yard damage.

Why moving one is not the same as solving the problem

Armadillos dig for grubs, insects, and worms. If your lawn attracts them, another yard with the same food source will do the same. A relocated animal also leaves a vacancy that another armadillo can fill. That is why damage prevention matters more than simply catching the animal and dumping it somewhere else.

Can you relocate armadillos legally?

Only if your state, county, and city rules allow it. Wildlife laws vary, and some areas require a permit for trapping and relocation. Others restrict release location, transport distance, or the species that can be moved at all. Before you set a live trap, call your state wildlife agency or local animal control office and ask for the current rules for armadillos and nuisance wildlife.

Can you relocate armadillos in Florida?

In Florida, armadillos are considered nuisance wildlife, but relocation is not a free-for-all. Local and state rules can limit trapping, transport, and release. If you are in Florida, check current Florida Fish and Wildlife guidance before you trap. Do not assume a county or private property release is legal just because the landowner agrees. If the animal is on your property and causing damage, exclusion and habitat changes are the safer long-term answer.

Can you relocate armadillos in Texas?

In Texas, armadillos are also managed as nuisance wildlife, but release rules still matter. Some areas allow take of nuisance animals under specific conditions, while transport and release can be restricted. If you are in Texas, verify the local regulations before using a live trap. If you cannot legally release the animal far enough away, relocation is not a practical option. Focus on stopping access to the yard and burrows instead.

How to remove an armadillo the right way

If relocation is legal in your area, use a live trap and handle the animal without direct contact. A cage trap around 10 by 12 by 32 inches works for a single adult armadillo. Place the trap where the animal enters the yard, along a fence line, near a burrow opening, or beside fresh digging. Cover the top and sides with burlap or a dark cloth to reduce stress, and check the trap early in the morning and again at dusk.

1. Set the trap on level soil and stabilize it so it does not rock.
2. Bait with earthworms, mealworms, or overripe fruit placed behind the trigger plate.
3. Use a short guide fence made from wire mesh or boards to funnel the animal into the trap.
4. Wear thick gloves and move the trap calmly once the animal is inside.
5. Release only where legal, away from roads, homes, and active burrows.

What not to do

Do not grab an armadillo by hand, block a burrow with rocks while it is inside, or use poison. Poison is not a legal or effective armadillo control method, and sealing a burrow while the animal is still inside can trap it in a wall, crawl space, or under a slab. That creates a dead-animal odor and a harder cleanup.

Better than relocation, exclude and deter them

The best answer to armadillo damage is to keep them out. Armadillos enter yards for food, so reduce the attractants first. Treat the lawn for grubs if a soil test or visible insect activity points to a food source. Keep compost covered, remove fallen fruit, and limit outdoor pet food. For persistent pressure, install exclusion barriers where they enter, especially at fences, garden beds, and under decks.

Build a fence they cannot easily defeat

Use galvanized hardware cloth or welded wire with openings no larger than 1 inch. Bury it 12 to 18 inches deep and bend the bottom 6 inches outward in an L-shape. Above ground, keep the barrier at least 24 inches tall. At gates or weak points, overlap panels and secure them with landscape staples or fence clips. This stops the animal from digging directly under the boundary.

Stopping digging damage in lawns and beds

To protect a yard already getting dug up, combine repair with prevention. Fill shallow rootless holes with topsoil and reseed. For beds, lay hardware cloth flat under new mulch, then cover it with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. In high-risk areas, use a 6-inch gravel strip along the fence line or around foundations, since armadillos prefer loose soil they can dig through fast. Motion-activated lights and sprinklers also make a yard less appealing when used with exclusion.

When to call a pro

Hire a licensed wildlife control operator if the armadillo is using a den under a slab, porch, shed, or crawl space. Those situations require one-way exit devices, excavation, or structural exclusion. If you see repeated digging every night, multiple burrows, or damage near foundations, a pro can trap, inspect, and seal the entry points without trapping the animal inside.