I know that one way to train dogs to stop digging around the fence line is to bury chicken wire where the dogs like to dig. Digging and hitting the wire tears the heck out of the dogs paws, and supposedly they quickly learn their lesson. Might work for an amardillo as well.

Of course, leaving your dog (if you have one) out a few nights would probably chase the critter off. It worked at my in-laws - they had an armadillo tearing up their beds, and they doggie sat my beasts for a week. The dogs loved chasing the armadillo off, my in-laws no longer had an armadillo, and we got free dog sitting when we were out of town. The only loser in this tale was the armadillo, who I suppose moved to more armadillo friendly environs. Or got hit by a truck crossing the road. Whatever.

Also, I have seen a gadget used for keeping deer out of the yard that hooks up to a hose. It has some sort of motion sensor on it, and when it detects movement, shoots a jet of water in the direction of the deer. Don't know if it would work on an armadillo, or where I saw it. Sorry to lead you on like that!

Hope these suggestions help.

Thanks Jason,

I may have to try the chicken wire method. The dog sitting sounds like something to try also.

Charles

Armadillos??!! We have critters here in So. CA but not armadillos! LOL

We have had a lot of trouble with skunks, raccoons and opossums this summer, since I started mulching with lawn cuttings in the rose garden. The worm population grew, and the garden is dug over just about every night. Once they pulled a sprinkler head off too. Well, this doesn't help you a bit, but misery loves company, and you aren't alone!

I figured I wasn't alone :)

Since I haven't managed to get some chicken wire I tried covering with landscape fabric, but the pesky critter
tore through that. Well at least he hasn't dug up the flower beds (yet).

Poor worms. They have moles chasing them underground and other critters digging from the top. At least the ones I have in the bin only have to put up with my digging ;)

Feed the armadillo. Leave cat/dog food out. They will often eat that and leave your stuff alone. Hey, it's worth a try.

Well,

I managed to catch some of the critters that were digging up my yard and lasanga bed (now turning into a large compost pile). I was convinced that it was an armadillo so I put a live trap near the torn up grass. I made a funnel to lead the armadillo into the live trap using some concrete reinforcing wire and some buckets of water. I put an eggshell in the trap.

The next morning (Saturday) the varmit had been caught. It was a Racoon! He had the dirtiest paws I have seen. It was strange because he hadn't opened my outdoor worm bin (thank God). He must have been fearful of those Aliens that frequent the worm bins. I gave him to my cousin who is a member of a coon dog association. He released him on the association's land. They are well fed and never killed, but they are used for their competitions.

There was a dead armadillo down the road so I figured my work was done. The next night something digged up the top of the compost pile and some other areas in the yard and those water buckets had dirt in them. Most coons like to wash their paws and food. I set the trap again with a little peanut butter incentive figuring if it was an armadillo he would walk into the trap and if it was a raccoon he'd want the peanut butter.

Well he got the peanut butter. That sly thing dug under the trap and got to the stuff without having to go into the trap. It was now a battle of wits and I was running a little low. I barely managed to outsmart him. I put the trap cage on a piece of plywood and put some buckets of water around the end where the peanut butter was. I put the heavy roll of fence on the trap so he couldn't move it. The next morning, I had caught the second coon and Shannon came by Thursday and picked him up.

There are still some new pieces of sod dug up so I set it again and caught a cat that happens to like peanut butter this morning. I haven't had the chance, but I'm going to get some more peanut butter and set the trap again. I must have a family of coons around here who are eating the grubs and worms in the back yard.

Here is a link that might be useful: Masked Bandits

I know that one of the best ways to manage raccoon damage is to simply set out dog food every night for them. My grandpa fought those suckers for years to keep them out of his trashcans to no avail, but once he befriended them and started feeding them, no more torn open trashcans. My Grandma even got where she looked forward to feeding them every night. They'd sit out on their front porch every night and watch the raccoons come to eat, wash the food in the fountain, and do what raccoons do.

WARNING: DO NOT think that they are tame if you start doing this. They are still wild animals, and will not take kindly to you approaching too closely. This also will not work if you have a dog - my understanding is a racoon is a fair match for a mid-sized dog.