ANSWER: I recommend relocation, but if you can't won't do that, then your next best option is a C02 chamber. Your next best option is lethal injection. After that, shooting in the head is okay. But
PLEASE do not drown the animal like the rednecks do - that's a terrible way to die.
Dealing with a pest animal can be a pain in the neck at the best of times, but when you are dealing with an armadillo, it has an armored carapace that makes lethal traps ineffective in most cases.
This means that you will have to catch the armadillo in a cage trap first, and you can then look at alternative ways of getting rid of the animal. Local laws will always state that if you are to do this yourself,
then it will need to be done in a humane fashion, and the armadillo should suffer no more than it has to. This does limit your options in terms of killing the animal, particular with the suit of armor that gives it such good protection. Read more about
What Should I Do With An Armadillo After I Catch It?
Asphyxiation
This method is relatively fast and is almost painless for the armadillo, and is relatively straightforward once you have found a good source of carbon monoxide. In order to start the process, you will need to place the cage in an airtight bag or container, and then connect the carbon monoxide so that it starts to fill the chamber. This gas is often considered to be a silent killer, as it will shortly cause the armadillo to feel drowsy before it falls asleep, never to awake again.
Lethal Injection
Using a lethal injection is quite a specialized approach to dealing with a pest animal, but it ticks both the boxes of being quick and efficient. The main difficulty with this approach is that you will either need a veterinarian to provide you with the chemicals or will need a vet to actually give the animal the injection, and finding a vulnerable spot to deliver it isn't easy.
Can You Shoot An Armadillo?
In most urban or suburban areas, it is actually illegal to discharge a firearm, which means that this option is really only available to those in rural and agricultural areas. The second difficulty is that shooting an armadillo in a cage will not only damage the cage, but if you use a lower caliber firearm, there are examples of where the hard carapace has deflected a bullet, and even caused an injury for someone else, so shooting is not really recommended.
Alternatives To Killing The Animal
If you are struggling to find an easy and humane way to dispose of an armadillo in a cage, it is worth checking to see if it can be relocated. This will take it back to a more natural habitat, and give the animal a chance of survival in an area where it is not a nuisance to people.
Go back to the
How to Get Rid of Armadillos home page. Read more about
Are armadillos dangerous to pets
