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Armadillos have been a major problem for me in my backyard. I’ve seen them digging up my lawn, eating my plants, and making a mess of things. I’ve tried all kinds of methods to get rid of them but nothing seems to work. So I asked around in forums and one of the methods that were suggested to me was to use coffee grounds. Being an inquisitive person, I did a little more research to answer the question: Will coffee grounds keep armadillos away?
No, coffee grounds will not keep armadillos away. As part of my research, I used coffee grounds to repel armadillos for a couple of days and despite the strong smell, they kept coming back. It turns out that the smell of caffeine may not be strong enough to deter them.
While the smell of caffeine may be unpleasant to some animals, it does not appear to have a strong enough effect on armadillos to keep them away. This means that gardeners and homeowners need to look for other ways to protect their plants from these pesky critters. So I went back to the drawing board to look for more effective ways to repel armadillos from your backyard.
Read on to find out what I discovered!
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Will Coffee Grounds Keep Armadillos Away?
I had already determined that coffee grounds will not keep armadillos away. Yes, it might work for a few hours but in the end, those pesky creatures always come back! So as a homeowner, what could I do to protect my backyard?
Well, I found out that there are both natural and artificial ways to get rid of armadillos (but more on that later on). For now, let’s look at why you would not want these creatures roaming around in your backyard.
What Do Armadillos Do To Your Lawn?
Having armadillos in your yard can be a nuisance and can cause damage to your property. Armadillos are known for digging up gardens, ruining lawns and eating plants. They also carry parasites that can spread diseases to humans and animals.
My biggest problem with these pests is that they have been constantly digging up my garden which I work very hard to maintain.
Do armadillos do anything good? I would say that armadillos do more harm than good because although they feed on unwanted insects, they end up damaging the entire garden. It would be much easier to just get rid of the insects yourself than rely on this animal.
In my desperation to get rid of armadillos on my property, I tried a number of methods which I will outline in this article. I will also disclose which method worked best for me and ended up ridding my backyard of armadillos entirely!
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What Do Armadillos Hate The Most?
To kickstart my research, I started digging into the things that armadillos hate the most. I discovered that armadillos hate very strong smells. This includes the smell of ammonia and vinegar.
My first thought was to use the power of these smells to repel armadillos from my backyard. After all, it seemed like a cheap and easy solution to my problem.
With that in mind, I went to work creating a homemade armadillo repellant comprised of the smells that I knew armadillos hate the most.
The first solution I tried was mixing vinegar with water.
This solution was based on the fact that armadillos have a very sensitive sense of smell, so the strong smell of vinegar will drive them away. Additionally, it has been proven to be an effective way to keep armadillos from returning.
This worked well for a while but soon, the armadillos were back!
The next thing I tried was ammonia which is basically just urine. So I went on Amazon and purchased Coyote urine. Here is the exact one I used.
This method worked much better than the vinegar mixture and it managed to keep away other pests like raccoons and possums.
Another thing that I discovered Armadillos hate is cayenne paper.
The pungent smell and taste of cayenne paper make armadillos shy away from it, which makes it an effective method for keeping armadillos out of gardens and other areas where they may cause damage. In addition, the sharpness of the cayenne pepper can irritate their sensitive noses, making them even more likely to avoid contact with this type of paper.
How Do You Use Cayenne Pepper To Get Rid Of Armadillos?
Cayenne paper is organic so you can sprinkle it freely on your garden or lawn. However, if you want to use it as an effective way to get rid of armadillos from your property, you need to spray it on fences, along paths, and around beds where the animals are likely to enter the area.
Preparing cayenne pepper spray is easy and requires only a few ingredients. All you need is a ¼ cup of chopped hot peppers, ½ gallon of water, and some basic kitchen utensils.
With these items, you can make your own cayenne pepper spray at home in no time!
Will Epsom Salt Deter Armadillos?
Yes, Epsom salt will deter armadillos, but not for long!
Epsom salt is a common household item that has many uses, but it can also be used to repel armadillos. This is because armadillos have a very sensitive sense of smell and they find the scent of Epsom salt to be unpleasant.
So if you’ve tried all the other solutions above and they’ve not worked, give Epsom salt a try. The only downside to this is that Epsom salt won’t last as long as ammonia, cayenne pepper spray, or vinegar. This means that you’ll have to constantly apply it for it to work which can be tedious in the long run.
Will Pine Sol Keep Armadillos Away?
Yes, Pine Sol will keep armadillos away because of its strong smell.
The only problem I have with Pine Sol is that it’s a cleaning solution that contains harmful chemicals for your garden. So rather than putting it in your garden, I would recommend spraying it on the paths that the armadillos use to enter your yard.
This will keep the armadillos away while also protecting your plants from hazardous chemicals.
What Can You Put On Your Lawn To Keep Armadillos Away?
We’ve talked about using vinegar mixture, ammonia, and cayenne pepper spray to get rid of armadillos. But what else can you put on your lawn to keep armadillos away?
Well, the first thing I can think of is erecting a fence.
Installing a fence is one of the most effective ways to keep armadillos away from your property. Fences provide a physical barrier that prevents armadillos from entering your yard and causing damage.
The only problem is that I wouldn’t put it past these sly creatures to simply dig under the fence and get into your garden. Therefore, if you’re going to put up a fence, make sure that it’s dug well into the ground so the armadillos can’t get under it.
In my case, I use a combination of a well-built fence and store-bought urine to eventually get rid of my armadillo problem.
How Do You Get Rid Of Armadillos Permanently?
Speaking from experience, armadillos are some of the hardest pests to get rid of. It will be tough, but you can try some of the following methods:
Trapping
There’s no better way to get rid of Armadillos that enter your property regularly than to set traps for them and catch them. The first thing is to determine what is the best bait for armadillos. Well, you can use the following to attract armadillos to your trap;
- Worms
- Crickets
- Wigglers
The best way to trap an armadillo is to place the bait and trap in areas where you know they frequent. If you happen to catch one, call your local animal control to come and take it away.
Electric Fences
I have tried using regular fences to keep these animals away and they didn’t work. Instead, the armadillos just dug underneath the fence and entered my yard like it was nothing!
That’s why I recommend installing an electric fence around your yard. This will keep armadillos and other pests away.
Get Rid Of Their Hiding Places
Armadillos are known to hide in holes, shrubs, and areas with a lot of growth. To prevent your yard from becoming a hiding place, make sure you keep it neat and tidy at all times. This will also prevent other animals like snakes and possums from hiding out and living in your yard.
Will Lights Keep Armadillos Away?
Lights will keep armadillos away from your lawn or yard because they will be scared off. Armadillos are shy creatures that are prone to be intimidated easily. You have two options when using lights to keep armadillos away; either keep them on or use motion activated lights.
I personally prefer the latter.
Are Armadillos Scared Of Dogs?
Armadillos are scared of dogs so you can get a guard dog to deter them from coming to your property.
Do Coffee Ground Keep Animals Away?
Conclusion
That concludes this article on whether coffee grounds will keep armadillos away. Have you had any run-ins with this creature? If so, I would love to hear about your experience on how you finally got rid of them.
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