Very OT: Trapped an armadillo (pictures)

My neighbor trapped "my" armadillo. They get in periodically by burrowing
under the fence, and they can do a tremendous amount of damage (as everyone
from Texas already knows). My neighbor built his own "hav-a-hart" trap
because the metal traps intended for cats and dogs are too weak -- an
armadillo can tear one apart. The one he built is very heavy, and is also
large with plenty of air space. He takes the 'dillos to some land he owns
that is several miles from town (and with no close neighbors to annoy).
These things will return to the same territory unless they are transported a
considerable distance, and of course it is important not to take them
someplace where we would simply transfer the problem to someone else.

I posted 2 pictures in alt.binaries.pictures.animals -- one to show the
critter close-up and one to show how the box is made. As soon as we opened
the trap so I could get a close-up picture, the armadillo started to climb
up the side. That's the first time I ever knew that a 'dillo could climb
straight up a wood wall. I doubt if they can climb very far, but it was an
interesting sight.

sriddles...

Aww. I still think they're cute. I'd love to see the box, but I can't
access abpa. Can you email it to me? We haven't needed to relocate
another one since that young one we had such a devil of a time
catching. He (she?) was just unusually tame, probably because it was so
young. We do have another one recently, but damage has been really
minimal so far so it hasn't been a priority. If it gets as destructive
as the other one, we'll have to figure out a way to catch this one too.

MaryL...

Yes, I'll email the photos to you. I don't want to harm them, but they can
be *highly* destructive. Last year, my backyard looked like it had been
ploughed. On two occasions, one corner of the concrete pad that supports
the compressor for my air conditioner was left hanging in space because an
armadillo built such a large den/burrow under it. We had to embed metal
fencing (similar to the type used as pig fencing) under the soil all around
the compressor to keep the 'dillos from digging, and some people in town
have had some foundation damage. But I still have to agree -- their faces
actually are cute, and the little ones are *very* cute (although the
full-grown 'dillos don't look very attractive when viewed at any angle
except face-on).

sriddles...

The baby ones are *really* cute. (but I guess baby *anythings* are
cute). Their heads look like little horse heads. The one we caught was
a teenager armadillo. Yours looks like it might be old. Thanks for
sending the pic. They are horribly destructive. I'm a "live and let
live" kinda gal until the lawn looked like a war zone. That dillo dug
holes deep enough to break your ankle. We have one now, but this one
isn't doing much digging and hasn't been in the front yet. I showed DH
the trap. I can see how a dillo can make short work out of a
Have-a-Heart. They are strong little boogers.
Sherry

MaryL...

I can send pictures showing other views of the trap if your DH is interested
in building one. There is a piece of wood (connected to strong cord) that
holds the door up/open. When the dillo enters the trap, it will knock the
wood free, and that releases the door. My neighbor places the trap at the
entrance to the burrow and also places some planks so that it creates a
natural "entrance" to the trap. Dillos have a strong sense of smell but
poor vision, so they just amble along inside the walls that the planks and
trap create. Incidentally, no "bait" is required, although the fact that
other dillos have been inside a used trap apparently acts as an attractant.