Not-so-innocent bystander

Sometime last summer, we developed an Armadillo problem. There was one burrowed under the cement of the front porch. I called a few places that deals with this type of problem and the best price I could find was $300 to catch and take away the armadillo. I figured that was way too much and I could figure the problem out myself.

I went online and did some reading and found out that they are primarily nocturnal and that they have bad eyesight. So I devised a plan of making a pathway from the hole in the ground to a trap. I'd make the pathway out of those little wire fences that are designed for putting around flower beds - thus 'funneling' the armadillo in to the trap. I went to Home Depot and quickly found the little fences, but I couldn't find a trap of any sort. I finally found one of those orange vested workers (who won't leave you alone when you don't need them - but you can't find them when you do) and asked them where the wildlife traps were.

He asked what I wanted it for and I told him. He then told me that he's been a wild animal catcher for some county and that in 15 years, he was only able to trap one armadillo. He told me over and over that you just couldn't trap them. I'm very used to being told that I can't do something - but likewise, I'm used to ignoring it as well. Finally, I had to ask him to forget that I was going to trap an armadillo and pretend I was going to trap a raccoon. He gave up on trying to convince me I couldn't catch the armadillo and finally led me to the traps.

The only trap they had that would work (as far as size) was a raccoon trap, so I shelled out $37 and bought it. I went home and built my little 'runway' with the trap at the end and on the first night - I caught the armadillo. I took it about a mile from home and let it go. They are mean and nasty critters with deadly claws (for digging).

So, yesterday, Jan and I were cutting some palms in the front yard when Jan realized that either the same armadillo was back (in the same hole) or a new one had found the popular armadillo area. So, last evening, I set up the 'runway' again. This morning, Jan let me know that a raccoon had found it's way in there. (I put a Ritz cracker in it with peanut butter on it). The little raccoon looked very sweet and cute (as you can see in the photo) - until I approached the cage. It was ready to rip my throat out! I went back in the house and finished my coffee.

Later, I went back outside, tossed a tablecloth over the cage (so it couldn't see me) and (with leather gloves on) I put the cage in my car. I then drove further away and let the really pissed off raccoon go at a park.

Hopefully the armadillo didn't come out in the night and see the raccoon stuck in the cage and get wise to the whole game. We'll see in the next few nights.