The drought in Texas has caused many problems, the least of which is an armadillo rooting up our yard. Every time my husband waters the grass the next morning the yard is rooted up with 
deep holes. The armor-shelled creature is digging for ants, beetles, worms and other unpleasant little insects
. In the photo below he burrowed into the ground. It’s ruining our lawn so the hubby devised a plan. He was going to trap the armadillo and take him far far away deep into the woods away from houses.
He went to Lowe’s and bought a trap. The instructions were to bait it with table scraps, fruit or sardines. Well, I wasn’t giving the armadillo my fruit and we didn’t have any table scarps so he baited it with stinky sardines. Three days went by and nothing. The armadillo rooted all around the trap but didn’t go in it. On the fourth morning my husband came in and said, “I caught something.”
“What?” I asked.
“Come out and see.”
I had on my robe and didn’t want to go out at 7 in the morning, but I did. This is what he caught. A SKUNK!!
I looked at him and he looked at me. ‘How do you plan to get that out of the trap?” I asked.
“I was hoping you’d have a suggestion,” was his response.
“No,” I told him. “I’m going into the house and lock the door and not let you in if you’re all stinky.”
“Thanks,” he called.
I went into the house and made my way to the front bedroom so I could see what he was doing. He got his long rod and reel he uses on the Texas Gulf Coast. He stood as far aw
ay as he could and slowly lowered the hook. The skunk couldn’t see him because of the solid aluminum piece in the middle. Several times the hubby tried to catch the latch with the hook. I was holding my breath. Finally he caught it and reeled the hook upward and the latch popped and opened. (photo taken after skunk was released. Didn't want to get too close) Hubby slowly laid the rod on the grass and walked several feet away and watched. The skunk turned around and trotted out of the cage and into the woods without spraying that foul stinky scent on anything. Ingenious. I was so proud of the hubby.
So far it’s armadillo 28. Hubby 0, if you don’t count the skunk. But fall has arrived with cooler temperatures and a few showers so he hasn’t watered lately and the little devil has moved on to someone else’s yard.
What’s happening at your house? I’d love to hear some stories.
Thanks,
Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
The Texan’s Bride – Oct ‘11
deep holes. The armor-shelled creature is digging for ants, beetles, worms and other unpleasant little insects
. In the photo below he burrowed into the ground. It’s ruining our lawn so the hubby devised a plan. He was going to trap the armadillo and take him far far away deep into the woods away from houses.He went to Lowe’s and bought a trap. The instructions were to bait it with table scraps, fruit or sardines. Well, I wasn’t giving the armadillo my fruit and we didn’t have any table scarps so he baited it with stinky sardines. Three days went by and nothing. The armadillo rooted all around the trap but didn’t go in it. On the fourth morning my husband came in and said, “I caught something.”
“What?” I asked.
“Come out and see.”
I had on my robe and didn’t want to go out at 7 in the morning, but I did. This is what he caught. A SKUNK!!
I looked at him and he looked at me. ‘How do you plan to get that out of the trap?” I asked.
“I was hoping you’d have a suggestion,” was his response.
“No,” I told him. “I’m going into the house and lock the door and not let you in if you’re all stinky.”
“Thanks,” he called.
I went into the house and made my way to the front bedroom so I could see what he was doing. He got his long rod and reel he uses on the Texas Gulf Coast. He stood as far aw
ay as he could and slowly lowered the hook. The skunk couldn’t see him because of the solid aluminum piece in the middle. Several times the hubby tried to catch the latch with the hook. I was holding my breath. Finally he caught it and reeled the hook upward and the latch popped and opened. (photo taken after skunk was released. Didn't want to get too close) Hubby slowly laid the rod on the grass and walked several feet away and watched. The skunk turned around and trotted out of the cage and into the woods without spraying that foul stinky scent on anything. Ingenious. I was so proud of the hubby.So far it’s armadillo 28. Hubby 0, if you don’t count the skunk. But fall has arrived with cooler temperatures and a few showers so he hasn’t watered lately and the little devil has moved on to someone else’s yard.
What’s happening at your house? I’d love to hear some stories.
Thanks,
Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
The Texan’s Bride – Oct ‘11
8 comments:
My dh has had to trap a family of raccoons, but one made the trip all the way back to our house. It had a funny looking ear, which is how we recognized it. Now we have a groundhog living under our porch, so I sympathize.
Megan,
The raccoon must love your house.LOL I've never seen a groundhog except in pictures. I don't believe we have them here. In February you'll know if we're going to have six more weeks of winter. Maybe your husband will have it trapped by then. Life is interesting, isn't it?
Skunks... oh yeah. we had a family of six living in the culvert under our driveway. And we have a dog. They thought they would wander around the garage to the right... on the dog run path. Dog thought not. They missed him when they sprayed but she almost caught one of them. Now the skunks break to the left, away from the dog, when they wander into the yard. Thank goodness.
Linda, how funny. I'm sure we have more than one around here because we can smell that foul scent every now and then. We have to get a dog. LOL
Every one needs a dog, for sure. My neighbor raises Pyrenees who ate an opposum that ventured into their yard. Wonder if they'd eat an armadillo? I've never seen one except in pictures.
Linda,
I don't think they can because an armadillo can hide in his hard shell, but a dog can sure scare it. Maybe to death. Okay, that wasn't nice.
no skunks or raccoons or armadilos here :) That was too funny Linda and very ingenious on you hubby's part.
Hi Snookie,
That was a scary morning. I had no idea how he was going to get the skunk out without being sprayed. I was so proud he figured it out.
We're glad the armadillo is gone, but the skunk remains.LOL You're so lucky not to have all these pesky critters
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