I caught me one! I caught me one! I finally caught one of those nasty armadillos!
I borrowed a live-trap, but you can't bait them with anything because nothing works on armadillos. Their favorite food is earth worms, and they only like them live. Plus they are too stupid to hunt, they only walk around till they smell something then dig (worse than moles!)
I went out the other day and found a couple holes that looked like armadillo burrows. And set the trap by an old chicken house, but I think there were too many exit holes from under there. You have to set it right in their pathway, and they're supposed to be stupid enough to just walk right in. I tried to set it to funnel them in, like you do cattle with panels to the calf-shute.
About 8 that night, Squirt was barking and when I went out I saw her chase one under the porch at the empty house next door. The next day I moved my trap over there. I had to stuff old boards in the other holes I found around there, didn't want them using the back door or anything! And sure enough, about 8 last night Squirt starts barking again, this time at the critter in the cage! Yippee! Now if there weren't a dozen more to catch, I'd be ecstatic.
Oh, I'm so proud of myself. Now I have to find someone to take it away and bring the trap back (Marty won't be home till after dark tonight) I know, it's kind of like fishing when you're too girly to clean your own fish ~ but that's one less vermin to dig holes all over my yard. I'm not going to do anything with it, it makes growling-grunting-huffing noises when I get close and it's creepy.
Hope I can catch more; I know they're here, my yard looks like tiny land mines went off all over it.
Make sure it leaves town by quite a few miles. I am only 3 blocks away from you. South, that is. Go north.
Joanna, Don says that when you're finished with your yard, you can come and trap the pesky vermin that we have here. They are a nuisance! Ever try mowing your yard with all those "land mines?" For the past few years, we've been seeing lots of dead armadillos along the roadsides. (roadkill) and wonder just where the buzzards are.
They do seem to have been very busy already this year, they live in the empty house next to us, have often thought about throwing some bug bombs in there but then they would probably move into our crawl space and I would like that even less. I wonder if moth balls would send them far away :-\ :o :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Sorry Teresa, has the perfume lessened any yet?
That's funny MarineMom. I read that armadillos have an extreemely powerful sense of smell and they hate bad odors. It made me think of mothballs too, but because I was forwarned by Teresa's 'mothball incident', I knew better than to try scattering them around. ;D Besides, that would have probably just chased them down the street and then Wilma would be after me!
Some of the things I read about them suggested spraying vinegar or amonia around the garden, but what's the point of having a nice garden if the stink keeps you out as well as the armadillos??? And vinegar and amonia probably aren't good plant food either ::)
Now it just occurred to me that the only good thing about skunks is that they'd chase the armadillos away. Okay, it definitely would not be a good trade...
Anyhow, I got my empty trap back and set up again. Don't know if I'll be as lucky a second time, but I'm going to try. I read they have 4 offspring a year so I figure there's probably quite a few around here (I know they were here last year too)
Thank you, Joanna, for thinking of me. I don't think there are any armadillos around here, but something has been digging small, shallow holes around the yard. Like maybe they are sampling or testing.
I have crocuses blooming this morning. Been waiting since last November for them.
Garsh, I always thought the little 'dillos were cute. Dumb as a door knob, but cute. Of course, I'm one of those weirdos who actually like opposums. Go figger.
The funniest thing I've heard about armadillos is how they kill themselves under a passing car. They don't move fast enough to get out of the way, so it's pretty easy to avoid hitting one. But when you drive over it, it gets scared and jumps up....cracking its noggin on the bottom of the car, which kills it. Now THAT'S DUMB!
Coyotes, armadillos....are you sure we're in Kansas and not Texas?
Coyotes we've always had as far back as I can remember and that is quite a ways. But armadilloes were nonexistent in Kansas. I can't remember exactly when I saw my first one. We were on hiway 99 about halfway between Severy and Eureka. A semi in front of us stopped and the driver got out and went around in front of his truck. Then I saw what he was doing. He was checking to be sure that what he was seeing was an armadillo. It toddled off the side of the road and the truck driver got back into his truck, shaking his head. This was before 1979.
Joanna, You should have just gone over to Donnie Helms and had him shoot the stupid thing in the head. That way we would know that it would not come back. They are slimy things. I hate them.
I did check Janet, but he wasn't home. Gone duck hunting or ice fishing or whatever it's the season for today...
Today I caught a bunny rabbit. I know some folks don't like them, but I do (I'll probably change my mind when I get a garden up and going). Marty let it go before he left for work. Guess I'll try to find a different burrow to set the trap on today.
Good news, Joanna. According to my 1967 World Book Encyclopedia, and I quote,"The flesh of all armadillos is good to eat." Try telling them that they are going to be lunch one day if they don't clear out.
Or better yet, start a new fad, organize Armadillo hunting parties, and sell the meat as a delicacy in some other part of the country. Who knows......those rich folks back east (or the Californians) may pay $100 a lb. for that!
Hmmmn, I might that hunting party. For a price of course.
You gals are nuts! That would rank right up there with possum stew, cow brains & fish eggs for me. Not eatin' it no matter how good anyone tells me it is.
Anyhow, armadillos carry leprosy! (here's a webpage about it, you may have to copy or type it in your search box...) http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990219.html
I'm sure they don't all have it; after all, skunks carry rabies too, but we mostly worry about their stink.
I could set up an armadillo bar-b-que next time I catch one though. The way I burn things, THAT smell would certainly chase them away...
Rest assured, I am not about to go out and grab hold of an armadillo or a skunk or a possum or coon or anything wild. Me and Bud are just going to stay inside where we are safe.
Well, let me give you all a shock. I have tasted armadillo. One of my officers who likes to hunt will hunt those stupid things and barbeque them up. He brought some to work one day. Greasy nasty stuff. He and his family like it. I tasted it. I won't taste it again.
Good morning, Joanna. Have you run your trap line yet?
Maybe someone needs to invent a calling device for armadillos, get a patent on the device, and make a fortune off of it! If they already have, I've never heard of it. Meanwhile, ....."here dillie, dillie, dillie.......(softly under your breath---c'mere you stupid, slimy things)......here... dillie, dillie, dillie" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Didn't you know that's how some people make their money, is by getting somewhat nutty? If my ship ever came in, I was always at the wrong port!
Joanna, you need to hire Lois immediately to come call out your dillies.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: I'm afraid she couldn't afford my fees!!!! And I do not come with any guarantees. :laugh: :laugh: But I can come armed with an air pistol and use those "boogers" for target practice!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Well, I'm thinking that Lois and I could join up as a team. She could call 'em, I could trap 'em, and Wilma could be in charge of selling them to some fancy eatin' joint in the big city. We'll all be rich!
But who's going to be in charge of "dressin' 'em out?" It ain't gonna be me!!!!! Or are they going to be advertised as "fresh from the field?" (Good thing I've already eaten, as this could ruin anyone's appetite)
That sounds good to me. We could just sell them on the hoof, foot, claw or whatever they are called on the dillies. Or maybe we could get a volunteer to dress them out. I wonder what it would cost to ship them live.
Wilma, I hadn't thought about that part... Yech! I'm not dressing them out either. I don't have a big enough can opener to get inside that armor anyhow.
But, I'm sure you are right and they'd need to be sold on the hoof to provide the freshest possible product. Maybe you could check into mailing them out ~ like they do the chicks in Spring.
As an offshoot business, maybe someone else on the Forum could build dillo tanks for the restaurants to display them ~ like they do lobsters ~ and folks could choose their own dinner.
Whaddya think Lois, are we getting nutty enough to make money yet???
Joanna and Wilma, I'm going to have to forego this business venture for the next couple of weeks anyway, or if you and WIlma would like to proceed, feel free to do so. :) A few weeks ago I had a case of cough/cold, and finally got rid of it. Then about 10 days ago, Don came down with it, and he's still "barking at the coyotes" then yesterday afternoon, I started coming down with it again, and this evening I'm not up to callin' the "dillos" :'( So, if you want to find someone else for the job, go ahead :)
AW, shucks, Lois, if you are feelin' poorly, reckon as to how we can wait fer you to get back on your feet. Meanwhile, Joanna can just transport and free any critters she catches as long as she doesn't come south with them.
You know, I know an onery person (hmm, hmm) that saw a dead armadillo in the road and knew that this road was traveled on by many other friends. So this person put on gloves, turned the armadillo over on its back and propped a beer can in its claws/feet and just waited and watched. Wouldn't pay much, but we could come up with other substitue items for any "dead ones" to have a hold of. We could always sell them to be placed in people's front lawns or something. (Sorry about the sick humor.) Just thinking of other business ventures for our ingenious forum members.
Hey I think you can sell any thing. I read where some peoplle from western Kansas sold tumble weeds on E-bay. I also saw on tv that some guy here in the US was raising giant rabbits. They were 20 some pounds. He said the gaovenment of China was knocking on his door wanting to buy them for a fast growing food source. Dillie Dillies seem to populate fast too????
You're right Marjean, people will sell (and buy) anything!
I just caught another rabbit today. He was sure happy to get free! I know they're rodents and I shouldn't be so soft-hearted, but that's life.
I moved my trap to another "trail" out near a building. I haven't seen any armadilllos for a couple nights, but it's hard to believe that the one I caught was the only one. Maybe the bunnies hate them as much as I do and they ran 'em off! (Bunny Mercenaries, another marketing idea???)
I'll keep trying for a few days just to be sure. Thanks for all the moral support ::)
Okay - so y'all got me curious and I checked out eBay.
Someone's selling a stuffed armadillo: Item # 260091544122 (with a bid already)
and a couple of people are selling post cards with pictures of armadillos: Item # 320057948274 and Item # 150019986383.
Then there are several armadillo-shaped purses (such as Item # 180090120355)
Christmas cards (Item # 160025799823)
and . . .
Armadillo in a can (Item # 270088222456) - ewwww!!!
I'd post the actual links, but I don't know how to make a "short link" to the auctions.