Do Armadillos Come Out in Winter?

Yes, armadillos come out in winter because they do not hibernate. In Texas and across the southern United States, cold snaps may shift their foraging to warmer afternoons, while a hard freeze can keep them inside their burrows until temperatures rise.

That means fresh holes in late fall or winter are not necessarily old damage. A mild afternoon after several cold days can bring renewed activity, especially where the ground remains easy to dig.

What do armadillos do when it gets cold?

Armadillos have little body fat and no thick coat, so they adjust their routine as temperatures fall. Instead of coming out at night, they may forage during the warmest part of the afternoon. During a hard freeze, they are more likely to remain underground in their burrows.

Once the weather warms, even briefly, they can return to feeding and digging. This stop-and-start pattern explains why a quiet yard during a freeze may show new holes soon afterward.

How do you know it is an armadillo digging?

Look for small, cone-shaped holes where an armadillo has pushed into the soil while searching for food. You may also find rooted-up mulch beds or a burrow opening near a foundation, slab, or shed.

Check several areas before deciding what caused the damage. The combination of hole shape, disturbed mulch, and a nearby travel or burrow path gives you a more useful picture than one mark alone.

Why is your yard a target in winter?

Moist garden beds, mulch, and irrigated lawns can keep grubs and insects within reach when other ground is less workable. To an armadillo, those softer areas offer practical places to forage.

Notice where new digging appears after watering or during a warm spell. A repeated pattern can help you focus your prevention work on the beds and lawn edges receiving the most attention.

How do you keep armadillos out?

Start with the places being disturbed rather than trying to change the entire property at once. A few targeted steps can make favored feeding and burrowing areas harder to use.

• Fence key beds: Add a barrier around frequently disturbed beds and bury it below grade.
• Reduce overwatering: Avoid keeping lawns and beds wetter than necessary.
• Close burrows carefully: Confirm a burrow is empty before closing it.
• Protect structures: Use buried mesh near foundations and sheds where burrowing is a concern.
• Expect warm-spell activity: Be patient and watch for renewed digging when winter temperatures rise.

If you cannot confidently tell whether a burrow is occupied, or if activity is close to a structure, contact a wildlife control professional. Careful identification and humane timing matter more than rushing to close an opening.

Is trapping an option?

Armadillos can be live-trapped. A trap is often placed along a fence line or burrow path, with guide boards helping direct the animal toward the entrance.

Check local trapping and relocation regulations before setting a trap or moving an animal. If you are unsure how to place, monitor, or handle a live trap humanely, a wildlife control professional is the better choice.

How can OcuTrap help with winter armadillo activity?

OcuTrap is a smart, humane box-style live trap for raccoon-size animals and cats. It sends a real-time photo alert at the moment of capture, so you can identify whether the animal is the armadillo you expected or a non-target cat or skunk.

Remote door control from the app lets you release a non-target animal without making a site visit. Cellular connectivity works where Wi-Fi may not reach, including the back of a large lot, and the same app can monitor any number of traps across properties.

Stop the digging with a humane plan and know the moment the digger is caught. See how smart live-capture monitoring works at ocutrap.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can armadillos damage a lawn during a warm winter spell?

Yes. Armadillos remain active through southern winters and may resume foraging when temperatures rise after a cold period. Fresh cone-shaped holes, disturbed mulch, or digging near a burrow path can appear during these warmer windows, even if the yard was quiet during a hard freeze.

What time of day are armadillos active in winter?

Cold weather can push armadillo activity into the warmest part of the afternoon instead of at night. During a hard freeze, they may remain inside their burrows. When temperatures rise again, they can return to digging, so daytime activity in winter is possible.

Should you seal an armadillo burrow during winter?

Only close a burrow after confirming that it is empty. Sealing an occupied opening is not a humane solution. If the burrow is near a foundation, slab, or shed, or you cannot determine whether an animal is inside, ask a wildlife control professional to assess it.

Can another animal enter a trap set for an armadillo?

Yes. A live trap set along an armadillo path may capture a non-target animal such as a cat or skunk. Real-time identification and prompt response are important. Check local trapping and relocation regulations before setting a trap, and use a wildlife control professional if you cannot manage captures safely and humanely.