Armadillo Live Traps: Wooden Box Trap vs Wire Cage Trap
There are two common kinds of armadillo live trap: the wire cage trap sold for many animals, and the wooden box trap built for armadillos. In a Mississippi State University field study, the wooden trap caught 23 armadillos to the cage trap's 3. The Armadillo Trap is the wooden trap from that study, handmade in South Mississippi and shipped nationwide.
- Handmade in the USA
- Free shipping
- 90 day money-back guarantee
Wire cage trap vs wooden box trap
Both hold an armadillo alive. Only one is built around how armadillos find their way: by smell.
| Wire cage trap | Wooden box trap (The Armadillo Trap) | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | General use: raccoons, opossums, cats and armadillos | Armadillos, holding adults up to 25 lb |
| Material | Galvanized wire mesh | 3/4 inch ACQ treated plywood, galvanized steel hardware, 30 screws driven by hand |
| Holds armadillo scent | No. Metal does not absorb odor. | Yes. The wood soaks up scent and holds it, and every catch adds more. |
| Bait or guides | Needs boards or fencing to funnel the animal in | Scented model: neither. Unscented model: guides until the first catch. |
| Size | About 10 x 12 x 32 inches for the cage trap used in the Georgia bait study | 32 x 12 x 12 inches, 30 lb, ships fully assembled |
| Doors | Varies by model, one or two doors | Two gravity doors with an adjustable trigger pedal |
| Field result (Mississippi State, 2009) | 3 armadillos | 23 armadillos |
What the Mississippi State study did
In 2009, Mississippi State University compared the two trap types in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Researchers looked for armadillo sign such as fresh digging, tracks and sightings. At each site they set one wooden trap and one standard cage trap less than 20 meters apart, with positions assigned at random so neither trap got the better spot. Sites were more than 225 meters apart so each one counted on its own.
The traps ran April 3 to June 7, May 23 to July 28, and October 3 to November 30, and were checked daily. The wooden traps caught 23 armadillos and the cage traps caught 3.
Why the trap material matters
Armadillos see poorly and find food, and each other, by smell. They communicate by scent, so a trap that smells like an armadillo is one they will walk into. Wire cannot hold that scent, which is why cage traps depend on bait or on boards that steer the animal in. Bait does little for armadillos: a University of Georgia study of 11 baits and lures found baited cage traps did no better than empty ones (see what that study found about armadillo bait).
Customers who leave the trap in one shaded spot tend to catch the most.
Scented or unscented?
Both models are identical in construction. The only difference is the scent.
The #1 Best Selling Scented Wooden Armadillo Trap
$229.95$269.00
- Pre-treated with armadillo scent
- No bait and no guide boards needed
- Most customers catch their first armadillo within 1 to 7 days
Unscented Wooden Armadillo Trap
$139.95
- Same construction as the scented trap
- Use guide boards until the first catch scents it
- A lower-cost second trap for large properties
Need a spare? A replacement door kit is available if a door is ever damaged.
Is a live trap humane?
A live trap holds the animal unharmed until you decide what to do with it, as long as you check it.
Check every morning
Armadillos are active at night, mostly between midnight and dawn, so morning is when you will find one.
Going away?
If you will be gone more than two or three days, close the doors and prop one slightly open with a piece of wood.
Leave it in the trap
Do not handle an armadillo with bare hands. It is a wild animal and can carry disease.
Release 5+ miles away
Carry the trap to a wooded area at least 5 miles from your property and open the door. Armadillos have strong homing instincts.
Where to set an armadillo live trap
Whichever trap you use, placement decides most of your success. Set it on a path the armadillo already uses.
- In front of an active burrow
- Along a fence line
- At the edge of a bed it has been digging in
- Next to fresh holes in the lawn
Caught a raccoon, opossum or other animal by mistake? Open the door on the far side of the trap and step away so it can leave on its own.
The trap from the Mississippi State study
Handmade wooden armadillo traps, built and inspected one at a time in South Mississippi and shipped free.
Sources: Mississippi State University field study, Chickasaw County, 2009 (summary); University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Circular 889-3 (revised August 2024). Prices shown are live from the store. Last reviewed October 2026.