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Armadillo Removal in Columbus
An armadillo can turn a good lawn over in a single night, and the burrows go under concrete.
Armadillos have been moving up the Chattahoochee corridor for years and are now routine in Columbus lawns. The burrow under a porch slab or a foundation footing is the expensive part.
Armadillos in Muscogee County: who does what
Columbus Animal Care and Control sits inside the Special Enforcement Division of the Consolidated Government, and its published remit is the Animal and Fowl Ordinance: rabies vaccination compliance, animal registration, bite quarantines, cruelty investigations and a shelter that takes in roughly 8,400 stray, abandoned and surrendered animals a year. That is a domestic animal workload from end to end. A raccoon in a roof is not in it.
For identifying an animal or damage before anyone is paid to look, the UGA Extension, Muscogee County office (Columbus Consolidated Government) is at 1111 1st Avenue, 1st Floor, Columbus, GA 31901, 706-225-4200 (office page).
What Georgia law says about armadillos
Armadillos are on Georgia’s short statutory list of nongame animals that may be taken by any lawful method, but it is unlawful to keep a live one. Local firearm ordinances still apply in town. All Georgia rules →
Sources: Georgia DNR: Nuisance Wildlife Control study material (O.C.G.A. 27 and permit conditions); Georgia DNR: preventing wildlife conflicts; Columbus Consolidated Government, Animal Care and Control. Checked October 2026.
Signs, and why they matter
- Dozens of shallow cone-shaped holes across the lawn, appearing overnight
- Lifted or rolled-back turf where they have rooted for grubs
- A burrow entrance about 7–10 inches wide beside a slab, driveway or foundation
- Burrows undermining driveways, patios, slabs and foundation edges
- Repeated and expensive lawn damage
How removal works
Armadillos are poor candidates for bait trapping; they are after live grubs, not bait. Removal relies on directional trapping along travel routes and burrow entrances, then exclusion fencing dug in and angled outward.
Groundhogs in Columbus
A confirmed groundhog is worth a second look this far south. Burrow damage in Columbus is more often an armadillo, and the two are dealt with differently.
Groundhogs are on Georgia’s statutory list of nongame animals that may be taken by any lawful method, but a live one may not be kept. Licensed operators may handle them by all lawful methods.
Trapping and removal, then collapsing and backfilling the burrow system and fitting a dug-in barrier. Leaving the tunnels open invites the next occupant.
Armadillo questions
How much does armadillo removal cost in Columbus?
$250 – $550 typical, depending on access and whether young are present. After a long stay in an attic the cleanup is often the bigger bill (attic restoration).
Is there a wrong time of year to deal with armadillos?
Year-round in the Deep South, worst in warm wet spells when grubs are near the surface.
Request a quote
We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Columbus where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.