Don't Touch That Armadilla.... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Mistress · #1 04-28-2011, 08:08 AM

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-leprosy-armadillos-20110428,0,7639041.story

elchivito · #2 04-28-2011, 11:31 AM

This is going to put a serious dent in the Texas food supply.

Pooka · #3 04-28-2011, 12:15 PM

People who live in the south, the rural south, have known this for many years.

During the Great Depression a lot of people ate them. They were called 'Hoover Hogs' in honor of President Hoover.

One of the last Leper Colonies in the US was in Louisiana because that was where a lot of people suffered from this condition.

lutzTD · #4 04-28-2011, 02:50 PM

I have one under my house right now. We found it on the last round of bug spraying. they are really hard to trap because they are blind and arent attracted to bait. I have a trap out now but you have to figure a way to lead them into it just with fencing. I guess I need to try a little harder and be careful when I do catch him.

Pooka · #5 04-28-2011, 02:53 PM

Be careful is right. These things can tear up a steel ball. The fact that their vision is poor causes them to either roll up in a ball or to go nuts when they are picked up.

And you never know which it will be.

Pooka · #6 04-28-2011, 02:54 PM

By the way....

They tear up a lot of lawns in Texas because they can smell Grub worms and they dig a giant hole to catch them.

WVOtoGO · #7 04-28-2011, 04:41 PM

... or wife.... get bored....

Here's a "fun" way to catch ‘dillos in open pastures:

Get a pick-up truck.
Get an old bed mattress or thick foam sheet and put it in the truck bed with the tail gate open.
Flip a coin to see who drives and who grabs.
The grabber lays face down on the mattress with their arms hanging off the tailgate of the truck such that they can (almost) touch the ground. Big 4x4 trucks are not good for this. Grabber must be wearing gloves and safety glasses. Goggles work best. The grabber lays off the tailgate enough to be able to see up under the truck.

Drive around in the pasture until a ‘dillo is spotted.
The driver runs up over the ‘dillo while the grabber is watching (upside down up the bottom of the truck).
When the ‘dillo gets within grabbing range, the grabber does just that and flings the ‘dillo over their back and into the bed of the truck.

This is a blast when the ‘dillo is running full speed.
This is not a blast if the ‘dillo turns and gets under a tire, as the grabber often gets a face full of ‘dillo guts.

When doing this with petite girls (Darby, Shelby, their friends...) as the grabber (or if large quantities of alcohol have been consumed prior), it is recommended that someone be in the bed with them to sit on or hold their legs to keep them from flipping out of the bed of the truck over rough terrain. MX helmets are a good idea too.

I want grab reports Randy !!
You know you're gonna try this !!

cjlipps · #8 04-28-2011, 04:56 PM

That's awesome! "Hold my beer and watch this!"

Those things can tear up a lawn in no time and will make large burrows to which they flee when threatened. I've had them in the yard and I just punch a .22" hole in them and let them self-bury. Over the years they have worked their way Northward and are very common in my parts now.

WVOtoGO · #9 04-28-2011, 05:07 PM

It’s a billion laughs for sure.

Most definitely a beer thing, and what we do when alcohol prevents the .223 / helicopter / hog thing. Which is a whole ‘nuther kind’o fun.
The state’s even thinking about making it legal !!

cmac2012 · #10 04-28-2011, 05:34 PM

I've led a deprived existance. I've never seen one in the flesh. Round here we have racoons and possums.

I grew up in NM but they must not be around those parts.

But if they're that potentially mean, what do you do with them in the bed of the pickup truck?

WVOtoGO · #11 04-28-2011, 05:47 PM

I've never seen one that mean.
Usually they either roll up or run right back off the tail gate and you get to do it all over again.

We often have someone else in the bed to grab them, and/or a 55 gal. drum we fling them into when we want to relocate them. Not really into killing them as they don't cause the ground damage the hogs do. So, we take them off a mile or so and let them go in the woods.

The property with the runway is fenced for the hogs and deer but the 'dillos (and other little creatures) still get in. Nasty when you hit one with the main gear. If you get one between the main tires you can fling them up into the wing or flap and do some damage. Down right dangerous if you hit them with the nose gear at speed.

cmac2012 · #12 04-28-2011, 06:15 PM

Damn, done in by a 'dillo would be hard to take. I almost hit a deer in the car once but that's as close as I've come to that kind of mayhem.

I guess we can be grateful that wild hogs don't impart leprosy. Ever kill and eat one of those? I've heard mixed reports - some have it that wild hog bacon is way better than farm raised, others the reverse. I'd like to try to take a few of those large rats someday.

The pickup dillo thing sounds fun.

I can see why you'd want to relocate 'em. Probably not even good for dog food.