Porcupine

Get to the “point”…

The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), or “quilly-pig” is the second largest rodent in North America. Its name is derived from the old French word porcespin, which means thorn pig. The animal is notorious for its defense - rows of sharp quills which line the back of the neck down to the animal’s tail.

Monadnock Pest & Wildlife deploys several control tactics for managing porcupine conflict - including exclusion/eviction services to remove porcupines from a building or structure, as well as trapping and translocation services to completely remove the individual(s) from the property. With well over a decade of porcupine handling and trapping experience, we’re ready to discuss your porcupine control options.

Appearance:

Porcupines tend to be slow-moving creatures, with rows of long hair guarding hundreds of white and black quills. Head-to-tail length is between 2.0 to 4.0 feet, including tail. Weight ranges from 7.7 to 39.7 lbs. and size varies with maturity and gender. Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. Body shape tends to be stocky.

Habitat & Diet:

In New Hampshire, porcupines are commonly found in coniferous and mixed forested areas, making their dens in hollow trees or in rocky areas. They favor forest land and hemlock groves close to agricultural lands such as apple orchards or corn fields. This often leads to conflict with produce growers as porcupines will readily and aggressively feed on apples and ears of corn, and have a tendency to girdle valuable trees. In the forest, porcupines will feed on tree bark, and tend to favor the succulent buds and twigs at the ends of select branches. Common foods also include roots, berries, conifer needles and other vegetation. Porcupines are selective in their eating; for example out of every 1,000 trees in the Catskill Mountains, porcupines will only eat from 1-2 linden trees and one big toothed aspen.

Breeding & Behavior:

Porcupines are nearsighted and often slow-moving. They are mainly nocturnal. Porcupines do not hibernate, but tend to stay close to their dens in winter. They posses an ability to learn complex mazes and remember pathways as much as a hundred days afterward. This uncanny memory often heightens the tenacity of conflict with humans as porcupines find their way back to the location of agricultural crops long after a previous visit.

Porcupines are solitary except during the fall when breeding season begins. At this time, females secrete a thick mucus which mixes with their urine. The resulting odor attracts males in the vicinity. Males fight each other for the right to mate. Once successful, a spray of urine is used to court the female, and the chemical reaction allows the female to fully enter estrus. During mating, the skin will tighten to hold their quills flat, so as not to injure each other.

Pregnancy lasts for 202 days, at which point birth is comprised of a single young - known as a porcupette. Quills harden soon after birth. Full adult weight isn’t attained until the end of the second summer. Female porcupines provide all parental care. After two weeks, juveniles learn to climb trees and start to forage on their own, but will remain with their maternal parent for up to four months.

Life expectancy can be as many as 30 years of age. Common causes of mortality include falling out of trees, depredation, and vehicle strikes.

Defense & Quills:

Porcupines have specific behaviors to warn or defend against a predatory threat. The porcupine has a distinct and strong odor, likened to human body odor, which it can secrete when agitated. They will often use their teeth to make a warning, clacking sound. When threatened, the porcupine turns its rear to the would-be attacker, which is lined with hollow barbed quills. An adult porcupine can hold 30,000 quills on its body (with exception of the underbelly, face, and feet). These quills are modified hairs which easily penetrate and become embedded in an attacker’s skin. Each quill contains microscopic barbs which provide extra hold. These barbs will often cause continued penetration of the quill with the flexing of the muscle in which it is embedded. When approached, the porcupine can swing its tail at an attacker's face.

Despite the popular myth, the porcupine does not throw or shoot its quills.

Porcupines are equipped with antibiotics in their skin, which prevent infection if a porcupine falls out of a tree and is stuck with its own quills upon hitting the ground.

Nuisance characteristics:

Porcupines may cause conflict with humans in both rural and suburban settings. As a rodent, their desire to gnaw in an attempt to wear down front teeth can cause property damage. Their attraction to salt makes them an immense problem for homeowners as they gnaw on the stain finish of log and cedar homes as well as items covered in road salt such as boots left outside, or vehicle tires:

• Harborage under sheds, crawlspaces, porches, decks and other structures.

• Waste accumulation as a result of structure harborage, most notably barns.

• Damage to agricultural produce and trees.

• Conflict with house-pets due to their quills.

  
  

Having trouble with porcupines? If you live in southern New Hampshire, we’re ready to assist - contact Monadnock Pest & Wildlife today for a worry-free inspection and estimate to assist with moving your resident porcupines along!