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Call for questions: PORCUPINES (Patreon)

Published:
2024-11-21 22:42:25
Edited:
2024-11-21 22:45:53
Imported:
2026-06

Content

We're squeezing in another rodent interview this weekend and need some questions for a porcupine expert! I'm excited to interview this ologist; a listener recommended him and said he had "fantastic insight" like "porcupines in different regions have different 'cultures.'" WHAAAAT?! Comment your porcupine questions quick!

Deadline: Friday, November 22 at 7pm PST

 

Comments

RJ Doidge

HOW did they evolve to be nature’s pin cushion? WHO HURT YOU

Aurora Cullen

How long do quills take to grow back?

Sami

How long does it take for a baby porcupine to have pointy quills!!! They surely can’t be born with them pointy!

Yuri

Could they be taught to use talking buttons????? (Beauty without the b)

Kristin

Why do porcupines have such big squishy noses?

Spicy Native

So do they sleep together? If so, how do they cuddle eachother? Little hand holds? Tummy to tummy? Feet to feet? I must know.

Average_pi

What do porcupines social lives look like?

SuchaHotMetz

Ive heard porcupines make happy eating sounds (which is the best thing in the world). Do porcupines also sound cute when they are mad?

Aubrey Nelson

What is their fur composition like? To the have an undercoat with the spines poking out? Is their fur rough or soft?

Zed Shirogane

Do they regrow the spines that they loose during altercations, or is it just a one and done deal?

L. Wink

As a crafter Porcupine Quills are useful as tools and as part of craft materials. What is the best legal way to get them?

Matt Ceccato

What is a porcupine's favorite food?

Scientifically Lily

Where in the United States are porcupines native to ? (If anywhere in US)

Potato Puffer

I’m just finding this out right now.

Mooseperson

I recently had someone mention that their dogs have had multiple unfortunate encounters with porcupines and that apparently porcupines are riddled with parasites? They’re so cute tho. Is this true?!

Alex

First time question asker so I will ask them all: why do they sleep in trees? What are they? Who are they? What do they eat? How did their spiky defenses evolve? How do I keep my dogs from getting a face full of quills? How many varieties are there (and are there tiny ones)?

Charlotte Short

I grew up being told they could fire their quills at you. Surely this isn’t true? Also, do they wander out into the road to warm up their bellies?

Charlotte Parkinson

It might be stupid, but do their quills grow back? Or is a bald porcupine running around somewhere?

Findlay Munro

Are quills purely a physical defence or do any porcupines employ secretions/coatings that make the quills even more dangerous? Could porcupines essentially evolve a venom or purposefully coat quills to add to their defence?

Annalise De Young

IM SO EXCITED. What is porcupine childhood/adolescence like? Like how old are they when they get their quills? (And is that painful??) How long do they hang out with their parents? Do they coparent, or is momma pine on her own?

Scientifically Lily

Day in the life of a porcupine ? Or night ? Idk if they’re nocturnal lol

Olga

oh my god where do i even start. How and why did they evolve to have spikes on them? What is their purpose in the ecosystem? thank you!

Kayla Meyer

What is the mechanics of when they shoot quills out? Is it like how cats can retract their claws?

A Laura Borealis

Do they have an unlimited supply of quills to shoot out? Or is it like a stinger, like a one-time use sitch

daniel schmaniel

are old world and new world porcupines an example of convergent evolution, like crabs, or are they just distantly related?

Lauren Miller

First time question asker 💚 How long can their quills grow? What are their quills made of?

Jonathan Hicks

Is it painful for a mama porcupine to give birth? How many quills does a baby porcupine have?

Kelly Shaver

I've read that they are really social and that porcupines in rescues or zoo outreach programs are great with kids and other animals. I have to admit that they look cuddly, but should I be worried about the quills?

Scientifically Lily

Are humans harming porcupines unintentionally? If so how can we protect them

Lizzy Martinez

How's their eyesight? And what's their snoot power like?

Kelly Shaver

Are porcupines a concerning vector for zoonotic diseases?

Jenny Leigh

Unfortunately, when I see them, it's as roadkill. Other than not driving vehivehicles, is there anything humans can do to avoid hitting them?

Zuleika Pevec

Out on the Appalachian Trail one hears stories of hikers’ leather boots being completely eaten by porcupines; and many shelter have metal surrounds to protect them from the voracious critters. Why do they eat boots and destroy wooden structures?

Taters Schmitty

Why don't we have porcupines in California?

T Noz

Do ‘pines hibernate? Can they actually “throw” their quills at will or just detach when coming in contact with prey (or someone who is unfortunate enough to come in contact with one)?

Colby Evans

aren't they little walking 'jumping cacti' since they don't actually shoot quills? cactus just come apart easy to stick it to you, just like the quills

Chris Curious

Why are their needles so hard to pluck out?

Anthony Richards

Do they lose and grow new quills, or do they have the same ones there whole life?

Katherine Vela

What are the quills made of? My guess is just keratin like rhino horns?

Cooper Michael

Is there any folklore or mythology around porcupines?!

Simone Francoeur

I've worked with multiple porcupines (Prehensile Tailed and African Crested) and love looking at how they are all so different, yet still have very similar qualities/attitudes. In your opinion, which species of porcupine has the most fascinating and/or unique adaptations, that might not be seen on other porcupine species? Or a cool adaptation across most porcupine species that isn't commonly seen in other animals?

Renee Mayer

Is it true they eat antlers to get enough nutrients to grow their quills?

Greg Walloch

Do they like/tolerate/dislike humans?

Kayla Whyte

What level are they in their ecosystem? Keystone species? Bottom of the barrel? Murderous fiends?

Katherine Vela

How do the quills regenerate? Is it similar to human hair follicles just much tougher? Also can they ‘feel’ things through their quills as if they are a sensory input?

Katherine Vela

Are they found in both the old world and new world or do hedgehogs have the old world market cornered?

Scarlet P

do porcupine quills have nerves? Can their quills feel or sense anything?

Robin Stumbo

ooh is it true that their quills have a fatty acid that acts as an antibiotic (because they often fall out of trees and accidentally quill themselves)?

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

Prehensile tails! Just grabbin stuff right and left. How did that evolve? Are they related to monkeys with prehensile tails? It doesn't seem to match with their pointy little bodies. Also, that absolutely pillowy cream bun of a nose! What's going on there?

winn

Are they loners or do they live in cute lil porcupine families?

T Noz

Different “cultures”? Are some MAGA? A terrifying thought.

Maria Whamond

Could their spikes kill a human or is this an irrational fear!!!

winn

in case my q gets picked it’s pronounced Cost (rhymes with most)- an- teenee

Maria Whamond

How do they mate without getting spiked by their quills??!!!

Dawn B

FTQA: Okay, so I know the answer to this question is 'No, they don't'. But what I need to know is whether I was the only one who spent most of their life (ahem 4 decades) believing that porcupines shot their quills when they felt threatened.... Sonic the hedgehog style. Please validate me.

Robin Stumbo

also re: porcupines in media, one of my favorite books as a kid was called poppy (a surprisingly dark book about a mouse who avenges her boyfriend after he's killed by an owl), and there's a porcupine named errol who's a very grumpy (but secretly kind) critter.

Guido

Are crested porcupines really related to porcupines?

Anna Dylan

Why do dogs always get porcupined? (Like they get quills in them)

Verena Runstadler

Do they shed their quills through the seasons? Also why do they like salt?

Justin Bowen

Since Allie's guests seem to love talking about reproduction, is there anything crazy going on? Corkscrews? Vaginal quills? Storing sperms in weird places? Do they spray their fluids everywhere like fish? Heck, how in the hell does it even happen in the first place with all of those quills everywhere?

Annie Deaderick

Do the quills have any kind of substance in them or on them that injects into their victims?

Savannah McGuire

Why don't porcupines live in the Southeastern US?

Emmett M Wald

Why do they move like they weren’t designed as land animals? What’s with the swimmy waddle? Is it their skeletons or their spikes or what??

Kara Kopchinski

What do they feel like if you pet them? Also, are they related to pangolins at all?

Kurt Swanson

I have also heard this! I want to know where this idea came from!

Lynette Dávila

Does it hurt when they loose a quill to an attack?

Madeline Adams

I've seen stories of animals getting in fights with porcupines and the worry is that the quills will eventually work their way under the skin.... How does this work?

Jalene Tangen

Do they have any natural predators? Obviously, cars could be considered a predator but are there any animals that naturally hunt them?

Caitlin Morrison

Are their quills regenerative? Do their quills work against other porcupines?

Diana Staresinic-Deane

Can they still be found in Kansas? I've read they're native here, but I have yet to see one despite hiking and traveling all over this state.

Nina Eve Z.

Why are they? Also why so cute but dangerous? Does it hurt them to lose their quills?

Sheepan

Please please please. are their noses as soft and squishy as they look?

Kathleen C

Are quills modified hairs? Do they have soft hairs in addition to their quills?

DrWhitr

Can you boop the snoot? How many snoots have you booped? Is there a strategy for snoot booping?

Will

I once met a porcupine when I was volunteering at the zoo who only drank bottled water. He had developed a taste for it, and refused to drink anything else. He even refused to drink if his handlers filled a used bottle of water with tap water and then made a show of filling up his bowl with that bottle. Are all porcupines this discerning, or was this guy special?

Evan Davis

Why do they look like a friend, but not a friend? :(

jangonator

Can porcupines be domesticated?

Isa Brillard

I once was camping and there were a few porcupines up in a tree squeaking away. At one point we heard a thud and one had fallen from the tree; are they particularly clumsy? How is their social life structured? Do they live in families or solo dolo? How many quills do they have on on average? Are they born soft or spiky?

Chris Moore

1. I heard through the grapevine that porcupines are extending their geographic ranges southward. Is that true? If so, what’s the deal? 2. I’ve been living in Maine for 7 years and have seen probably a few hundred porcupine roadkills 😖 How do I see one alive in the wild? I would ❤️ to!

Jennifer Lemon

How quickly/easily can they regrow quills?

Tim McCollow

Saw Teddy Bear, the talking rescue porcupine on IG. Do they talk to each other? Are they unusually verbally expressive, like dogs?

Nikki Matlock

Have you heard of Cinder? Our local porcupine, that was rescued by West Texas Wildlife in Amarillo Texas?! She was seriously burned by the large wildfire we had this year in the surrounding areas. She unfortunately lost her pup probably due to the stress. However, she is a delight! You should definitely look her up, if you haven’t. Also, I’m a huge fan of rodents; thank you for shining light on this some of these incredible species!!

mish the fish

is henrietta an appropriate name for a porcupine?

Rebecca Morrison

FTQA: my 6 y/o Violet wants to know…why do they even have quills? Can they lay down or do they poke themselves? How do they keep clean with all those quills?

Cheryl Buettner

How long does it take after birth for a baby porcupine to develop hardened quills? They certainly did not come out of mom like that.

Blair C

They don’t???

Lauren Cooper

Do they ever accidentally stick themselves or each other? How do they mate?

Matt Thompson

Why do porcupines love getting into cars? I've heard people bringing chickenwire for camping in places like alaska to keep porcupines out from under their cars

Emily Krieger

What's a porcupine's personality like --- do they have a vibe? Nervous? Irritable? Curious? Chill?

Cynthia Cinnabar

I have always loved the prehensile-tailed porcupine, but I only ever saw them in zoos. How do they use their prehensile tails? How did they evolve?

Zuleika Pevec

How fast do their teeth grow? Are they rodents who have to keep chewing?

Meg

How did porcupines evolve to have quills? Why are they called quills? Was the porcupine quill named after the quill pen or the quill pen named after the porcupine or neither?!

Anastasia Doherty

Who are the predators of porcupines, and how?!?!

Madeline Adams

What does a porcupine look like without quills??

Mallory Avery

(How) are porcupines related to hedgehogs and echidnas? Did they all independently develop their spikiness? Are their spikes different?

Erin White

1: What is their collective noun? 2: They can't *really* shoot quills... can they? 3: How is it sometimes safe to pet them? 4: What do their tiny hands feel like?

Mallory Avery

Also, my dad has a story of a porcupine eating the wires on the underside of his truck when parked in the woods... but only the blue wires. Is there something to that?

Mouse Paxton

Porcupines!!!! I'm obviously a big fan of all rodents lmao Where do porcupines "live?" Do they have dens underground or do they make nests in trees? What predators do porcupines have? What's the best way to remove quills from a pet if they go after a porcupine? If I could hug them, would they like it? How friendly are they?

rowantree

Is there any good porcupine lore? Do they have histories we should know about, or pop culture references?

Abbe

FTQA why do their noses look like that?

mark d

They seem to move so slowly, are they related to sloths? What’s their lifespan and are they happily married or a bit permiscous? thanks for the effort you all put into this podcast, Love the ologies

Cinnamon

I have always thought of porcupines as solitary creatures because every time I see one they are alone. I’m intrigued by the idea of porcupine culture and if or what their social/family life is like?

Cinnamon

So I’ve seen them eating bark, is it possible to prevent a porcupine from eating your favourite tree? I try to distract them with pumpkins in the fall. It seems to be working as evidence of big toothy marks on the pumpkin in the morning.

Meaghan Ratcliffe

are their quills ever a disadvantage survival-wise? like do they ever get trapped places because of them or injure themselves with them??

Ali M

They make THE CUTEST noises. Do they always sound like that? What does an angry porcupine sound like?

Timmy H.

Why is it pronounced like that

Timmy H.

Favorite porcupine?

Lindsay Malone

What is the purpose of the palmitic acid grease on porcupine quills? Do they regularly impale themselves with their own quills? I've read the fatty acid on their quills may have antimicrobial qualities. How long will a porcupine stay in a tree? How does the quill loosening mechanism of their quills follicles work? They seem like they are really calm chill critters most of the time.

Timmy H.

Do people ask you about hedgehogs often? LOL

Meg

A question for cuteness and evolution, why do their snoots look so boopable??? Do we know why their nose is so round? It almost seems like it's padding/protection for the sinuses or maybe it's used to love stuff while sniffing??

Chumly

I’d love to know more about their vocalizations. They sound like they’re having a conversation-so neat!

CurtisDawg

Are there porcupine predators? Seems like they'd be a very painful prize.

Chrysalis Ashton

I pet a baby porcupine once! Right on his soft little snoot ❤️ He didn’t have sharp quills yet, when do they develop those?

Miranda Ramirez

Obviously getting stuck by a porcupine quill hurts, but is there any relative danger to them, such as high rush of infection?

Shante

(FTQA) I feel like porcupines always look so chill and calm. Do the quills mean that most predators leave them alone and they can go through life with less scurrying than other animals? Or does my local zoo just have a particularly chill porcupine dude?

OneHappyPuppy

When they smack my dog across the snout and leave all those spines, does it hurt them (the porcupine)?

Liv

whY are their noises sooooooo f-in cuuuuuute????!!!!

Liv

is there a cost to the porcupine for having to use their quills?

Sarah Chaney

What even are the quills? Is it hair? And where are the native? — feels like they are pretty much everywhere

Lisa Gorman

How quickly do they regrow quills after they get stuck in a nosy dog's face (or other unfortunate sniffer)?

Rachel Guthrie

How do they mate without hurting the other porcupine?

Megan Dawe

What’s the deal with the raccoon on Cape Cod that was found with porcupine quills in it (even though no one has sighted porcupines on the Cape in 15 years)? How far from people could they be hiding on that tiny strip of land?

Lisa Gorman

Why aren't there more spiky creatures? (Or, what are the downsides to having quills?) Do they slow porcupines down?

Eating dog hair for a living

Do these guys live in places like say... Nebraska? That's where I'm at and I've never heard of any here. Are their quills made of keratin? How many quills are present on a porcupine at any given time? Are the babies born with quills? Cuz I mean like ouch! How long do they live? Can you please play a clip of a porcupine talking?

Faith Stemmler

What is a porcupines home range like? Are they like raccoons that stay within 1 or 2 square miles? Or do they travel far distances like wolves?

Matt Hirschl

What are some interesting ways porcupine quills have been used throughout history?

AlexanderVonFritzyBitzAndHisMom

Why do they lick my shoes when I’m sleeping in my tent? How many babies do they have? Are they related to hedgehogs? How many species are there? How many quills do they have? Do their teeth keep growing? What are they gnawing on? (Asked by Alex with his mom as the scribe)

The Joyful Spitfire

What are some of their closest relatives? I’m assuming they are rodents. Are they like… the stegosaurus of rats?

The Joyful Spitfire

If there ever a circumstance where I will offer a hug and they will reciprocate? Will I end up looking like a pin cushion?

The Joyful Spitfire

Since they have spears on their backs… why do they need to climb trees?

Charley Eiseman

So one night I was sitting on the couch, reading, and I heard a clunky knock at the sliding glass door. I looked up and there was a porcupine sitting on the deck, with one paw raised, like it was waving to me, and pressing its nose against the window. I went over to the window and put my nose to its nose, and we stared into each other's eyes for a little while. Then it sort of shrugged and plodded off the deck, disappearing under the house. I'm not sure what my question is. Was I supposed to let it in? Did we exchange souls?

Charley Eiseman

Also, are they as oblivious as they seem, or do they just not care? And is that crazy jungle bird scream they make a mating call, or what?

Alia Myers

So do they shoot the spikes out or do u have to touch them to get spiked?

Aaron Wood

Are their quills invisible to infrared? (IR cameras) Why do they look so cuddly yet can’t be cuddled?

Elie Zwiebel

How do they do [it]? Quick follow up: Are they mammalia's kinkiest sadomasochists?

Sydney Booker

Has the ologist read the children’s book Poppy? It has the best porcupine representation in my opinion. Ereth the porcupine 🥹

Spencer Aldridge

Not a question, but we had a porcupine at our wedding! We got married at the Tampa Zoo and had the very fortunate opportunity to meet animals during our reception, including Charlotte the porcupine! She was very sweet. Her little legs were extremely cute trotting around (with her keeper) while our guests were having dinner. Definitely made for a memorable wedding!

Waylo

I am anxious to hear about their various cultures too! How wide spread is the structure of their various cultures? How are you determining the differences between each culture? What are the differences? Do they intermingle?

Danae Sprouse

(Duh-nay) Can they really have red teeth? That seems terrifying.

Daisy Moser

How do they not get stabbed in the act of love making? Also, what is a baby porcupine even called? Porcupup?

Danae Sprouse

Are their quills barbed? They suck to yank out of a dog's none. They seem to really stick in there.

Daisy Moser

Does it hurt them to lose quills? I know people here in Alaska who throw blankets on them to collect the quills for making traditional jewelry. Seems better than the alternative way of getting them, but are they still bullies?

Alexandra Roth

What are those quills made of? Are they fused hair, like a rhino's horn, or are they a KIND of hair, or just keratin? Are the babies born without quills, because otherwise OUCH in the birth process.

Yasmine Alu

once i saw a porcupine eating a banana at an aquarium (don’t ask why it was in the aquarium). What do porcupines usually eat? do they like bananas? Also, the porcupine was almost always curled up in the corner on its stick. are they social creatures? or was it depressed? is that normal behavior? if not, should i contact the aquarium?

Shuli Rank

Maybe FTQA? I asked a question past a deadline- anyway . . . Does North American porcupine population density have to do with habitat/tree availability? So sad there don’t seem to be any in my neighborhood/ county.

San Juan Josie

This also happened to me! A porcupine came to my window. I pu t my hand up and he put his hand up to mine. We looked into each others’ eyes for a long time. An elder said the porcupine pierces the veil between worlds.

Allyson Lance

Asking on behalf of my brother: “Why do they sound like that?” and “Why do African porcupines look so emo?”

Sanctuary In Your Hand Journaling

(FTQA) Do they fling their quills? How does quill release work? Also, how big do they get? We had one on our deck and it was bigger than a bear cub.

Karol

How often do they regenerate their quills?

Karol

And do they cuddle each other?

Christian Swenson

What do they sound like besides when they’re chewing, when they’re calling to each other when they’re nuzzling?

Kyla C (KAI-luh, rhymes with Myra or Lyla)

Did you ever read the Dimwood Forest series by Avi (i.e., Poppy, Poppy and Rye, Ragweed) ? In which there is one of my favorite childhood characters, the one and only Ereth? Are all porcupines like him -- lovably grumpy, vegetarian loners who cannot resist a salt lick??

Audrey Hudak

How do porcupine build their dens? What do the dens look like? Do the porcupines keep the den clean?

Jesse Masci

Have any giant prehistoric species been found? Because, that would be cool. How big do they get?

Jesse Masci

Is it true that different porcupine species evolved their quills independently? (I forget the term for this, parallel evolution?)

Nicole Kleinman

Can a porcupine prick itself? Or do they have to learn how to prevent self injury?

Nicole Kleinman

When do baby porcupines get their quills? I’m assuming the mother doesn’t give birth with them…

Emily

What are porcupines family structure like? My husband and I were fortunate to see a baby porcupine (porcupette?) in a tree while hiking in Michigan and believe we saw their mother in the forest floor nearby.

David Villafranco

So do porcupines actually eject their quils like a million little darts? How far can they go and at what distance are they harmless.

Anna Elizabeth

where/how do 'pines sleep? Do they snuggle or solo sleepers?

Anna Elizabeth

What is their favorite food for the southern region/culture?

Anna Elizabeth

Can you call a porcupine? What sounds do they make and how do they communicate?

Anna Elizabeth

Can you set up feeders but like pine feeders instead of bird feeders?!

Stephanie Rosso

Do porcupines ever stab themselves with their quills?

Stephanie Rosso

Are there any predators that are undeterred by their quills?

Julia Bingham

Are they born spikey? When doe their pricks become properly prickly?

Julia Bingham

I once saw a momma with two little babies waddling along behind her - how many babies do they usually have in a litter? How long do the babies (pups?) stay with mom?

Susan Osborne

I live in Wyoming and love porcupines, but have found that many others do not share my love. They say it's because they kill the trees they get their meals from. Are humans their main predator? Do you think there is an issue with people killing them "just because" like they do with alot of other animals? How are the populations doing over time?

Felipe Jimenez

I’ve heard that porcupines have a surprising craving for salt and will even gnaw on sweaty tools or clothes to get it. How did this quirky behavior evolve, does it have a physiological reason or is it just taste, and does it ever get them into trouble in the wild?

Euan Munro

Are they friends with any other woodland creatures? Or is their spiky body an allegory of their spiky personality?

Lisa Vehrs

Is it true that their quills have a barb on the business end and are pressurized so that when they get stuck in you/your dog/your friend you should cut the root end off to release the pressure, which collapses the barb and allows for easier removal? Or is this just some cow-flop my uncle made up and I have naively believed for 40 years?

Leila Laco

What's the relationship between porcupines, hedgehogs and echidnas? And where do they fit evolutionarily into the animal kingdom?

Lauren Kent

First time question asker! (Finally 😅) Are porcupines as reactive as we believe them to be, or are they kind of like skunks where they won't defend unless they really feel like they're in danger? What are the odds of me running into one of these little guys if I were to go camping in say, the Porcupine Mountains or somewhere they dwell? I have an obsession with wanting to spot wild animals I never thought I'd encounter.

Ruby Gordon

How are their spines so sharp? How do they grow the sharp spines? What would happen if they didn't have them?

Ruby Gordon

Who named the porcupine?

Elizabeth Wegener

I work for Michigan state parks and while sadly I don’t have any of these little guys at my location, some of my colleagues have had issues with them eating/chewing on signs and even wood sheeting on outhouses. It can get to be a little annoying for us and maybe not the healthiest for them… Is there a good way to repel them or discourage this behavior?

Mini Minnie

How soft and boopable is that nose??

Mini Minnie

Is the name porcupine because it’s like a little pig crossed with a pine tree? 🐖 🌲

John Wallace

Predators is my question. I’ve heard that Martens (Fishers) kill and eat them. Also, Alie, I love you like all the stars and rain.

Pavka34

How did the evolve their hair into a forest of little spears?

Pavka34

Do people hunt porcupines? If so, why would they do that?

Pavka34

I know they can’t actually shoot their spines (which is unfortunate). Can they point them at an adversary?

Pavka34

How does the momma porcupine den with all the spiky babies? Is feeding them difficult?

Pavka34

How do they have sex? I imagine that face to face their underbellies are spine free.

Pavka34

Old world porcupines vs new world. Are they closely related or not? Are they different branches of rodent converging on a good idea for defense?

Gretchen Schroeder

Are porcupines born with spines, or do they grow in, or if there from birth are they soft?

Gretchen Schroeder

Do porcupines swim? If so, do hollow spines help them float?

Andy Pepper

Where did porcupines first evolve and what sort of critter did they evolve from, and was it purely defense that drove that adaptation??

Colin Rowbottom

What are the social lives of porcupines like? Do they have friends? Do they mate for life? What is a porcupines favorite food? Are there multiple species of porcupine? Or is it just one?

Alison Gussack

How many different species/types are there? Paul wants to know if the quills have to be touched to be triggered or can they deploy from afar? Where do they live? I have never seen one but have seen multiple dogs who obviously have seen them

Squirrelmo

I asked this at the natural history museum in 3rd grade. The presenter answered, "Very carefully." I still don't have an answer.

Lydia Trom

We've been noticing porcupines climbing to the tops of trees and stripping the bark. This is amazing to watch but is there anything humane that we can do to duscourage these cuties from killing our beautiful trees?

Gwen Kelly

If not friend, why friend-shaped?

Organic Free-Range Lily

This is an obvious and cliche question, but can I keep one as a pet? If not, what's the best bad compromise if I want to have porcupine friends in my life? :)

BENJAMIN

Tell us everything!!! Do they have cute personalities? Whats their diet consist of? Can they swim??? How are they doing population wise?

Adam Foote

Do they make those weird "baby coo" like noises with each other in the wild, or is that something they only do with humans?

Katie Biardi

How many species are there? When do they get their quills? And are they always hard, or do they come out soft and then harden over time? Like when crabs molt

Jenna Congdon

Why do I have the idea that a wound from their quills is highly likely to get infected rolling around in the back of my mind? Is that flim flam? Of course any wound can get infected, but do they truly carry some sort of germs that make infection more likely?

Celia Sanislow

Are there any super weird or little-known facts about porcupines? Thank you for sharing! :)

Magsaroni

Did the different kinds of porcupines all evolve from a common ancestor, or was it convergent evolution? Where is it legal to have a pet porcupine? I live in Wisconsin, and I rarely see porcupines, even as roadkill (thankfully!). Are they endangered or threatened, or just more reclusive?

sasstrocyte

FTQA! Quil dynamics: WHAAAAT? How do they not get stuck in tree nooks or full of debris they walk by? And how do they -- ahem -- ride the bony pony without stabbing each other?

KateB

Up in the mountains here in British Columbia a lot of the trail heads have a chicken wire pile you can borrow to wrap around the base of your vehicle against porcupine damage. I've been told they chew your break lines. Flimflam or true concern? If true, WHY guys, why?!

Fiona Dolphin

Where do porcupines sleep? I know some can climb trees but not all species have prehensile tails..

Fiona Dolphin

What are your thoughts on how new world porcupines got to South America from the old world? I like the theory that they travelled over on a raft of plants/logs because that imagery is adorable.

Julia Hutton

I wanted to study porcupines in college because I was curious about how they were seen solely as a nuance and a pest in Western Pennsylvania. My professor said that wasn't a worthy study, and to this day I hold a prickly rage around it. My question: With so much frustration and hatred around pesty porcupines, how can we flip the narrative and promote love and curiosity for them? ❤️

Julia Hutton

*nuisance: mostly because they are chewing on wooden infrastructure and "attacking" household pets

The Other Maya

Look. How dare you do questions about beavers and porcupines back to back - I can't take the cuteness. Here's an emoji wall attempting to explain my emotions ⚡💥🥰🙌🫀❤️‍🔥🫀🥴🤮🤘😅😭❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥🫀⚡🫠🫠🫠 questions: (I know nothing about them) where do they live and what biological neche do they fill? Where would I look for one in Oregon? How would you find one? Are they dayboys, night lads, or corpuscular? What do they eat? Honestly tell me anyother thing, I'll be swooning the entire episode, even if they end up being jerks (I hope they are not) PREPARE THE FAINTING COUCH

The Other Maya

Omgersh, honestly I sometimes still call them "porkypines". Even though I'm a grown ass adult.

Kait

Whyyyy do they smell like thaaaaat?

Stephanie Trout Berman

We have seen them on trail cameras and their voices are SOOOOO CUTE!!! When there are 2 of them they talk non-stop and look like they are fighting, yet they seem like they are playing...which is it?

Voxothoth

How have porcupine quills been used by humans throughout time and region?

Olivier Calas

How many quills exactly and they grow back once dispensed ?

Brittney Corrigan

I've heard that underneath their quills, porcupines have really soft skin. Is that true? And speaking of soft, if they are born with quills that are soft (because otherwise, ow, mama!), how long does it take for them to harden/sharpen?

Jean Pompeo

Are there recorded uses of porcupine spines being used in cultural arts or crafts in the past? (Like for sewing/fishing or to make spiky armor) Do people eat porcupines? Do they have soft/tasty insides that they need to keep predators away from, much like how mollusks have hard shells but soft, tasty insides?

GhoulNextDoor

Why did they evolve quills? Are they multifunctional like a weapon, protection, and seduction device all in one?

GhoulNextDoor

Whaaaaaat different cultures?? I want to know all their is about porcupine cultures!!

Ashley Marrs

Porcupines are the cutest! I still laugh thinking about the SNL skit with Tracy Morgan as Brian Fellows: "get that cactus-rat outta here!" ; ) Ok my question is - When dogs get a full face (and mouth) full of porcupine quills, what exactly occurred? Do porcupines have the ability to "launch" their quills? Or do dogs really have to chomp on them to get that result?

Kim Halford

1st time Q asker - The quills - is their only defence the obvious pain from them and associated fear or do/can cause further trauma ie do they have bacteria transferred from them or toxins - it likely depends on their environment and what they have been laid on/in contact with.

Emily Totero

So many questions about quills! What are they made of? Do they regrow once lost? And if yes do they grow quickly? How and why did porcupines evolve to have them in the first place?

Cian verbridge

Look up a picture of their skill it’s very unique. They have a massive infraorbital foramen. How was that evolved/ does it serve any purpose

Olivia Lester

dear god i hope i submitted my scribbles of q's in time... why are there spikes called spines? And also quills? Are they related to bird quills? Can their spines hurt another porcupine? What animals don’t care about eating the spines? Who are their predators? Are porcupines related to hedgehogs? What is the closest relative to a porcupine? Porcupine meat or pets? Human utilities for the quills? Weaponry? Tool? Writing? How do the porcupines do the deed with each other without a spiky surprise? How do they grow their spines? Do their babies have spines? Are their spines anything like cactus?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Truth or flimflam - Can they actually shoot their quills out from a distance? Like tiny cute archers?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

My thoughts exactly, right down to the array of emotions (and shockedness of being asked about beavers and porcupines consecutively HOW VERY DARE)

Gomez

I have went to a presentation at The Wild Center, the natural history museum of the adirondacks. A kid asked about how to tell a boy from a girl and the answer was catching them mating or genetic testing. WHAT? Am I correct in my understanding that porcupines don't have quills on their bellies or the underside of their tails. The lady flips her tail onto her back to let the male mate. So is all porcupine sex consentual?

Emma Doyle

I spent a couple of weeks at a wildlife rehab center in Guatemala, and I learned from them that porcupines do not do well in captivity. Is that true of all porcupines or just of Guatemalan ones, and why is that the case?

graesen

what are the quills made of and from what lineage did they evolve? are there other animals that are similar to porcupines?

Molly H

I studied population dynamics of the North American Porcupine for my Master's Thesis at UMass-Amherst back in the 1990's. I can smell when one is nearby! But I don't know how to repel them from chewing on the wood of my barn floor and cabin porch. I tried cayenne pepper solution but it didn't work. Any suggestions?

Mel S.

I think porcupines are so adorable... However, they love to eat my house! We live in a very foresty area of Vermont and we have caught these guys on camera just munching away at the wooden trim around our house. What can we do to help them make better choices and stick to munching on trees?

Steven Lee

Hello, Australian here- out of all the weird animals we don’t have porcupines here, however we have echidnas which are somewhat morphologically similar, but do they share a common ancestor or lineage?

Restless Native

Hi. What influences the coloration of the porcupine quills (seasonality, nutritional, genetic, etc), please?

Between Dumplings

Are they jerks like otters? Please let the answer be no.

Ruby Gordon

These questions were asked by my grade 2 children in Apple class at the International School Haarlem in The Netherlands