LIVING with WILDLIFE Humane, Effective Solutions to Human-Wildlife Conflicts a Program of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

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LIVING WITH WILDLIFE Humane, Effective Solutions to Human-Wildlife Conflicts A Program of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Porcupines

In cities, suburbs, and small towns predators if they did not have their Breeding occurs in the fall or early across Massachusetts, people are unique natural defensive system - winter and is followed by a 210-day noticing a change in their quills. Contrary to popular belief, gestation period (the longest rodent neighborhoods. Some think it’s good. porcupines do not thrown their gestation period). In the spring, the Some think it’s bad. But everybody quills; animals and people must female gives birth to 1 or 2 young. seems to be talking about it: more wild animals are making their homes in and actually come into contact with the They are born with soft quills that around people’s yards and houses, in quills for them to detach and harden within hours of birth. Their parks and playgrounds, in business become embedded. When a eyes open 10 days later. After 2 developments, even right on Main porcupine feels threatened, it turns weeks, they start to eat solid food Street. its backside to the enemy and tries but they continue to nurse for 4 to 5 to drive its tail against the assailant. months. The average life Porcupines are known for their unique If the assailant ignores this and expectancy of a wild porcupine is 5 defense mechanism. Contrary to makes contact with the porcupine, to 6 years, while their captive popular belief, however, porcupines do they will be painfully “quilled”. counterparts have been known to not throw their quills; they come off Porcupines are usually benign live up to 10 years. when an animal or person touches them. These nocturnal herbivores can creatures but like any other animal, cause some damage to trees but they they must be able to defend Possible Conflicts and are harmless unless you touch them. themselves from predators. Solutions

General Information Porcupines are primarily nocturnal The primary conflict with animals and rest during the day on porcupines occurs when a person or The North American porcupine is tree branches; in hollow trees and pet ignores the warning signals and the second largest of all rodents. logs; in underground burrows or in ends up with quills lodged in their Porcupines have small heads and crevices found in rocky areas. They skin. chunky bodies and grow up to 25 to are most commonly found in 40 inches long from head to tail coniferous or evergreen forests but The quills are the most recognized (which can grow as long as 8 have also been found in deciduous and misunderstood porcupine inches). The male and female are woodlands and among Creosote in feature. Each porcupine quill has a approximately the same size and North American deserts. greasy coating and a small, can weigh between 10 and 40 backward projecting barb at the tip pounds. The front of a porcupine’s Porcupines are strict herbivores and that serves to work the quills ever body is covered with long, virtually all species of trees found deeper into the flesh. Once yellowish guard hairs, while the within a porcupine's range can be imbedded, quills cannot easily be back and tail are covered with up to eaten. During warm months, pulled out. 30,000 quills which are interspersed porcupines eat leaves, buds, nuts, among dark, coarse guard hairs. A fruit, twigs and green plants. Serious injury can result if eyes, porcupine’s two large front teeth During the winter, they chew mouths or throats are afflicted by will continue to grow throughout its through the outer tree bark to eat quills. To ensure the quills are entire life, but will be worn down the tissue-like inner bark, called removed completely and correctly, from chewing. cambium. Porcupines have been a veterinarian should treat pets that known to strip or “girdle” tree bark have had a run-in with a porcupine Porcupines are slow-moving, near- from both the trunk and upper and humans should contact their sighted animals that would be ill limbs, which can sometimes kill the physician immediately. equipped to avoid being killed by tree.

LIVING WITH WILDLIFE: A PROGRAM OF THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS 350 SOUTH HUNTINGTON AVENUE ·BOSTON ·MA ·02130 617·522·7400 FAX 617·522· 4885 WWW.LIVINGWITHWILDLIFE.ORG E-MAIL Due to a diet low in sodium, THE MISSION porcupines may try to satisfy their LIVING WITH WILDLIFE dietary need for salt by eating road salt; chewing on wooden structures, The MSPCA Living With Wildlife program tools, and other materials used in aims to protect wild species, now and in the future. outdoor work or recreation; The program promotes peaceful coexistence between people and chewing almost any object that has wildlife in urban, suburban, and rural been handled by humans because of Massachusetts communities by helping to resolve the salt found in human sweat; and human-animal conflicts in a humane, nonlethal, long-term and chewing car tires and hoses for their cost-effective manner. road salt coating. Porcupines are also attracted to the glue used to bond plywood on wooden metal band around the trunk of the Public Health Concerns structures. tree, about 3 feet off of the ground. This will keep the tree from being Porcupines do not carry any Seawater and road salt should be climbed and the bark from being communicable diseases that are of washed off of tires, especially on stripped. This band should not be concern to humans. The main safety boat trailers and other vehicles that left on the tree longer than issue is the possibility of being are parked outside. To protect necessary because insects may “quilled”. plastic tubing and hoses, you can accumulate and lay eggs under it. If use a capsaicin-based, "hot sauce" you are protecting a fruit-bearing For more information about repellent that is registered for use tree during the winter, it is humanely solving human-wildlife against porcupines. This should be important that the band is placed 3 conflicts or about the MSPCA’s reapplied after rain. feet above the expected maximum Living with Wildlife program, level of snow. call 617-524-5632, visit If you need to protect trees from www.LivingWithWildlife.org being chewed, you can place a or e-mail [email protected].