Image via Analogicus/ Pixabay.
Porcupines are calm and peaceful rodents that live in many parts of the world. There are two families of porcupines with different lifestyles. But if they have something in common, it is the painful weapon they won’t hesitate to use if they feel threatened: sharp quills.
Porcupines were first discovered in Africa. And there are around 29 species of porcupines throughout the world. These are adaptable creatures that can live in various terrain from rocky to semi-arid areas, deserts, savannahs, grasslands, forests and tropical jungles. Porcupines are classified into two families, those of the Old World, which are found in Europe, Africa and Asia, and those of the New World, which are located in the Americas.
The Old World porcupine
Old World porcupines are larger than their New World counterparts. With a length of between 25 and 35 inches (60 and 90 cm), Old World porcupines can weigh between 22 and 55 pounds (10 and 25 kg). They have a life expectancy of 15 years in the wild, although in captivity they live up to 20 years because they face fewer threats.
Their front legs have four fingers armed with strong claws, while the hind legs have five fingers. They have short legs and therefore move slowly. But when in danger, they can speed up. However, who needs to run when you have an impressive defense? If these striking animals stand out for something, it is for their quills.
What are porcupines’ quills like?
These animals actually have soft brown or black hair on their faces, necks and the lower parts of their bodies. But they also have thick bristles on their heads and the napes of their necks, and sharp quills on their backs, sides and tails. The lower half of the back contains the longest quills, which can measure up to 12 inches (30 cm).
These are modified hairs wrapped in a thick keratin duct; therefore, they are hollow inside. The quills originate in the musculature of the skin, and in the case of Old World porcupines, they are found in groups or clusters. On the outside, the quills have black and white stripes.
Do porcupine quills contain poison?
Porcupines warn their enemies many times. When the porcupine feels threatened, it stomps heavily on the ground and trembles deliberately to rattle its quills and scare anyone who disturbs its peace. Ultimately, it bristles and raises its quills in warning, making it appear larger.
If its enemy still persists, then the porcupine moves sideways or backward to charge at its enemy and prick them with its larger, backside quills.
It’s not true that porcupines can throw their quills. When the quills come into contact with another body, they break off, but porcupines do not shoot them. In addition, they are quite fragile and when they enter the victim’s body they break, leaving behind fragments.
Regarding the poison … the wounds from a porcupine are quite painful, which is why people think they’re poisonous. The problem is if the wounds are not treated, they can become infected. In the wild, animals that attack porcupines can die from infection.
Another curious fact about their spikes is besides being good defense, quills don’t sink in water. This makes porcupines great swimmers. So quills are both a formidable weapon and tool. Two in one!
What else is there to know about this rodent?
Well, like all rodents, porcupines have large incisor teeth that they have to wear down, since they constantly grow. Furthermore, these incisors are extremely strong, so much so that they can even break through wire.
Porcupines are silent animals. It’s rare to hear their vocalizations, but in case of discontent or anxiety, these animals growl. On the other hand, they do not have a very developed sense of hearing or sight, since their eyes and ears are quite small. However, they do have an incredible sense of smell.
What do porcupines eat?
These are mainly herbivorous animals. Thus, they eat all parts of the plants. They also eat fruits, bulbs and seeds. In the absence of other food, they eat insects and small vertebrates. Additionally, they can eat carrion. It is common to see them gnawing on bones, since it provides them with calcium and lets them wear down their teeth at the same time. Likewise, they constantly gnaw the bark of trees.
Porcupines are nocturnal animals. They feed at night and in pairs. The male and female walk side by side, or the male stays a little behind his mate.
Home sweet home
During the day, these animals usually hide in rock crevices, caves and burrows. It turns out that porcupines are good diggers, since they have strong legs with claws.
The burrows can reach 33 feet (10 meters) in length and a depth of up to 13 feet (4 meters). In winter their activity is significantly reduced and they spend most of their time in their burrows, although they do not hibernate. Additionally, porcupines do not tolerate the cold well, so even though they are nocturnal, they often stay in their burrows at night if it is cold.
Family life
Our prickly friends form monogamous pairs and live in their burrows in small family groups.
Normally, the female breeds only once a year and has one or two babies per litter, although she can have four babies. Gestation lasts 93 to 105 days, and the offspring are born fully formed, with their eyes open and teeth developed. They are even born with spines, although they are soft and flexible to facilitate birth. These harden after a few days.
The babies do not leave the burrow until they stop drinking milk, at two months. Afterward, they accompany their parents on their nights out to learn what to do. The babies learn from their parents by repetition. And there is no need to be scared about babies’ safety, since the quills harden quickly and they have attentive parents who take care of them.
The New World porcupine
The members of this family are more agile, since they are small or medium-sized. They measure 8 to 21 inches (20 to 53 cm) long and weigh about 9 pounds (4 kg). They live about 15 years in the wild and 20 in captivity.
This family of porcupines has developed a practically arboreal life. In fact, they live among tree branches and barely touch the ground. To make it easier for them to move between the branches, they have long, flexible tails, about 19 inches (48 cm) in some species. They cling to the branches as monkeys do.
New World porcupines have many strong quills that grow close together on all parts of the body, except the snout, underside and tail. In fact, the tails do not have quills because otherwise they would constantly break when in contact with the branches. Likewise, the feet have wide pads and four strong claws bent inward to move comfortably among trees.
How are the two porcupines different?
The New World porcupine has a covering of thick hair combined with thick bristles and quills. Its quills are shorter and individual. Additionally, the quills of New World porcupines do not break when they hit their victim.
The quills of some New World species are coated with fatty acids that contain bactericidal properties. Porcupines that spend a lot of time in trees sometimes fall and are likely to be injured by their own quills. Bactericidal properties protect them from infections.
In the event of a threat, Old World porcupines tend to fight, while New World porcupines flee and climb trees.
The gestation of tree porcupines lasts about 200 days. Females give birth to one single baby. The offspring is born covered in hair and small spines that harden after birth. The difference is that as soon as the New World porcupine is born, it’s ready to climb trees. Weaning occurs around 10 weeks of age.
What do both families have in common?
Well, they both have long whiskers. These are highly sensitive hairs that act as tactile organs, allowing porcupines to explore their environment and detect nearby objects. Also, in both cases, when the quills detach from the body, they grow back. Awesome!
New World porcupines are also nocturnal and spend the day sleeping curled up on branches. Likewise, they are herbivores, since they feed on leaves and tender shoots, and they love fruit. Their incisors are also large and do not stop growing, so rodents in this family also gnaw the bark of trees to obtain nutrients and to wear down teeth.
And did you know that sexual dimorphism exists in porcupines? This means that one gender is different from the other in some aspect. In this case, the female is larger than the male. It’s a good way to know their gender without touching them!
More New World porcupine images
Bottom line: Porcupines are peaceful rodents, but if they feel threatened, they have a dangerous weapon they are not afraid to use: sharp quills.