Did you know porcupines are truly one of a kind creatures? The scientific name for porcupines is Erethizon dorsatum, but Dorsatum is the only species in the genus known as Erethizon.
Porcupines do however belong to the rodent family, making them related to mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters. In fact, the average porcupine weighs in at 20 pounds, making it the second largest rodent found in North America.
Porcupines are generally found in forests or grasslands areas across the Western parts of Maryland. If you are interested in learning more about this unique creature we share our state with, we have compiled a list of fun facts about porcupines.
Quills
Without a doubt, quills are the porcupine’s most famous feature. The entirety of a porcupines’ body, aside from its stomach, is covered in about 30,000 hollow quills that are approximately 2 to 3 inches long.
It is a popular belief that porcupines have the ability to shoot their quills at predators, but this is not the truth. Quills are only lightly attached to the porcupine’s skin, which means they can come off easily when they come in contact with a predator. At the end of each quill are small barbs that cause the quill to become more and more lodged in the predator’s skin over time.
Lifestyle
Unlike other rodents, porcupines are active year-round and do not hibernate during the winter months. They are nocturnal creatures, which means they usually spend their nights foraging for food.
Porcupines make dens in hollow trees, rock walls, decaying logs, caves, or under brush piles. While they are predominately solitary creatures, porcupines have been known to sometimes share dens in the winter.
Diet
Porcupines are generalists, meaning they are able to survive by using a wide variety of resources. These clever animals change their diet with the seasons based on the food resources available at the time.
During the winter, they rely on evergreen needles and tree bark to survive. During the spring and summer, they primarily eat berries, seeds, roots, stems, grasses, leaves, and other plant material.
Weirdly enough, porcupines have salt cravings that lead them to search for natural salt deposits. They will also chew on objects with salt residue, such as plywood, automobiles, housing, glue, and even deer antlers that have been shed.
Have A Porcupine Problem? Call the Experts at Shumaker Animal Control
If you think you have a porcupine problem on your property, call the experts at Shumaker Animal Control to deal with the problem for you. Our experienced team will take care of the problem in a timely manner, ensuring that your home and pets are not in any danger.
At Shumaker Animal Control, we are a family-owned business who cares about the safety of you and your family but also about the well-being of the animals themselves. All of our trapping and control methods are humane, as we never try to hurt the angry or scared animal.
Call us at 443-854-8072, visit our website or fill out our contact form for more information.
