Porcupines are large, slow-moving rodents with sharp quills on their backs. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. The North American porcupine is the only species found in the United States and Canada.
Though they don't eat meat, porcupines chew on bones to sharpen their teeth. Bones also give them important minerals, like salt and calcium, to keep them healthy. Porcupines are also known to eat bugs and small lizards every now and then.
In general, porcupines live in just about any terrain, including deserts, grasslands, mountains, rainforests and forests. They make dens in tree branches or tangles of roots, rock crevices, brush or logs.
If a porcupine is causing you problems, the Kage-All® Small Animal Trap is an effective way to cage it and move it to a different area. If you are able to locate its den, place the trap nearby. Effective bait includes fresh bark and leaves, as well as cut-up fruit with salt—one tactic is to lay down a trail leading right into the trap.
Porcupines use their quills as a defense. They may shake them, which makes them rattle, as a warning to potential predators. If that doesn't work, they may charge backwards into the predator. The quills are loosely attached but cannot be thrown or projected. Some quills have scales or barbs that make them very hard to remove.
Porcupines are nocturnal, which means they are active during the night and sleep during the day. During the night, they forage for food. New World porcupines spend their time in the trees, while Old World porcupines stay on the ground.
Porcupines aren't really social. Both types of porcupines are typically solitary, though New World porcupines may pair up. A mother porcupine and her young form a family group called a prickle.
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