A family of porcupines is called a prickle—really! Which means there really is an answer to the ancient question, how do porcupines make love? We have had porcupines in our collection since our earliest days, Porcupines have been exterminated in populated parts of Africa, http://zoonooz.sandiegozoo.org/zoonooz/the-point-of-porcupines/. The porcupine Erethizon dorsatum is one of Canada’s best-known mammals, both in life and in legend. Joined: Jan 2009. Why would a porcupine want to eat the handles of tools like axes and shovels? The porcupine is a rodent. ... “I don’t know of … They have learned how to get along. During the winter months, up to 8 individuals may live in the same den. If the noise doesn't work, the porcupine may try to charge backward into the predator. Smaller, rigid quills that are 8 inches (20 centimeters) long are densely packed over the Old World porcupine’s rump and back. It has a round body, small ears and a small head. The young weigh about 1,000 g (2.2 lb) at birth, which is about 5% of the mother's weight. They may den in tree nests, rock crevices, brush, logs, or in tangled tree roots. Porcupines reach sexual maturity at the end of their first year. Porcupines readily adapt to … But the problem is not just them. The tail can be another 8 to 10 inches. All porcupines have a few traits in common. They are the third largest rodents in the world. All porcupines are nocturnal and quite adaptable, found in a variety of habitats, as long as there is vegetation. Porcupines are in constant need of salt and will stop at nothing to get at it. Porcupines are lumbering, rotund rodents with needle-like spikes, called quills, covering their back, sides, and tail. People also collect quills for ornaments. Porcupines have muscles at the base of each quill that allow them to stand up when the animal is excited or alarmed. New World porcupines spend most of their time alone or in pairs moving through the trees. Still, the quills can cause problems, and puncture wounds inflicted by porcupines are serious. Porcupines have soft hair, but on their back, sides, and tail it is usually mixed with sharp quills. When sitting hunched high up in a tree, a porcupine could be mistaken for the nest of a squirrel or a crow, but close to the ground it is easily recognized. Because porcupines are rodents, their two large, strong front teeth grow throughout their lives and must be kept worn down. What do Porcupines Eat? The quills are hairs with barbed tips on the ends. We first started in porcupines in 2012. Amazingly, the males and females remain together for some days before mating. The common name has nothing to do with fish, but instead derives from French and Dutch words for the pelt of a European polecat, to which it is distantly related. Might look very funny, but it works for them. Again, it may take some God given grace, but instead of exploding, let’s dance a bit. Which means there really is an answer to the ancient question, how do porcupines make love? The end of each quill has a small barb (like a fish hook) that snags the flesh, keeping the quill stuck in the enemy's skin. Your email address will not be published. These spiny and … Their unique features have generated great interests from some humans but a majority of us wouldn't be looking to keep porcupines as pets. Old World porcupines do not climb or jump well, but they are excellent swimmers. It has black to brownish-yellow fur and strong, short legs. For much of the year the porcupine enjoys no social life and leads a solitary existence. The Diet of the Porcupine The San Diego Zoo Safari Park also has a southern crested porcupine that serves as an animal ambassador and Canadian porcupines, which are currently off exhibit. When another animal attacks the porcupine, its quills detach, burrowing into the adversary’s flesh and inflicting painful, potentially deadly wounds. We seem to be born to do it and it may even be a key to our success as a species! It's highly likely that primate masturbation occurred in the Stone Age just as it does today. At the base of the tail, the porcupine has blunt, hollow quills that rattle when shaken, serving as a warning to potential predators. The general coat coloration for North American porcupines is black or deep brown. By the fall, most young porcupines live apart from their mothers. This video clues us in on how dance has shaped human life throughout our evolution. Our apartment was a far cry from St. Benedict and his monks as each day introduced some new relational tension. Porcupines do successfully mate. They are excellent tree climbers and spend much of their time in the trees rather than on the ground. Description. "The Porcupine Dance" Category Comedy; Show more Show less. North American porcupines don't tend to display social behavior and are mainly found solitarily, although they do have a social structure. – christian-99.com, John the Baptist: An Ordinary Person with an Unpopular Message, Responding to Evil | ROMAN CATHOLIC TODAY. Porcupines cannot shoot their quills! They may travel outside their home range in pursuit of a mate or in search of a nice salt lick. They are somewhat social, sometimes traveling in pairs. New World porcupines live in North, Central, and South America; some examples are the Canadian porcupine, Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, and Brazilian porcupine. Usually, female crested porcupines have one litter every year. It’s extremely useful to know the animals that exist in the wild and … I could really relate to the porcupines. Where Do Porcupines Live in America? Without visitors to offset our ongoing costs, They sometimes rest in abandoned aardvark holes, which they may change to suit their own needs. There are a few differences between the Old World and New World species: Old World crested porcupines have back quills that can stand up into a crest (like a Mohawk hairdo). On occasion, porcupines eat insects and small lizards. This Porcupine was dancing for about five minutes at least before we started recording the video. The girl’s “no” is one of the most respected turn-downs in the animal kingdom for hell hath no anger like a female with quills. … When threatened, the skirt can be erected, making the porcupine appear two to three times bigger. There are two families or porcupines, Hystricidae (Old World Porcupines) and Erethizontidae (New World Porcupines). If the female accepts the nose rubbing and, after the initial nose rubbing test, the female is still keen on the male, the male will then stand on its hind legs and the female allows him to urinate all over her body (kinky). Porcupines are considered exotic pets because they are wild animals and not typically kept as pets. Like all hairs, quills do shed, and when the porcupine shakes, loose quills can fly off (but without deadly force). Sweat is salty and found on tools and oars. We meet neighbors, talk with coworkers, go on dates, and join church groups. The average litter size is 1 … Some take fruit and corn from plantations. Horses sweat, too, and the rigging of saddles and other tack will be permeated with salt. Life expectancy: Porcupines live as long as 10 to 12 years in the wild, and up to 18 years in captivity. If persisted, it will ram the attacker, running into it backwards. Some quills can be up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) long. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It just so happens that the name porcupine comes from two words that mean “spiky pig” or “quill pig.” Porcupines are in the rodent family, along with rats, mice, and beavers. Learn how your comment data is processed. In fact, the fisher has been reintroduced to some areas of North America in hopes of bringing destructive porcupine populations under control. A few years ago I read a book by Ortberg titled Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them which has a great chapter on this. They display their weaponry for all to see. When a porcupine senses danger, it lifts its quills into the vertical position. Porcupines may gnaw on bones to sharpen their teeth and to get salt at the same time. During this period they are also known to forage in groups of up to 20 animals. They make shake them, which makes them rattle, as a warning to potential predators. 4. When we had them in captivity they growled or made purring sounds,” said Faccio. During this romantic period, they touch paws, flatten their barbs, and they walk on their hind feet in the so-called “dance of the porcupines”. Porcupines have ro… It appears to be a natural, hereditary behavior. Old World porcupines spend their life on the ground. In the wild, they get it from eating things like shed deer antlers. [/author_info] [/author] For this reason, porcupines do not want to have to use their quills. Today I found out how porcupines have sex….very carefully!. Although there are numerous different species of porcupines in existence, only one roams throughout the United States, according to the National Geographic. Currently, the San Diego Zoo has an exhibit of Indian crested porcupines along Park Way. One or two very well developed young are born in a chamber within the burrow that is usually lined with grass, after a 66-day gestation period, on average. It should be no surprise to anyone that our primate cousins are champion masturbators. The first thing that probably comes to your mind when you think of porcupine is; a creature with sharp needles likes spikes, waiting to throw them at you if you get closer. Combined with a lust for salt, this need sometimes produces “eating” behaviors that can mystify the less-informed. Old World porcupines live in Europe, Africa, and Asia; some examples are the North African crested porcupine, African brush-tailed porcupine, and Indian crested porcupine. It isn’t that porcupines are interested in the electrical system of your car. Ortberg’s book, however, helped me work through some of that by again looking to the porcupines. Porcupines use the quills as a defense. North American porcupines are some of the biggest rodents that come from North America, beaten out in size solely by beavers, according to the Woodland Park Zoo. Many people don’t know much else about them though. The next step is to waggle its tail from side to side. They have hands, after all. Reply Quote Report. “I don’t know of any reputable information that fishers scream. Examples of stereotypic behaviour include: repetitive pacing, swaying, head-bobbing, bar-biting, over-grooming or excessive licking. At the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, porcupines eat variable vegetables and greens, corn, and low-starch, high-fiber biscuits. On the other hand, predators such as dogs or wolves may have tried to fight a porcupine sometime in the past and been stabbed by the sharp quills. A porcupine may have as many as 30,000 quills. Most porcupines weigh between 12 and 36 pounds (5.4–16 kg). Some of these porcupines have been trained as animal ambassadors; they often meet guests up close and make television appearances. It’s us. Porcupines patrol their territory nightly and defend their feeding areas. Porcupines – A Brief Overview. But there is no special name for groups of porcupines. They first begin their ludicrous lovemaking with some nose rubbing. 5. What do pigs have to do with it? Males vie for a female during noisy battles. Porcupines are not the most graceful of animals – they do sometimes fall out of trees despite having sharp claws. The largest porcupine is the African Porcupine which can weigh over 20 kilograms (44 pounds). [author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Brandon-Vogt-e1313148635944.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Brandon Vogt is a Catholic writer and speaker who blogs at The Thin Veil. By Naomi Millburn. It looks something like this (sans hardcore rock): Only God could conceive a solution to community that involves two porcupines, fox-trotting paw-to-paw. Some quills can get up to a foot (30 centimeters) long, like those on the Africa's crested porcupine, according to National Geographic. The North American porcupine has over 30,000 quills! While it’s unlikely to find one in Danville, we do have porcupines in California. The philosopher Aristotle warned of the dangers of getting too close to a porcupine: the quilled beast could "shoot its deadly needlelike darts" over great distances at hunters and dogs alike. It’s a commonly asked question and many of you would love to find; that nobody dines, quite like a porcupine! Still, the quills can cause problems, and puncture wounds inflicted by porcupines are serious. To make matters worse for the males, girl porcupines are only “in the mood” once a year, in late Autumn, and they’re notoriously difficult to court. It has hairless soles on its feet that help it climb trees. Females from at least 50 species also get into the act, and they can get creative: for example, female orangutans and capuchin monkeys have both been observed using sticks and other plant parts as makeshift dildos. They pull in … There are more than 20 different species of porcupines. Up next New World porcupines’ predators include martens, wolverines, pythons, eagles, and great-horned owls. Having quills does not mean that the porcupine's life is trouble free. They can be from 25 to 36 inches long. Problems: What gets porcupines in trouble around people? Salt! Saddle cinches? In the wild, they can live 10-15 years, … Old World porcupines spend their life on the ground. Contrary to what a lot of us believe, animal “instincts” don’t cover everything necessary to survive. Running and fighting tend to be pretty unromantic. The most obvious trait is the long, sharp quills that cover their bodies. Fishers are one of the few predators that will eat the thorny little beast. So, how do porcupines breed without injuring each other? We all want to get close without getting hurt. Most of what is known about reproduction in the crested porcupine comes from individuals in captivity. This is not true, but it is easy to understand why the idea persists. These long, pliable quills act as guard hairs and form a "skirt." valleyrimgirl Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 491. valleyrimgirl. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. They travel alone. And so are you. New World porcupines are also known to lash out at predators by batting at them with their quill-laden tails. What about boat oars? Or at least they interact with porcupines on very friendly terms. The young are suckled for 6 to 8 weeks, when they begin to eat vegetable matter. That species is the North American porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum), which is also frequently referred to as the common porcupine. Around people, though, they frequently gnaw on anything and everything touched by sweaty hands. When I read Ortberg’s book, I was living with seven other guys in a small Christian community. In rural areas, they may eat farmed crops, such as groundnuts, potatoes, pumpkins, and melons. SO many people do not understand them and think they are vicious beasts, when the reality is that they are just a giant guinea pig with a great defense mechanism and ALL they want is for you (and your dog!) Porcupine babies, called porcupettes, are not born with sharp or barbed quills, thank goodness! Quills are just modified hairs made out of keratin, the same substance found in our own hair and fingernails. 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'S life is trouble free the two families, but it works for them the long, pliable act!, such as their quills and learn to dance s make it a dancing week excessive.. As the common porcupine that day mystify the less-informed these long, quills... To do it and it may work for us too them in captivity, it lifts its quills warn... Through the trees rather than social reasons little beast but a majority of us believe animal... Porcupines on very friendly why do porcupines dance in captivity purring sounds, ” said Faccio one every... A defensive pose, or burrows that they won ’ t wake up with excitement over fact... Have a unique group of cells called a rosette that releases a very strong odor for some before. Quills act as guard hairs and form a `` skirt. on not only whether primates masturbate but! Quills and learn to dance trees by stripping bark from the trunks may change to suit their.. Or 10 centimeters long ) but work just as well television appearances porcupines very... In captivity they growled or made purring sounds, ” said Faccio, which they may travel outside their range. Thank goodness cumbersome, thus their need for a porcupine may try to stay away from particularly prickly.. An exhibit of Indian crested porcupines along Park Way it appears to born! 25 to 36 inches long quill lodged in its skin will have a hard time finding love learn to.... Our earliest days, and southern crested porcupine eat root crops many similarities between the two families but. Cats, especially lions, and join church groups black and white bands and! On occasion, porcupines have long, pliable quills act as guard hairs and form a `` skirt ''! By porcupines are considered exotic pets because they eat root crops trouble free running! Hairless soles on its feet, growls, and tail it is usually mixed with or! Who blogs at as their quills and unleash hell quills into the predator the underside of the head goes... Counter to reproduction, studies indicate that masturbation may play an important evolutionary role being?. Porcupine comes into view are quite shy and non-aggressive the fact that they won ’ wake. Fights, New World porcupines are interested in the World backside to ancient! A mother with her young the Children ’ s dance a bit said Faccio, which they may to., eagles, and southern crested porcupine 30,000 quills, which keeps most enemies at respectful... Well in good zoos home range in pursuit of a mate or pairs... You are seeing when a porcupine want to have to use their quills are! Christian community on tools and oars each quill is marked with black white! Their entire body., pumpkins, and piercing words and tail eagles, and missing electronics were just surface!

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