Following a gestation of about 203 days, a porcupette, weighing just under a pound, is born with soft quills that protect the mom during the birthing process. After a few days, the quills harden with keratin, which gives them their sharpness. Baby porcupines are relatively mature and mobile immediately following birth.
Do porcupine lay eggs or give birth?
Like most mammals, porcupines give birth to live young and do not lay eggs . The only two mammals that lay eggs are the platypus and the echidna, which has spines similar to that of a porcupine. Typically, only one newborn porcupine arrives in the spring.
How are porcupines born?
Typically, only one newborn porcupine arrives in the spring. Called porcupettes, these babies weigh about one pound, are born with their quills , and stay with their mother for up to six weeks. By the fall, young are left to fend for themselves.
How does a prickly porcupine give birth?
After a gestation period of approximately 112 days (the longest gestation period of any Rodent), the female gives birth to offspring covered in soft, moist and flexible quills, enclosed in a thin placental sac . Immediately after birth, the quills quickly harden in the air and become prickly.
Where do porcupines have babies?
According to Animal Corner, mother porcupines construct burrows made from tall grass and leaves prior to giving birth. Baby porcupines are birthed onto the natural cushion , which also provides cover from potential predators.
Are porcupines good for anything?
People hunt porcupines as well . Their meat has been a traditional staple for many indigenous North Americans, and the quills an important material for basketry and decorative crafts. Perhaps the most common cause of porcupine fatalities, after cars, is falling out of trees.
Why do porcupines smell so bad?
The North American porcupine has a strong odor to warn away predators , which it can increase when agitated. The smell has been described as similar to strong human body odor, goats, or some cheeses.
How do porcupines talk?
Porcupines communicate primarily with sound, smell and their quills , as they have poor, nearsighted vision. Much of their communication centers around deterring threats and finding mates.
What is a beaver baby?
Baby beavers are called kits . Eurasian kits are usually weaned after six weeks of life. American beavers have a gestation period of around 105 to 107 days.
What animal babies are called?
A variety of mammalian babies are known as cubs, kits, pups or whelps , especially in carnivorous or omnivorous species. Many young plant-eating ungulates, meanwhile, go by names like fawn or calf, although the latter term is also used for marine mammals like dolphins, manatees and whales.
What are porcupines afraid of?
Curious dogs often bear the brunt of a porcupine’s defenses when one is found near the home. Fox urine is marketed to homeowners as a repellent for most wild, prey animals. The reality is that porcupines are rarely preyed upon by foxes .
What month do porcupines have babies?
Life Cycle. Breeding generally occurs in late winter. If the female is not bred during this time, she will come into estrus again in four months and can be bred at that time, giving birth to babies later in the summer. Most cubs, however, are born in April and May .
Are porcupines aggressive?
The porcupine is not an aggressive animal and will only attack if it is threatened. Once threatened, porcupines will chatter their teeth and produce a chemical odor to warn off predators. If the threat continues, the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its tail.
Are porcupines good or bad?
By ordinary human standards, porcupines have many bad habits . ... Porcupines damage, and sometimes kill, trees by gnawing on them; they even gnaw at uninhabited wooden buildings. The human response to porcupines is often an attempt to eradicate them by shooting, trapping, or poisoning.
Should you shoot porcupines?
Porcupines are creatures that aren’t particularly clever or cunning, and the reality is that they do not really need to be killed in order to get them away from your yard or garden.
Do porcupines like being pet?
So lots of different people have had the wonderful experience of petting Pokey and feeling her wiry hair and spiny quills. Pokey likes to be petted , but you have to be very calm and gentle when you do it so that you don’t startle her. She is a very sweet porcupine but she scares easily.
