How many spiky, furry, brownish, four-legged creatures can you think of? Well, it turns out there are a lot of different animals fitting this description scattered all over the world! You can easily confuse the general appearance of a North American porcupine with a lot of different large and smaller rodents. In fact, many other …
Surviving can be tricky when you’re the size of a cat and live in a forest full of hungry predators. From hunters and larger animals, there are a lot of things that can hurt you if you are not careful. That is why animals such as porcupines rely on their senses to stay one step …
North American Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) can be found in the western and northeastern regions of the United States of America, Canada, and Alaska. Porcupines are adaptable animals and can survive in different types of ecosystems. The places where these spiny animals can be found have changing seasons throughout the year and the porcupine’s behavior changes …
Floofmania is happy to tell you that the North American porcupine population overall is healthy and fairly stable. In spite of the changes in their habitats, conflict with human populations, and their low reproductive rate, this quilled rodent proves itself to be a surprisingly hardy creature. Did you know that the earliest fossils of the …
Normally, the North American porcupine is spotted throughout various states and countries as a wild animal. While they are not related to hedgehogs, porcupines look like bigger hedgehogs that could be household pets! The North American Porcupine is legal to own in most states in the USA, except a few like California or Georgia. If …
When it comes to sleeping in the forest, it can be quite a hazard for many animals. With larger animals prowling the woods with them, they can end up being a meal to some predators. Even animals that can defend themselves like porcupines need to be careful. Like all animals, porcupines need to sleep and …
So you have fallen in love with the cuddly but spiky North American porcupine, and you are wondering how to “get your hands on” one. Well.. We hope you have done at least some basic research about this exotic animal so you know what you are getting into. After all, getting a pet, whether your …
Sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and a poor diet of tree bark and needles – these are some of the harsh conditions the North American porcupine has to endure every winter. This slow-moving, solitary herbivore doesn’t look like it has a lot of tools to survive the months-long extreme cold in its forest habitats. But porcupines truly …
North American porcupines are best known for their quills but they have another distinct characteristic that most people don’t know about, which is their unpleasant, pungent odor! Today, Floofmania will cover porcupine smells and the role they play in their daily life and survival. Are North American Porcupines Smelly? North American porcupines are stinky little …
What kind of feet do you think are best suited to a round-bodied, tree-dwelling creature that also travels and forages on the ground? The porcupine has so many unique features and behaviors and their paws and claws are no exception. Join Floofmania to learn more about the quilled rodent’s feet and how these help them …
Aloof, shy, and independent. These are not the usual words you think about when you see the roly-poly porcupine waddling from tree to tree. In the wild, the North American porcupine is prickly around other creatures (even its own kind!) and is extraordinarily self-reliant. Are they the ultimate introverts or loners of the forests? How …
Porcupines are kind of cute with their beady little eyes and chunky bodies. You may think them harmless as long as you don’t provoke them and get in the way of their quills. But do not be deceived by this slow-moving, solitary, nighttime forager of the forests. The North American porcupine causes a few more …
Don’t be fooled by the little innocent face of a porcupine, for this animal knows how to fight when it feels threatened. North American porcupines can be quite dangerous– unless they are given a reason not to be. When provoked, a porcupine can be a cause for concern because of its pointed quills. Some people …
For many animals, the biggest problem they face is getting enough food to survive. Even in the forest where there is plenty of plants and animals to choose from, it can still be a challenge. For that reason, some animals need to get creative to survive. Take porcupines, for example, they are very skilled at …
The curious quill pig is one of the biggest rodents in the world. In North America, only the beaver beats it in the ranking of rodents in terms of size and mass. It can weigh roughly the same as a small dog (miniature dachshund) or even up to a medium-sized one (English Cocker Spaniel). Read …
Amongst the 12 porcupine species, the North American porcupine is the most common in the New World porcupine family. This had led people to wonder about what they eat. North American porcupines eat vegetation, such as vegetables, roots, bark, grass, fruits, and more. While some have been spotted gnawing on animal bones, they are mostly …
Do Porcupines See Well? The North American Porcupine is one of the species that belong to the New World porcupines. These are porcupines that are located in North and South America. This porcupine is the largest among its species and can be found in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. It is a tree-dwelling rodent …
While porcupines are most well-known for their defensive quills, they’re still rodents, and like all rodents, they are great at gnawing. This naturally leads many to wonder about a porcupine’s teeth and jaw and what a porcupine uses its teeth for. Porcupines use their teeth to eat tough materials like wooden stems and bark since …
North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum), native to North America, are the second-largest rodent after the North American beaver. Their coats’ colors range from brownish-yellow to black, with white highlights emphasizing the quills. Because of these quills, North American porcupines have gained a bad reputation, and many are scared of their spikes. This doesn’t imply they’re …
Porcupines are unique animals with varieties found around the world. The Native American porcupine is easily recognized by its hollow sharp quills that adorn its body. Porcupines are one of the largest animals in the rodent family found in North America. Many people know that porcupines are gifted at climbing trees. They are well-adapted to …
Porcupines are the second-largest rodent in North America. One of their most striking features is all of the quills covering their bodies. Upon looking at their bodies, you may find yourself wondering “how do North American porcupines fight and protect themselves and their young?“ If this is a question that’s been burning on your mind, …
The North American Porcupine is a New World Porcupine that everyone has seen in pictures, but not so many have seen up close. Designed to spend much of their time in trees, there are actually quite a lot of interesting facts about these creatures and that’s going to be the focus of this article. Today …
Few animals are as instantly recognizable as the North American porcupine. With their massive quills, these rodents boast one of nature’s most impressive defenses. Although, you might be surprised to learn it can’t protect them from everything. The North American porcupine faces several dangers ranging from urban sprawl to predators. As a result, some conservationists …
The porcupine’s range includes nearly every continent. Porcupines are classified by location. These classifications are called Old World and New World porcupines. Several differences exist between the two regional porcupine types, including sleeping preferences, den-making rituals, and more. Mainly, these differences are a result of the environment. This article discusses where porcupines live. It also …
Porcupines mate once a year, each summer through fall. After a roughly 200 day gestation period, porcupines have one porcupine baby. Female porcupines raise their babies independently, without the help of their male partners. This article discusses porcupine mating practices, reproduction, and raising porcupine babies. How Do Porcupines Mate? Porcupines are monogamous animals that find …
Porcupines are excellent diggers who rely on their sharp claws for making underground dens and scavenging food. According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, these mammals are herbivores and are experts at digging to find food underground. In most cases, the porcupine will establish a burrow and travel as little distance as possible …
Porcupines make many noises. The most common noises that porcupines make are squeaking and squealing noises, which are used to communicate with other porcupines. Many people believe that porcupines sound like humans as they make noises and that they even have the capability of learning the human language. The pitch and tone of the porcupine …