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I think it serves as they're protection against predators.
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoQuills are important to a porcupine because it is how they protect themselves. It is also a part of camouflage where they can blend into certain environments.
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What are porcupines?
a family of a porcupine is another porcupine
Why are porcupines quills so hard to remove?
Porcupines have needles to protect themselves. Predators do not want to be stuck with the needles so they avoid hunting and eat this animal.
Can porcupines shoot their quills at people?
no, that is a myth.The quills are very loosely attached to the skin, so the slightest touch will make them come off the porcupine and stick into you.
Do hedgehogs shed their quills?
Yes. An adult hedgehog typically has anywhere near 6,000 quills. However, these are much different from Porcupine quills. While they are still modified hairs, hedgehog quills are not barbed, venomous, nor can they be projected at a victim.
Can porcupines shoot quills?
No. The quills do loosen with time and can fall out on their own - just as our hair does everyday. On rare occassions, loose quills can fly off when a porcupine flicks its tail, but the porcupine doesn't know that the quill will come off and has no control over where they go. No, porcupines can't throw their quills. But they have a tiny barb--like a fishhook--at the end of each quill, so if a dog or other animal tries to bite them, the barb can hook into the dog and when the dog pulls away, the quill is pulled out of the porcupine and stays stuck in the dog's muzzle or mouth. Do NOT try to pull out the quills! (If you do try to, the barb will tear the dog's flesh.) Since the quills tend to work their way deeper into the dog's flesh and can cause infections, a trip to the vet is called for. The vet will anesthetize the dog and cut out the quills. After being quilled, a dog should be kept indoors during morning and evening twilight, since he/she is likely to seek out porcupines (presumably to get even!)
Why do porcupines have sharp quills?
No. The quills do loosen with time and can fall out on their own - just as our hair does everyday. On rare occassions, loose quills can fly off when a porcupine flicks its tail, but the porcupine doesn't know that the quill will come off and has no control over where they go. No, porcupines can't throw their quills. But they have a tiny barb--like a fishhook--at the end of each quill, so if a dog or other animal tries to bite them, the barb can hook into the dog and when the dog pulls away, the quill is pulled out of the porcupine and stays stuck in the dog's muzzle or mouth. Do NOT try to pull out the quills! (If you do try to, the barb will tear the dog's flesh.) Since the quills tend to work their way deeper into the dog's flesh and can cause infections, a trip to the vet is called for. The vet will anesthetize the dog and cut out the quills. After being quilled, a dog should be kept indoors during morning and evening twilight, since he/she is likely to seek out porcupines (presumably to get even!)
How does the porcupine protect himself?
A porcupine's entire body, with the exception of the belly and legs, is covered with sharp quills. The porcupine's quills, which are actually hardened, barbed hairs, are its primary source of protection. Porcupines cannot "throw" their quills as is popularly thought. They can, however, slap their quilled tail with lightning speed in the direction of an attacker. If a predator comes too close, it is likely to get a nose or mouth full of sharp quills that will work deeper and deeper into the flesh, causing a nasty infection and in extreme cases, possible death. A single porcupine may have upwards of 30,000 quills, more than 100 per square inch. Native Americans once used the quills as needles, and as ornaments on clothing. They were also used in the making of Native American warriors' breastplates. Porcupines are amazing climbers. They have been sighted over 60 feet up in the tops of trees, particularly cottonwoods, and these animals are extremely agile. Porcupines are herbivorous, feeding on bark and twigs, and prefer to eat softwoods, such as pine, elm and poplar. These rodents love salt and will seek it out. This craving leads them to eat such things as succulent plants, saddle leather, and the occasional shovel handle. In some areas, the porcupine's love for salt can get it into trouble. They will eat just about anything with a salty taste, including rose bushes, lily pads, garden produce and even car tires. Porcupines have been known to eat gardening equipment, wood siding on homes and yard furniture. Even when feeding only on trees, porcupines can cause problems. They can strip so much bark off the tree that it dies. There are some products that can discourage porcupines from literally eating you out of house and home. Most of these are liquid sprays that taste terrible to the porcupine. Another option for controlling problem porcupines is trapping and relocation. In northern climates, a natural predator of the porcupine, the fisher, is sometimes introduced into an area to control porcupine populations. Fishers are a type of weasel and are about the size of a large house cat. Other predators of the porcupine include the bobcat, and where found, the timber wolf, and wolverine. These animals are quick, and are able to flip the porcupine onto to its back in order to expose it's soft, unprotected belly. In Oklahoma, only the bobcat, and occasionally the coyote, are natural predators of the porcupine. Porcupines mate in the fall and give birth about 112 days later in the spring. They usually have only one offspring, called a porcupette, and twins are rare. The porcupine's quills are soft at birth and harden within their first hour of existence. They can eat solid food in about two weeks. Unlike their stoic parents, porcupettes are quite playful.
Do porcupines have spines?
i think so; otherwise the quills would not hold on
What is the pain of a porcupine sting?
imagine being stung by 1000 bees all at the same time
What are some adaptations a porcupine has?
their quills so they can defend themselves from predators.
How do animals eat porcupines?
some porcupines have quills on their nose but some dont so animals eat em by the nose.
Are porcupine quills dangerous?
They will hurt like hell, so yes, they are dangerous.
