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General Porcupine Questions
Q. Why did the Creator of Heaven and Earth make porcupines anyway?
Q. When do porcupines shoot their quills?
Q. When are porcupines a problem?
Q. Why did the porcupines pick my house?
Q. Why do I need to get rid of porcupines?
Q. When do porcupines come into houses?
Q. When is the best time to get rid of porcupines?
Q. How do I know if I have porcupines on my property?
Q. Where can I get help with my porcupine problem?
Health & Safety
Q. What are the health risks of having porcupines in my residential or commercial building?
Q. Will the porcupines attack me?
Q. Who is responsible for this porcupine problem?
Animal Control Products and Methods
Q. What are the most common porcupine complaints you receive?
Q. Which poisons do you recommend to kill porcupines?
Q. Which porcupine repellents are the best?
Q. Which methods do you use to exterminate porcupines?
Q. Which methods do you use to get rid of porcupines?
Q. Who should I call for help?
Q. Why should I hire a professional to get rid of porcupines?
Property Damage
Q. What damage can porcupines cause?
Q. What is this going to do to my property value?
Q. What will a wildlife removal technician do about the porcupines on my property?
Q. How can a wildlife removal technician help me get rid of the porcupines?
Costs
Q. What does it cost for an initial on-site porcupine inspection?
Q. What does it cost for an initial over-the-phone porcupine control consultation?
Q. Who pays for my porcupine problem?
Q. What FREE animal control services does your company offer to the public?
Q. How much will it cost to get rid of the porcupines?
General Porcupine Questions
Q. Why did the Creator of Heaven and Earth make porcupines anyway?
A. Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) are fascinating creatures. They are the second largest rodent (next to the beaver) in North America. Believe it or not, in spite of 30,000 quills the porcupine is an important food source for a number of animals and has been used as humans for an emergency food source. The quills are an important part of Native American art and the hair (yes, as rodents they do have hair) makes fine and expensive fishing lures.
Q. When do porcupines shoot their quills?
A. Porcupines do not shoot their quills and only intentionally loose them as a final resort when all other defensive warning measures have failed. When faced with danger, the porcupine will usually climb a tree. While they appear clumsy on the ground, they are very adept tree climbers. If escape is not possible, the porcupine will erect the quills into a vertical position, making it appear much larger, and emit a nasty musk.
If this isn’t enough, they animal will whirl around and thrash its tail while making a loud chattering sound. Backing towards the attacker, the porcupine continues to warn. A prickly tail swipe is truly the last resort. Many animals get the idea and back off long before this happens.
Q. When are porcupines a problem?
A. Porcupines are a problem when they damage trees or other plants and vegetation in yards or golf courses. Porcupines also gnaw just about anything to keep their teeth worn down (a habit common to all rodents) or to satisfy their seemingly endless craving for salt.
People get upset when their dogs, which never seem to learn, or livestock are injured in a porcupine conflict.
As porcupines move into an area, their predators will follow and coyotes or even mountain lions and bears will enter your property in search of a tasty meal of porcupine.
Q. Why did the porcupines pick my house and yard?
A. Porcupines like salt, tender trees, fruits and vegetables. If you provide these, the animals are attracted. Searching about in the night, nocturnal porcupines eat wheel barrow handles, saddles, the underside of cars with road salt on them, and the glue that holds laminated wood products together. If you provide them with food and shelter, the porcupines will come.
Q. Why do I need to get rid of porcupines?
A. Porcupines eat trees—all types are at risk if you allow porcupines to hang around. Whether natural forest trees or orchard fruits, porcupines are known to eat them all.
But, porcupines don’t just like trees, the love salt. Anything that has salt on or in it is vulnerable to porcupines damage such as yard or garden tools, leather gloves or tack equipment and plywood.
As the porcupines start to call an area home, predators follow. Coyotes and mountain lions along with other predators can come to your property in search of a tasty porcupine and settle for something else—like a pet.
The quills of porcupines are sharp, barbed and painful. Removal is necessary and difficult and becomes more difficult with time as the structure of the quills causes them to become more and more deeply embedded as they work their way into or even through the victim.
Q. When do porcupines come into houses?
A. Porcupines almost never come into houses. Yes, they will climb trees and den up under and around houses, but actually inside a home, no.
Q. When is the best time to get rid of porcupines?
A. As soon as you suspect you have a resident porcupines you need to get rid of it. They can climb, they do not hibernate, they are nocturnal so their activities can be hard to detect until the damage is too extensive to be ignored and they are creatures of habit. Once a den site is established it will be used for years. They won’t go away on their own.
Q. Where do porcupines live?
A. Porcupines live in western and northern North America. They prefer to live in forests, but wander in many areas from river bottoms to high tundra. Favorite spots are brushy or wooded and usually involve trees such as pine, spruce or pinon.
Porcupines sleep during the day, sometimes in caves or under rocks or fallen timber, but under your deck will do, too, as will any other location that provides shade and shelter from predators.
Q. How do I know if I have porcupines on my property?
A. Porcupines usually give themselves away first by their damage—clipped twigs, gnaw marks on trees or damage to tools and other wood or leather objects is noticed and cursed. Sometimes they are not noticed until a dog or livestock show up with quills in their nose and on their face. If you do see one, you will easily identify the slow, awkward creatures waddling along or blinking at you from the fork of a tree.
Q. Where can I get help with my porcupine problem?
A. Allstate Porcupine Control can help. Call us. We are professionals with experience in porcupine removal and have trained technicians who will safely trap and remove porcupines from your property.
Health & Safety
Q. What are the health risks of having porcupines in my residential or commercial building?
A. Although disease is a possibility, the primary threat from porcupines is their quills. Each of the 30,000 quills on a single porcupine is needle-sharp and barbed. The quills are not easily removed and animals usually require veterinarian care, which humans with embedded quills should seek medical attention immediately. The quills will not work loose like a splinter, but tend to dig into the flesh and can penetrate internal organs, causing death.
Q. Will the porcupines attack me?
A. Porcupines do not attack, but they are very good a defending themselves as necessary. They are actually peaceful and pleasant creatures that prefer to waddle through life at a comfortable pace. If necessary, however, their defense is effective. The long quills stand erect along the back of the animal when it is threatened or disturbed in any way. If you encounter one of these animals on your property, leave it alone and call us to remove it without danger or harm to you.
Q. Who is responsible for this porcupine problem?A. The tasty vegetation on your property and the available sources of salt are responsible for this porcupine problem. However, you are the one who will have to do something about it. No government agency is responsible for porcupine removal. You will need to hire a private, professional will animal control technician to get rid of the animal and solve your porcupine problem.
Animal Control Products and Methods
Q. What are the most common porcupine complaints you receive?
We mainly get calls about porcupines because of quilled dogs or livestock and damaged prize plants. The porcupines are determined to eat and dogs never seem to learn to leave them alone.
Q. Which poisons do you recommend to kill porcupines?
A. There are no poisons registered for porcupines.
Q. Which porcupine repellents are the best?
A. Thiram is registered as a squirrel and rabbit repellent and may incidentally repel porcupines. This material is sprayed or painted on the plants subject to damage. It must be renewed occasionally to remain effective. Common wood preservatives may repel porcupines when applied to exterior plywoods. Avoid using wood preservatives that are metal-salt solutions; these will attract porcupines
Q. Which methods do you use to exterminate porcupines?
A. Trapping and shooting effectively exterminate porcupines. Know local laws and ordinances.
Q. Which methods do you use to get rid of porcupines?
A. We usually trap and euthanize porcupines as relocation is not typically successful and in some areas is illegal.
Q. Who should I call for help?
A. Call Allstate Porcupine Control. 1-888-488-7720.
Q. Why should I hire a professional to get rid of porcupines?
A. Animal control professionals know how to get rid of porcupines on your property without injury to yourself or your animals. We have the experience and expertise to do the job correctly and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Property Damage
Q. What damage can porcupines cause?
A. Porcupines occasionally will cause considerable economic loss as they eat forest plantings, orchards and implements. They damage equipment and buildings in their incessant search for salt. Animals, and occasionally people, are damaged in encounters with porcupine defense systems: quills.
Q. What is this going to do to my property value?
A. Property value can decrease 5-10%. Additionally, It is difficult to sell a house on property that has an animal infestation and it is required by law that you disclose and usually fix the porcupine problem before sale.
Q. What can a wildlife removal technician do about the porcupines on my property?
A. A professional wildlife removal technician will perform an on-site inspection to determine the size of your porcupine problem. He will examine evidence of damage and any possible den locations. Traps will be set as necessary and, once the animals are trapped, they will be removed from your location. If needed, he can perform or recommend any necessary repairs or modifications to prevent future infestations.
Q. How can a wildlife removal technician help me get rid of the porcupines?
A. Your professional wildlife removal technician will put his or her experience to work for you, safely trapping and removing the animals from your property before they cause additional harm or damage. You will feel very safe and comfortable knowing this job is being done by someone with knowledge and a sound understanding of wild animals. The animals will be treated humanely and in accordance with all local laws and regulations.
Costs
Q. What does it cost for an initial on-site porcupine inspection?
A. For specific information, see our Pricing Page.
Q. What does it cost for an initial over-the-phone porcupine control consultation?
A. FREE! Send me 5-10 pictures via e-mail and I will review them and call you to recommend a solution and give you an estimate. Pictures should include suspected porcupine damage, possible den sites under decks, porches or similar areas and anything else you think might be important.
Q. Who pays for my porcupine problem?
A. Porcupines are the responsibility of the property owner. You can attempt to get rid of them and clean up yourself, but I recommend that you contact us, your porcupine removal specialists. Typically porcupine removal starts with an inspection and evaluation which costs $150-250, depending on your location. You may want to contact your property insurance carrier; your policy may include coverage for removal and clean up of pest animals.
Q. What FREE porcupine control services does your company offer?
A. If you find an animal problem on your property, take 5-10 digital pictures and e-mail them to us (use the Contact Us page). We will call you on the phone and discuss your situation for a few minutes and suggest a plan of action, as time allows.
Q. How much will it cost to get rid of the porcupines?
A. Prices vary depending on your location, number of animals and severity of the problem. I can give you a FREE estimate over the phone using digital pictures you e-mail me. For additional information, see our Pricing Page
