Porcupine Problems

Porcupines are very large rodents with teeth that continue to grow unless they continue gnawing on things. Thus, one of the porcupine problems is damage they can do to your trees, structures, and leather products.

Slow and awkward due to their short legs, porcupines can weigh up to 30 pounds and can grow to 30 inches long. Each one of them has about 30,000 sharp quills on their backs and tails. These quills are very painful if they are inserted into your, your children’s, or your animals’ flesh.

In spite of being slow and even sluggish in their movements, porcupines wander for great distances. They’re found in many environments as well.

Fall is the time for porcupines to mate. Thus, another of the porcupine problems shows up. The female is only in heat for a short time. This means there may be several males chasing around the female during mating season. The presence of more of these critters increases the chances of one of them coming into contact with someone around your home.

During the winter months, porcupine problems include the animals looking for a warm and dry place to live. These places may include under your deck or in one of your outbuildings. They will eat your trees and other plantings, destroying many of them quickly. Winter may be the worst time for porcupine damage because they don’t have other vegetation to eat.

In addition to the porcupines themselves, another danger to you and your family may show up. Predators such as bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions, and even bears will eat porcupines. So if you have porcupine problems, you may also have problems with these predators.

In addition to the damage done by porcupines, they also carry mites, fleas, and ticks. If one of these animals takes up residence under your deck, their “friends” may migrate from the nest to your house. And if the porcupine decides to leave, all these ticks, mites, and fleas will take up residence in your home. This makes it important for the professionals who remove the porcupines around your home must also remove the nests.

If you have concerns about this issue, you may want to consider hiring a professional to take care of the problem for you. Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513