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How to Get Rid of Porcupines



You may not realize it, but porcupines are rodents and not only that, they are some of the biggest rodents that you will ever find. An adult porcupine will weigh somewhere around 30 pounds; that is a lot more than some people think a rodent should weigh. Though they are slow and have bad sight, it does not mean that they cannot cause damage. If you have a curious dog the spines that a porcupine uses as defense can injure your pet. If they are left in undetected a very serious infection can result quickly. A human is not immune to getting hurt by a porcupine either. They can get quilled as well as bitten or scratched. The excrement of this animal carries a large range of different bacteria that is harmful. If you are not careful and come across one when you least expect it the quills will hurt you. You may not notice them because porcupines are night time creatures.

As Pests
Porcupines can not only hurt you or your pet, but they can also hurt the vegetation on your property. They do not only damage vegetable gardens, but they can also damage flowers and even trees. In fact many flowers and shrubs seem to be a favorite to munch down as well. In the garden is the porcupine’s favorite dining place. This is the place you would come to relax and unwind. People may underestimate a porcupine’s ability to climb because they are slow, but they are actually excellent climbers, especially if there is food to be had in the tree. This can make it difficult to keep them out of a garden by using a simple fence. They will also feast on tree roots that are exposed and that can mean that a tree will be exposed to disease and can also eventually die from the damage. The damage caused by porcupines to trees is more obvious during the winter because without other vegetation around a porcupine will crew on trees and tree roots.



Fencing
Because they love vegetation you may want to get some sort of fence to protect your garden and trees. Because they are climbers you want to make the fencing difficult to climb. Tilting the fence on an outward direction will do the trick. The trees must be protected so their bark isn’t eaten and the tree isn’t exposed to everything. If you have roots that are unprotected it is a good idea to get some soil and cover those roots in addition to setting up the fences around it. The point is to make it as difficult as possible for the porcupine to get to a food source. They are generally thought of as an animal that is best suited for removal.

Catching A Porcupine Or Using Repellents
Repellents are available and they usually will contain or imitate fox urine which is a predator of the porcupine. They are not always effective so you may want to go with live traps. Traps can be very effective but only if you know where to place them. If you are not sure where a porcupine may be on your property then you can make some smart guesses. The porcupine like most wildlife will look for places where it can have some shelter; because of their size that may not be as easy as it is for a squirrel or a mouse. You may want to try a tool shed or some other type of outdoor storage that you may have on your property. They love those kinds of places so that may be the first place to try. Wet cat food is favorite bait for these critters. Be very careful when selecting a spot to release your guy. You don’t want him too close to another family and you don’t want to be doing something illegal. If you are having trouble capturing the porcupine or you would rather not try it, then you should call a wildlife expert.

Other porcupine information: