This critter needs to go! Pics..

[Glacier]

I like the wildlife that frequents my property. Sure it makes the dogs a little noisy but I love watching the moose, bears, foxes, wolves ect. Now that we are fully fenced none of the local wildlife poses a huge threat to my animals and we can peacefully co-exist. I could however do without this latest visitor!

Meet the porcupine my dogs treed this morning! Fortunately, he's on the other side of the fence so no quills have been left in dog noses.

He needs to find a new place to hang out! I'd hate see him die just for being in the wrong place, but porcupine quill removal is a minimum of 300 bucks per dog. I'd really hate to deal with that! I've moved as many dogs as possible out of that area and hopefully, the porcy will move on soon!

[CountryWolf07]

WOW!

Is it really that big? Goodness, I've never seen one of that size.

Let's hope he goes away on his own.

[Glacier]

Is it really that big? Goodness, I've never seen one of that size.

You're the second person who's seen that pic and said that! Apparently Yukon porcupines are bigger than in other places. He's a good size, but I've seen bigger ones around here!

edited to add...I just looked it up and apparently porcupines can range from 12 to 35 pounds. I'd guess that one is about 20 pounds.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Hehe, is THAT a porcupine?? I thought this SMALL animals only live on the ground!?? Or is this not the same as what we call "a hedgehog"?

[jennielynn1970]

I don't think our hedgehogs leave their quills in people, or animals, do they?? We had pet ones at school, and they were nice from what I recall. Small too.

[Glacier]

Or is this not the same as what we call "a hedgehog"?

Completely different from a hedgehog. The only hedgehogs here are the domesticated pet ones. Hedgehogs don't leave their quills behind when attacked. Porcupines imbed their quills in their attackers. They have to be pulled out, usually under sedation.

[Freedom]

Fortunately, he's on the other side of the fence

So the dogs barking and making a fuss scared him up the tree even though they couldn't reach him?

Oh yeah, he is HUGE compared to what we see around here.

Tamara, your posts are ALWAYS so educational!

[Twisterdog]

I hit a porcupine with my car once, and I tell you, they are MUCH bigger than I thought they were.

Until that very sad and scary incident, I suppose I assumed they were maybe the size of a cottontail rabbit. Oh no. They are more like the size of a medium sized dog, with very short legs. It did considerable damage to the front end of my car.

[Glacier]

I hit a porcupine with my car once, and I tell you, they are MUCH bigger than I thought they were.

Oh, I did that in high school. Coming home late at night ran over a porky. Course we lived on a rough gravel road and I never realized I'd hit anything beyond a pothole. Until the next morning when my Mom saw the carnage. Cleaning quills out of her car's front end was not fun!

Update on this guy...he has moved on. He fell out of the tree a couple hours ago. Apparently they fall quite often and it was very windy here today! I'm not sure where he went, but I hope he went far away into the back 40...where my dogs don't go! They went nuts when he fell. Muskwa has clearly learned nothing from his six porcupine incidents! He was the most determined to get through the fence!

I sent the pics Stuart who said it's a big male likely in his prime. Porkies have long lifespans for wild rodents since not many animals can hunt them successfully. The education Stuart doesn't use anymore was in enviroment and conservation officer so I'll take his word for that!

[jesse_3]

SIX PORCUPINE INCIDENTS!!! Goodness Muskwa I would be careful!

That is good that Mr. Porcupine has taken another course of action and found somewhere else to roam!!

[4 Dog Mother]

I didn't realize that porcupines got that large either. I hate to admit my ignorance but I didn't think they climbed trees either. Tamara you are a wealth of knowledge! I really enjoy learning the things you have shared with us. And I am glad none of the dogs were able to get too close. $300 a dog - wow! but I bet it is a tough job removing all those quills!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

I didn't know they could climb trees maybe it was a newly acquired skill

[Glacier]

I didn't know they could climb trees maybe it was a newly acquired skill

LOL, no the North American species can climb trees. They usually do it to reach fresh growth on the trees, which they like to eat!

[Glacier]

SIX PORCUPINE INCIDENTS!!! Goodness Muskwa I would be careful!

My vet told me that if he sees a dog twice for quills, he will continue to see them. If they don't learn the first time, they never will. He was certainly right with Muskwa and Kayleigh who I think has had four removals. Stuart had a theory that he kept doing because I take him to the vet for the removal so he doesn't remember how much it hurts. Well, last summer, he got into a porky out in the mine camp with Stuart. No vet for 600 miles, no one coming to town for days. So Stuart had no choice but to pull the quills himself. It made no difference that Muskwa felt the pain. He still wants a piece of that porcupine!

[Karen]

I remember my first dog, Sheba - best dog in the whole wide world - braced between my Dad's knees while he and Grandpa worked the quills out of her muzzle with pliers. She, with the incredible prey instinct, only tried to get a porcupine that one time. She was, I maintain, the smartest dog ever.

Every once in a while we'd spot one up in one of the trees in the woods, but it wasn't often. Maybe they learned from the Sheba incident as well, and, like the neighborhood cats, knew to take to the nearest tree at any approach!