Porcupines can be best recognized by the distinctive coat of quills they wear on their backs. Porcupines are part of the rodent family. They live primarily in both deciduous and coniferous forests and woodlands in the western United States, as well as in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Porcupines are curious creatures. All of the porcupines in the United States are New World porcupines that migrated up from South America. They are mostly solitary creatures that move slowly but are agile climbers. As herbivores, they spend much of their time up high in trees foraging on leaves, pine needles, and bark. Porcupines set aside their solitary ways during their mating time which runs from September through December. About seven months later, the female gives birth to a porcupette. Porcupettes are born with a full set of quills that are soft but harden within hours of birth. By two weeks of age, porcupettes are feeding on green plants, fully weaned by three months, and begin to live independently at six months.

It is commonly believed that porcupines can fling their quills when confronted, but this is a misconception. Porcupine quills are built for easy release, so when a porcupine is in defensive mode, it turns its back toward its aggressor, allowing the quills to release upon contact.

Porcupines venture into residential areas for a surprising reason—they crave salt that they cannot get from their diet of leaves and bark, and there is plenty of it near humans. Some of their favorite sources of salt include car tires that have driven through salted streets, tool handles and boat oars found in sheds, horse saddles, and plywood that is glued with a sodium-based material.

Porcupines are an uncommon home intruder. If one is a regular in your yard, it is likely because of unusual circumstances such as a drought or food shortage.

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Porcupines chewing on wood trim or trees? Porcupines, sometimes called "porkies" or "quill pigs," are heavy-bodied, short-legged, slow, and awkward rodents, with a waddling gait. They rely on their sharp, barbed quills (up to 30,000 per individual) for defense. Call your local Critter Control office today at 1 800-CRITTER for effective porcupine removal and exclusion services.
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Elisabeth
10/1/2021
Great natured guys and very thorough. Appreciate their attitude and service.
Kris
9/27/2021
Michele and George delivered pre-eminent world class customer service! They gave a 24 hour notification with their arrival date and time, were prompt, knowledgeable, and easy to do Business with! They planned their work, and worked their plan. Just when we thought that customer service was a dying art, they restored our confidence that Critter Control is passionate with their craft! I would highly recommend this Company, as they exceeded our expectations! Sincerely, Karen Doherty and Kris Kepler
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9/15/2021
Excellent communications, execution and friendly. I highly recommend this company!
Ellen
9/10/2021
The Critter Control team went above and beyond to make sure that NO CRITTERS could get into my home. We thought we had conquered the problem, but we still heard squirrels getting in, so they returned to reassess and finish the job. They actually pulled up our deck boards and found that the critters were getting in because of a rotted board underneat the cantilever. They replaced the insulation, rotted boards, and put a metal sheeting over everything so NO squirrels or critters could chew their way in! If you need critter control - you need to contact them. They stand behind their work 100%.... Thank you Rodney & Team!! Great Job. Ellen R. Haslett, MI
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9/9/2021
Eric was grate,give him 5 stars and much thanks.
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9/3/2021
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Jan B.
8/28/2021
If you are in the market for this service, having Michelle and George take a look is a must! Unlike some other vendors, the people who come to the house and assess the job are the ones that will actually do the work, so you get to meet the people who will actually perform the work - no new people or subcontractors. Michelle and George are highly experienced, professional, and friendly - a pleasure to work with. They always came within the promised window, and were accessible by phone or text for any questions. Sincerely, highly recommend.
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8/26/2021
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8/24/2021
Terrance was very professional. He was very thorough. I would definitely order this service again.
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