centimeters long. Can weigh up to. Because quills are so lightly attached, they come off easily when a predator encounters them. All porcupines are nocturnal and quite adaptable, found in a variety of habitats, as long as there is vegetation. However, with such a spiky physique, they would surely have some difficulty in the bedroom. The body of a porcupine is covered by long - up to 60 centimeters pliable spines. At birth, they have soft quills, which harden in a few days. Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum), sometimes called “porkies” or “quill pigs,” are heavy-bodied, short-legged, slow, and awkward rodents, with a waddling gait. Porcupines grow to be 25 to 36-inches long with an 8 to 10-inch tail. 30. kilograms. ... Where do porcupines live? The keratinous quills are modified hairs that grow back when shed and serve the important purpose of protecting these rodents from predators. Rodents like porcupines are usually easy prey to a range of predators. Adults are typically 25 to 30 inches (64 to 76 cm) long and weigh 10 to 30 pounds (4.5 to 13.5 kg). The North American Porcupine has a very large range. Porcupines live on a diet of leaves, herbs, and green plants. They have a stocky body, a small face, short legs, and a short, thick tail.This species is the largest of the New World porcupines and is one of the largest North American rodents, second only to the American beaver in size. They rely on their sharp, barbed quills (up to 30,000 per individual) for defense. They are approximately 25 to 36 inches long and have an 8- to 10-inch long tail. Description. Quills are not thrown or shot, as popularly conceived. Porcupines have dark brown or black fur and long sharp quills. They can survive in a variety of climates and elevations. iStock A typical porcupine has soft hair mixed with quills , which grow from its back, sides, and tail. They live in deserts, rocky outcrops, forests and hillsides. Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. A porcupine has approximately 30,000 quills on its body. Among rodents, porcupines rank third in terms of size after capybara and beaver. Where does the North American Porcupine live? In rocky areas, they can be found up to a height of 3,700 meters. The quills are lighter in color. Porcupines are well-known for their long, sharp quills that warn just about everyone to keep their distance. Let's have a look at how they do this. Porcupettes mature at 9 months to 2.5 years, depending on species and can live up to 15 years in the wild. Porcupine habitats range from deserts, forests and grasslands. New World porcupines (family Erethizontidae) The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the largest species in the family, usually weighing less than 7 kg (15.4 pounds) though males occasionally grow significantly larger.Its body is up to 80 cm (31 inches) long, with a tail up to 30 cm. Porcupines are most common in hilly, rocky country, but they can adapt to most habitats — excessively moist forests and the most barren of deserts seem to be the only exceptions. New World porcupines live in North, Central, and South America; some examples are the Canadian porcupine, Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, and Brazilian porcupine. Challenges. Some species of New World porcupines live in trees, however, Old World porcupines are exclusively terrestrial (ground dwellers). This specie have however developed an advanced defense mechanism that makes predators think twice before they consider them for a meal. They have even been found on Mt. Some porcupines inhabit rocky regions up to 3,500 metres (11,000 feet) high. Porcupines weigh up to 35-pounds when adults. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills. Both are covered with a total of 30,000 or more hollow quills. 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