Cute Baby Porcupines (Porcupettes) Guide With Facts, Photos, And Videos

Who would have thought that a rodent with 30,000 quills all over their body could be cute? But yet, here we are, looking at photos and YouTube videos of baby porcupines.

Let’s dive in with some questions that people like you and me have about these awesome baby porcupines.

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Table of Contents

What Do You Call A Baby Porcupine?

These amazingly cute rodents are called porcupettes and even though they’re tiny now, they’re going to grow into the second-largest rodent in North America, trailing only behind beavers.

How Does A Baby Porcupine Look Like?

Baby Porcupine
Baby Porcupine

Baby porcupines are soft and cuddly creatures that can be touched without fear of getting quilted, at least until their quills harden. Their fur is brown, black, or grey color depending on the species and they are some of the longest-living rodents, with one individual living to be 27 years old.

How Big Are Baby Porcupines?

When baby porcupines are born they weigh around 14 ounces which is around 400 grams. They reach adult size in about a year and sexual maturity in two years. Adult porcupines are well rounded, large and slow. They weigh between 12-35 pounds (5–16 kg) dependent on the species. Most porcupines are about 23-35 inches (60-90 cm) long, with an 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) long tail.

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How Many Baby Porcupines Are Born At A Time?

Baby porcupines can be born alone or with one or two siblings, depending on the species. Females typically give birth only once a year. The young are born fully developed, with open eyes, and are able to climb trees within a few days of birth.

Are Baby Porcupines Born With Quills?

Yes, baby porcupines are born with quills that are soft and made of hardened hair so that their mother doesn’t get hurt during birth. The quills will harden within hours of birth, and after a while, the baby porcupine will change its color as well. I guess that Mother Nature does now how to do her job!

Old World porcupines have quills embedded in clusters, while in New World porcupines, single quills are interspersed with bristles, underfur, and hair.

Can Baby Porcupines Shoot Quills?

Baby porcupines or porcupettes cannot shoot their quills and neither can adult porcupines. This was a misconception for a long, long time that has since been proven wrong. The porcupine will attack by running sideways or backward into predators and the quills will jam into their skin.

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Are Baby Porcupine Quills Sharp?

At first, porcupette quills are soft but with time they become really sharp, and at that stage, each quill has up to 800 barbs, all of which are located on the first 4 mm of the quill’s tip. They fall off very easily of a porcupine’s body but are really hard to get out of one’s skin.

How Does A Baby Porcupine Sound Like?

Baby porcupines make these adorable cooing sounds that sound almost like a baby cooing. Check out this video below to hear one yourself.

Can I Have A Baby Porcupine?

If you’re looking to buy a baby porcupine you first have to ensure that they are legal to keep in your state or country. You can find African crested porcupine and North American porcupine (the two most popular ones) online or with exotic pet breeders.

Porcupines are chill animals but they are essentially wild creatures with many needs and problems. The most important thing is to find a good vet that could cater to your new pet.

Another issue is that porcupines have sharp quills (duh) and if you do get quilted by them, you’re in for a world of pain as they’re not the easiest to get out.

Here are some other things to consider that I found on ilovepets.co:

  • See if your landlord allows it.
  • What if you have to move later on?
  • If you go on a vacation, who will take care of it?
  • What if later on, you think keeping porcupine is not cool anymore?

RELATED: Are Porcupines or Their Quills Poisonous?

Can You Touch A Baby Porcupine?

Baby porcupines are born with soft quills and you can indeed touch or pet a porcupine in a controlled situation. If a baby porcupine is with its mother, that could be a different story. If she feels that you are a threat, you might end up looking like a cactus – full of sharp porcupine quills lodged under your skin. Because it takes around ten pounds of pressure to take out their darn quills, you are in for a challenge (and probably a big doctor’s bill).

Poor-cupine

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What Does A Baby Porcupine Eat?

Baby porcupines eat their mother’s milk till they’re about three months old. After that, they start to forage for food with their mothers. Their menu includes foods like tree bark, buds, fruits, roots, stems, leaves, blossoms, seeds, and crops like corn and even bananas. In some countries, they are even considered to be a pest because they venture into fields too often (all the time).

Do Baby Porcupines Bite?

Baby porcupines might nibble on you, but I doubt that they would bite.

Baby Porcupine Photos

Baby porcupine with mom
Baby porcupine with mom
Porcupette eating spring flowers
Porcupette eating spring flowers
Baby porcupine
Baby porcupine
Baby porcupines
Baby porcupines
Baby porcupine with a parent
Baby porcupine with a parent

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