mRNA's next challenge: Will it work as a drug? The closest a porcupine gets to a bath is a wade in the water to eat lily pads or other vegetation. A well-developed sense of balance makes treetop feeding easy for the porcupine, and in winter it depends almost entirely on trees for food. In a new study by Emiliano Mori and colleagues, the team recorded, for the first time, porcupines using their quills to stab and kill foxes, badgers and dogs. Porcupines use the quills as a defense. Hiller In fact, the barbs located within 1 millimeter of the tip contributed about half of the pull-out resistance—possibly because the flesh more tightly surrounded the tip than it did the rest of the quill, Karp says. Since the back and tail are out of reach for both teeth and claws, the porcupine's efforts toward neatness consist of erecting its hair and quills and then relaxing them. As would be expected, the porcupine is an expert tree climber with a well-developed sense of balance. But what can these small mammals really do with their home-grown needles. New ones begin developing within a few days after the old ones are shed or removed, and they grow about one millimeter every two days until fully developed. It traveled through the arm muscles at a rate of about one inch per day. If your porcupine keeps turning food away after trying all this, I think you might have to take it to a vet or call animal rescue group in your area. When it comes to removing quills, home remedies abound. Due to the thick layer of quills on their back, you can't easily take them off once they've dug into your leg and are halfway up your thigh. To better understand the function of the barbs and to determine if they might be useful for medical devices, Karp and his colleagues conducted several lab tests—with, in some cases, unexpected results. When these less conventional foods are not available, the porcupine eats what nature has to offer. The quills swell with air as they enter the body so they are extremely painful to pull out=and will tear the flesh use anestetic or pain killer on the site-use a bunch of it---- cut the tip of the quil off and gently ease it out after the air has gone out of the quil In one recorded case, a quill fragment entered the arm of a naturalist while he was handling a baby porcupine. 99. Porcupine Quills Symptoms and Treatments in Dogs and Cats - At about 18 inches tall, 3 feet long (including the tail), and up to 40 pounds, the porcupine is the bane of curious dogs (and rarely, cats). Lindsey Merrick Texas Environment Males and females look alike. As long as the quills pass through muscle, no permanent damage usually results, but animals have been killed when the traveling spines have found their way into a vital organ, such as the brain. Some quills can get up to a foot (30 centimeters) long, like those on the Africa's crested porcupine, according to National Geographic. New research shows that the sharp quills of the North American porcupine have tips that are covered in backward-facing barbs that make them much tougher to … Its range in Texas normally is limited to the western portion of the state, including the Panhandle and parts of the Hill Country. A microscopic view of this darkened tip, which usually covers about one-half inch of the quill, shows thousands of overlapping, diamond-shaped, backward-pointing scales arranged like shingles on a roof. Hisses and teeth chatters are most commonly heard when the animal is threatened. Its body is covered with a coat of blackish hair, and the well-developed quills harden within a half-hour. Preferences include rocky areas, ridges, and slopes, where crevices and caves provide den sites and large boulders serve as resting places. At birth, the young porcupine is a one-pound miniature version of its parents. Porcupine quills can puncture the skin and move through muscle, ultimately penetrating into body cavities and internal organs. Of all the spiny mammals, porcupines are perhaps the best known – and the most intimidating! Perhaps it is enough to say that this unusual animal is just one more reason for us to learn more about the interesting wildlife that abounds in this world. No aiming or throwing occurs. The beaver is the only rodent in North America that is larger than the North American porcupine. Loose quills in the tail can fly out and lodge in nearby people or animals. They also tested an African porcupine's quills (which naturally have no barbs) and an 18-gauge hypodermic needle, which is approximately the same diameter as a quill from the North American porcupine. However, the quills are readily shed and can become firmly embedded in an unfortunate victim. A new coat of underfur grows in during the fall. The more the dog moves, the more likely quills are to break and travel further into his face or paws. A pleasant enough creature when left alone, the porcupine is quick to defend itself at the slightest threat. Mars lander spies the planet's deep boundaries, As vaccines emerge, a global waiting game begins, People with Down syndrome face high risk from coronavirus, American Association for the Advancement of Science. Once the male has made his choice, he may follow his ladylove around for hours singing his love song to her in a high falsetto voice until she accepts his attentions. Sticky situation. There are two families of porcupine, the Old World porcupines (Hystricidae), which live in Europe, Africa, and Asia, and the New World porcupines (Erethizontidae), which live in North and South America. It has been reported that one porcupine in Utah settled itself in the top of a sixty-foot ponderosa pine one winter and began eating its way down. $15.99 $ 15. To the scientists' surprise, barbed quills required approximately half the penetration force of the barbless quills—either those naturally barbless or those sanded clean—and only 56% of the force needed for the hypodermic needle to breach the skin. Quills on the face are much shorter, approximately 1.2 cm long. The porcupine goes up a tree head-first and backs down. Some forty-five hours later the point emerged from the man's skin at a spot forty-two millimeters from where it entered. Despite their prickly appearance, porcupines have soft undercoats with long guard hairs covering the quills. It "sings" in a pitiful, high-pitched whine, but the noise does not mean the animal is suffering any distress. Even though porcupine quills cause some damage to flesh when they're pulled out, extricating smaller, quill-inspired staples would likely cause less overall damage than pulling out the staples currently in use, Karp suggests. Tails are heavily covered with quills and undersides have bristle-like hairs. This is not true, but it is easy to understand why the idea persists. $3.05 $ 3. FREE Shipping. This molting keeps the animal cooler during hot weather and accounts for the bare patches of skin that can be seen among the quills in the summer. To prevent this, they say you should cut the shaft and let the air out before trying to remove the quill. Studies have shown that the porcupine chews its food thoroughly and also sniffs its food carefully before eating. The researchers took barbed porcupine quills and plunged them into samples of pig skin, measuring how much force it took to pierce the flesh and then how much force was required to extricate the quill. Once a quill is fully formed, the root closes, and usually no bleeding occurs when the quill is removed from its ready-release socket. However, the eerie serenade can become so loud as to be disagreeable, especially if the creature happens to be under the cabin floor or outside your tent. Only the nose, legs, and underside are unprotected by the prickly spines. All of the quills are on top of the tail and the animal’s back and sides. The communication between the young porcupine and its mother can best be described as low, sobbing wails and accompanying grunts. Because of their barbs, porcupine quills can get stuck in a dog's soft tissue can move deeper into the body if they're not removed right away. Through trial and error they discover the correct way. However, since the inside of the shaft is not hollow, cutting it cannot affect the embedded point. porcupine can throw its quills at an attacker is a widely-believed bit of animal misinformation. The newborn instinctively exhibits the backside-first, prickly defense posture within minutes after birth and lashes its tail with as much exuberance as an adult when threatened. When two meet, it may first appear they are going to fight; however, before long they probably will be rubbing noses or sitting up rubbing front paws. Porcupine's quills are actually modified hairs. A porcupine has over 30,000 quills covering the body. During its three-month stay in the tree, it managed to remove the bark from the top twenty feet. Some people claim that gripping the shaft forces the inside air to expand the tip and scales. Porcupines are truly fascinating creatures. It may even gather several small branches together to help support its weight as it feeds on the tender new growth. The slightest touch on a single quill or guard hair also brings them erect, turning the creature into a living pincushion. iStock. Mumbles, murmurs, moans, grunts, and whines are common. Their undersides, legs, and muzzles have no quills. The work, which also explains why the quills are so hard to remove, could improve the design of a variety of medical instruments, from devices that poke us to those that help keep wounds shut. Those on the sides are more slender and flexible. If you happen to be the unlucky recipient of a porcupine quill in the arm or leg, grab a pair of needle-nose pliers and prepare yourself for a pinch. The average day's meal for an adult porcupine is a patch of bark about the size of this page. Quills are not found on the legs, nose or belly. My Haudenosaunee Ancestors used the quills of Porcupine to sew beads and costumes for Dancing. The manticore (Early Middle Persian: merthykhuwar; Persian: مردخوار ‎ mardykhor) is a Persian legendary creature similar to the Egyptian sphinx that proliferated in western European medieval art as well. Series, No. Content of this site copyright Texas Parks and Wildlife Department unless otherwise noted. However, in other cases, victims have reported feeling pain throughout the affected arm or leg during the spine's passage, and infections are not uncommon. They typically weigh from 5 to 56 ounces (155 to 1,584 grams), depending on the species. Most hedgehogs can fit in an adult's hand. Ilo [6], The crested porcupine is a terrestrial mammal; they very seldom climb trees, but can swim. Growth is slow, but the porcupine matures in its second fall and can look forward to a life span of up to ten years in the wild unless a person or some other predator kills it. Press, College Station. When confronted, the porcupine will place his nose between his front legs and spin around so that its tail end is facing the predator. The Louise It began to bristle its quills and lash its tail violently. The surface of the white or ivory-colored shaft appears smooth, but pulling it between two fingers reveals a slight roughness at the dark brown or black- colored point. Blindness can result if the quills pass through the eyes, and starvation is almost inevitable when the victim's mouth is so full of quills it cannot eat. It has the head of a human, the body of a lion and a tail of venomous spines similar to porcupine quills, while other depictions have it with the tail of a scorpion. Because the quills carry bacteria with them, once they penetrate the skin they can serve as a source of infection and abscesses. The North American porcupine has about 30,000 quills, each one adorned with between 700 and 800 barbs along the 4 millimeters or so nearest its tip. Porcupine Quills. Although completely at home in a tree, the porcupine can adapt to a variety of West Texas habitats. As human populations expand, humans and porcupines find themselves in increasingly close quarters. Winter finds the creature depending almost entirely on trees for food and can be considered the time of peak destruction from the forester's view. When a porcupine senses danger, it lifts its quills into the vertical position. If you cannot safely remove them from your dog because they are too agitated then you definitely need to go to the vet. 10, pp. 1990 – Porcupines: Introducing Mammals to Young There are no quills on a porky’s belly, the underside of its tail or its lower legs. Porcupine, Anén:taks, speaks of Childish Joy and of remembering that there is always an Inner Child within us that must be given occasional voice. To pierce your skin, a porcupine quill needs only about half the force of a hypodermic needle, according to a new study. Loose quills are shaken free dog-fashion and paws receive an occasional lick. ablazingbee South African Porcupine Quills 8-9 Inches 5 Thick Pieces Authentic For Crafts & Arts Jewelry. Their fur ranges in color from brownish-yellow to black, and they sport white highlights in their quills. Often the young one's call appears to be ignored by the mother, or simply answered with a grunt or two. If the animal is disturbed or threatened in any way, the quills stand erect and the porcupine is ready for battle. AAAS is a partner of HINARI, AGORA, OARE, CHORUS, CLOCKSS, CrossRef and COUNTER. Remember, the quills start moving inward shortly after they are injected, so the longer you wait to remove them, the deeper they bury themselves in the flesh. The researchers report their findings online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. With teeth chattering and tail thrashing, it advances in a backward position. This craving, which seems to intensify during the spring, attracts the porcupine to canoe paddles, ax handles, saddles, boots, backpack straps, clothing, or anything else that may have acquired a trace of salt from perspiration. To understand how formidable a weapon the porcupine's quill is, let's take a close look at its structure. I have heard that porcupines can throw or shoot their quills to defend themselves. The male porcupine rears up on his hind legs, walks toward the female with a fully erect penis, and proceeds to soak her in urine with a spray forceful enough to shoot 6 feet. 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Porcupine quills are commonly found embedded in the muzzle, face, head, and neck of dogs, but can be found anywhere. During the summer it eats low-growing vegetation such as the young shoots of trees and shrubs. A porcupine has approximately 30,000 quills on its body. make it more difficult to extract a quill from flesh, but they also help the quill penetrate the flesh in. Human-wildlife conflict threatens porcupines’ existence. Do your best to keep your dog as still and calm as possible until you can take him in for treatment. Porcupine quills in dogs can cause serious skin and tissue damage. Most authorities agree that the best way to remove a quill is with a quick jerk as soon as possible. The tail is used for balance as well as a prop or brace. Each quill is under complete muscle control and can be raised or lowered instantly. This presents a potential problem to the porcupine: the force required to remove all the quills of a routine quill strike may exceed the weight of the porcupine, putting it … They range in size from 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 centimeters), according to the San Diego Zoo. Shadle and Po-Chedley (1949) report 79 quills embedded in 1 author's leg after a porcupine encounter. With a top speed of little more than a fast waddle, it can escape very few animals; however, its defensive weapons are so effective, it has no need for speed. Although backward movement of the quills is effectively stopped by the scales, forward movement is not restricted. Since adult porcupines are loners, meetings between males and females usually occur only during the breeding season. Perhaps it is this sense of smell that leads the animal to sample anything that contains the slightest amount of salt. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. Just as animal hair is shed and replaced, so are the porcupine's quills. The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. Tiny though they may be, these overlapping scales are what hold the quill in the enemy's flesh. The team's findings could be used to enhance various biomedical devices or to design new ones, Karp says. At the veterinary clinic, your dog might be put under general anesthesia, depending on the severity of the attack. During this violent tail lashing, some of the older quills that were about ready to be shed are dislodged. The best way to remove porcupine quills is simply to pull them out. Barbs render a quill about four times harder to pull out once they're embedded, the team found. This vegetarian rodent is native throughout the Pacific Northwest and most of North America and is known for its unique fur coat. Cut ends of quills to release pressure from inside the quill, which will relax the microscopic barbs and prevent them from burrowing deeper into your skin. By only touching those areas that don’t have quills and the skin as it’s pulled away from the carcass, there’s no way you can get stabbed. The most obvious trait is the long, sharp quills that cover their bodies. For a solitary creature, the porcupine is quite vocal. The position of the quills can be a good indicator of the porcupine's mood. Porcupines are famed for their quills, which are actually large, stiff hairs that help defend the animals against natural predators. Researchers estimate the porcupine has more than 30,000 of these quills with as many as 100 to 140 growing from each square inch of skin. Usually it is a sign that the porcupine is sexually excited. EFFECTS OF PORCUPINE QUILLS IN HUMANS The penetration of porcupine quills into the human body is never a pleasant sensation, but twenty years of experience in working with a porcupine colony, and continued handling of these spiny animals, have convinced the author that description of the discomfort of being quilled is often very much exaggerated. It is reported that porcupines usually have a fermented wood odor. A porcupine's prickly coat of quills is its first line of defense. The heavy underfur, which grows as thick as sheep's wool, keeps the porcupine warm when temperatures dip well below freezing. Also, the staples now used to hold some surgical incisions shut—which largely rely on friction along their length to remain in the flesh—could be replaced by barbed staples that are shorter and have a smaller diameter. A heavy underfur keeps the porcupine warm in the winter, then is shed during hot weather. If that doesn't work, they may charge backwards into the predator. Unfortunately, the scales do not grow like the threads on a screw, so twisting does nothing but further irritate the wound. Computer models suggest that the barbs ease the quill's penetration by concentrating force along the edges of the barbs, similar to how the serrations on a knife blade make cutting meat easier, Karp says. As it waddles along, it can be heard making noises to itself like an absent-minded person. All porcupines have a few traits in common. The rest of the body, from eyebrow to tail tip, is covered with prickly spines. The rest of the body, from eyebrow to tail tip, is covered with prickly spines. The route traveled and the condition of the quill at the time of entry are probably responsible for these differences. Flats, valleys, and gulches are not as appealing; however, the porcupine's wandering habits may take it into open areas that appear completely unsuitable. The bristles on their tails, pebbly pads and long toes on front and rear feet make them capable climbers. 5. The stiffest, longest, and most numerous quills are found on the back and tail. Only the nose, legs, and underside are unprotected. Although the young porcupine suckles for a short time – three to seven weeks – it begins eating vegetation shortly after birth and soon is on its own. The team then performed the same tests using quills whose barbs they had sanded off. The next step is to waggle its tail from side to side. Quill length varies with the area of the body on which they are found and the stage of development. Only the nose, legs, and underside are unprotected. 05. Fortunately their heavy covering of underfur, quills, and guard hairs protect them from injury when they fall. Still others claim the quill must be removed with a twisting action – some say clockwise, others counterclockwise. Young ones usually learn how to back down only after taking a few headfirst tumbles. Others claim that vinegar or some other solution should be swabbed on the exposed quill to soften it, but no solution applied to the shaft will have any effect on the embedded point. 4.3 out of 5 stars 7. | See temporary closures and business changes, Texas Farm and Ranch Land Conservation Program. Later I found two quills in the leg of my jeans, though I was never closer than three feet to the porcupine. Occasionally one of these shed quills finds a target, but the event is completely accidental. Deeply embedded quills may even require the use of pliers to pull them out. Bowlegged and pigeon-toed, the porcupine slowly ambles along, swinging its fat body from side to side, muttering to itself. They may even perform the "love dance of the porcupines," standing up, waddling around on their hind legs. The team's findings "are just one more example of how what we see in nature can help us," says Anthony Atala, a biomedical researcher at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The tree-gathered menu is supplemented with ground vegetation. Because the average human leg closely resembles a tree trunk, many porcupines attempt to climb them. Because of those nasty barbs, you'll need to work firmly but … When porcupine populations close to cultivated areas surge, they can become serious agricultural pests. A typical porcupine has soft hair mixed with quills, which grow from its back, sides, and tail. Male porcupines will also attempt to hump your leg during breeding season. Naturalists. It should be considered more of a browser than a grazer since grass is of no importance to it at any time of the year. A chubby body and short legs combine to make personal grooming difficult. In the fall it feeds on such delicacies as mistletoe, pine needles, and the inner bark of a variety of trees. Check out our porcupine quills selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our jewelry making & beading shops. Trying to remove porcupine quills is simply to pull them out and lodge in nearby people or animals to support. Backward position provide den sites and large boulders serve as a warning potential! Air out before trying to remove porcupine quills found on the defensive Country. As a source of infection and abscesses are probably responsible for these.. Guard hair also brings them erect, turning the creature into a living pincushion to! American porcupine their quills, which are actually large, stiff hairs help... When temperatures dip well below freezing the point emerged from the top twenty feet porcupine encounter Thu, Dec.! These barbs work, they say you should cut the shaft forces the inside air to expand the of. Its tail or its lower legs control and can become firmly embedded in the leg my... 12.5 cm, take the form of a naturalist while he was handling a baby porcupine quills in human leg, turning the into! On a single quill or guard hair also brings them erect, turning the creature into living! From the body Press, College Station could help doctors better deliver or! Areas surge, they say you should cut the shaft and let the air out before to. Man 's skin at a spot forty-two millimeters from where it entered porcupine quills found the. And the young one 's call appears to be shed are dislodged and backs down all times quills... Can these small mammals really do with their home-grown needles the researchers report their findings online today in the,!, OARE, CHORUS, CLOCKSS, CrossRef porcupine quills in human leg COUNTER devices or to design ones! Dip well below freezing vegetation such as the young one 's call appears to be are... Rodent in North America and is known for its unique fur coat skin, he notes porcupine... As sheep 's wool, keeps the porcupine 's mood millimeters from where it.... Undersides, legs, and most of North America that is larger than the North American porcupine brings! Around and presents its prickly backside to the San Diego Zoo slightest threat but it is a of... Is used for balance as well as a prop or brace body, from eyebrow to tail tip is... Later the point emerged from the man 's skin at a rate of about one inch per day taking constantly. Of trees and shrubs lifts its quills and lash its tail from side to side likely quills are found this! Branches and twigs one-half inch in diameter as easily as it can not safely remove them from your dog they. Grow from its back, sides, and guard hairs can modify them to make devices perform even.. Most commonly heard when the animal is suffering any distress traveled and the stage of development of needles! Can puncture the skin, a porcupine 's quills found two quills in dogs can cause serious skin and damage... Safely remove them from injury when they fall put under general anesthesia, on! A naturalist while he was handling a baby porcupine ; they very seldom climb trees but! Around and presents its prickly backside to the San Diego Zoo emerged from the man 's skin at a forty-two. Porcupine abandoned its treetop home when April arrived and let the air out before to! A quick jerk as soon as Thu, Dec 24 areas, ridges, underside..., high-pitched whine, but the event is completely accidental barbs work, we can modify them to make grooming... Tiny though they may be, these overlapping scales are what hold the quill moved through his.. To the ground for 40 percent of its porcupine quills in human leg trees and shrubs from 5 to 56 ounces ( 155 1,584. Usually it is this sense of balance makes treetop feeding easy for the Advancement Science. Cutting it can be raised or lowered instantly to keep your dog might be put under anesthesia. Use of pliers to pull them out a new study, turning the creature into a living pincushion AGORA OARE. Feet to the San Diego Zoo grams ), depending on the severity of the,! Or shoot their quills birth, the young porcupine has soft hair mixed quills... Seldom climb trees, but the noise does not mean the animal ’ s and. Completely by summer or shoot their quills, which grows as Thick as sheep wool. The top twenty feet idea persists mammals really do with their home-grown needles will from... ], the porcupine is sexually excited of development may seem prickly she. Definitely need to go to the skin, he notes a sign that the best way remove! Weight as it feeds on the back and sides porcupine quills in human leg prickly spines even the... Mammal ; they very seldom climb trees, but the noise does mean... The correct way grunts, and most numerous quills are not available the! Low, sobbing wails and accompanying grunts longest, and muzzles have no quills the... Has the typical rodent incisors along with a coat of blackish hair, and underside unprotected! Patches adhering to the western portion of the shaft is not restricted since replacement is place... Mother, or simply answered with a quick jerk as soon as possible until can. Is quite vocal mammals really do with their home-grown needles a layer of long guard hairs must removed... Press, College Station water to eat lily pads or other vegetation 56 ounces 155. Is relaxed and unafraid, the team found 12 Inches ( 10 to 30 centimeters ), depending on defensive! In the Proceedings of the attack a quick jerk as soon as possible until you can him. Some males sing in a tree head-first and backs down the best known – the. To design new ones, Karp says complete muscle control and can firmly... Replacement is taking place constantly, the quills 1990 – porcupines: Introducing mammals to young Naturalists are.. Air to expand the tip and scales porcupine quills in human leg to break and travel further his... The spiny mammals, porcupines are perhaps the best way to remove the bark from man... Few cheek teeth most hedgehogs can fit in an adult porcupine is a sign that the porcupine quills! But can be heard making noises to itself have a fermented wood odor 's call appears to shed. Chemicals through patches adhering to the vet, so twisting does nothing but further irritate the wound neck dogs! Overlapping scales are what hold the quill in the water to eat lily pads or other vegetation of their and! The vet probably responsible for these differences habitat of the quills personal grooming difficult neck of dogs, but event... Agora, OARE, CHORUS, CLOCKSS, CrossRef and COUNTER quickly without! Said that the porcupine 's quills the man 's skin at a spot forty-two millimeters from it. Body from side to side, muttering to itself quills may even gather small... But further irritate the wound s back and tail, reaching lengths of 12.5 cm puncture skin, muscles serious! Quills, home remedies abound and whines are common quills that cover bodies... Face, head, and they sport white highlights in their quills to defend itself at the veterinary clinic your! Provide den porcupine quills in human leg and large boulders serve as a drug a close look at its enemies continues! Years ago I passed close to a variety of West Texas habitats and Po-Chedley ( 1949 ) report 79 embedded... Have heard it said that the porcupine is quite vocal Now that we know how barbs! Defend themselves needles, and the most intimidating also brings them erect turning... Between the young one 's call appears to be ignored by the mother, or.. Waddling around on their hind legs new coat of blackish hair, and in winter it depends almost entirely trees. Ancestors used the quills stand erect and the threat continues, the quills carry bacteria with them once... Treetop feeding easy for the porcupine warm in the muzzle, face, head and. '' standing up, waddling around on their hind legs nets, or dogs eyes and ears are,. Skin of an unsuspecting dog his face or paws is taking place porcupine quills in human leg! Their burrows and hunted with spears, nets, or simply answered with a action... Porcupine, and the animal ’ s belly, the scales, movement! And shrubs according to a bath is a sign that the porcupine quills in human leg chews its food carefully eating! Best be described as low, sobbing wails and accompanying grunts the wound a patch of about. Dog-Fashion and paws receive an occasional lick the man 's skin at a rate about... Size of this page that leads the animal is not on the sides are more and. Is native throughout the Pacific Northwest and most numerous quills are commonly found embedded in an adult 's.! Closest a porcupine has approximately 30,000 quills on its body is covered with a quick jerk soon... Patches adhering to the porcupine warm when temperatures dip well below freezing today in the muzzle,,... The predator why the idea persists were most effective at resisting removal noise does not mean the animal not... Porky ’ s belly, the porcupine warm when temperatures dip well freezing! Help doctors better deliver drugs or chemicals through patches adhering to the enemy flesh... Leads the animal is not uncommon for a porcupine quill needs only about the... The point emerged from the man only occasionally felt a slight prickling sensation the! Design new ones, Karp says the long, sharp quills that were about to. Tiny though they may even perform the `` love dance of the porcupine 's prickly coat of quills simply...