Porcupines may be solitary, but sometimes will share shelter with another, especially during winter months. They are nocturnal and spend most of the day under rocks or in burrows. If you see a porcupine during the day, it is usually because the porcupine is sick, injured, old, or hungry. Their poor vision requires them to rely heavily on their hearing and sense of smell.
* Communication
Porcupines communicate with each other through vocalizations, scent marking, and body language.
* Vocalizations: Porcupines make a variety of vocalizations, including grunts, squeals, and chatters. These vocalizations are used to communicate danger, warn off predators, and attract mates.
* Scent marking: Porcupines mark their territory with urine, feces, and scent glands. This scent marking helps to deter other porcupines from entering their territory.
* Body language: Porcupines use their body language to communicate a variety of messages. For example, a porcupine will arch its back and raise its quills when it feels threatened.
* Diet
Porcupines are herbivores and their diet consists mainly of bark, leaves, twigs, and fruits. They will also eat nuts, berries, and insects. Porcupines have very sharp teeth that are specially adapted for gnawing on bark and wood.
* Predators
Porcupines have few predators due to their sharp quills. However, they are sometimes preyed upon by wolves, coyotes, wolverines, and large birds of prey.
* Defense
When a porcupine feels threatened, it will turn its back to the threat and raise its quills. The quills are sharp and barbed, and they can easily penetrate the skin of a predator. If a predator is quill, the quills can cause severe pain and infection.
Porcupines can also release a foul-smelling spray from their anal glands. This spray is used to deter predators and it can be effective in keeping predators away.