Facts and Answers! 2. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. In many cases, installing motion-activated lights will deter animals from walking onto a property. Porcupines are rodents with sharp quills, or spines, covering their backs. Tracks will look like small shoe tracks (like a sole, with a heel portion and front portion) they will also show a drag marking of their tail between the paws. Before you can carry out a treatment plan, you need to make absolutely sure that you are dealing with Porcupines and not some other animal. Make sure you wash the trap with soap before you set it and wear latex gloves so you dont leave your scent on it. Can You Dry Colors And Darks Together? 3. They dont wander very far from their dens or foraging areas to defecate, so places they frequent are easily identified by massive accumulations of peanut-shaped scat. Alaska Wildlife News is an online magazine published by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game This site provides many porcupine control articles and strategies, if One of the easiest ways to deter porcupines is by using scent deterrents. You could try to deter porcupines by sprinkling cayenne pepper on the wood, or painting the wood with a pepper-water solution. Wood barks and other wooden structures contain significant levels of salt. More in-detail how-to porcupine removal articles: Fresh Finest Cayenne Pepper Powdercomes in a 5lb bulk container that will deter porcupines for months! If unable to chew, the animals teeth would grow too long to be able to consume food and the porcupine would eventually starve to death. Previous How can we keep Canada geese away from our pond? change state, New Hampshire > Animal is gnawing bark and clipping twigs from trees and shrubs > Porcupine. Right Way to Wash! We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. If you are not sure, contact us and we will try to assist with identification. You will need to survey the area to see where they are active and what may be attracting them to the area. Unlike other rodents that also remain active all winter, porcupines do not collect and store food in caches, instead gorging themselves on nuts, fruits, and greens in the summer and fall to such an extent that by winter about 60% of their body mass is fat. However, during winter, you will find them eating the inner bark of trees. Dump any standing water daily so they will not come into the area for water. Animals don't like this product and will stay away from where its been applied. There are plenty of repellents on the market for deer, squirrels, insects, and mice, but what about porcupines? Simply spray in areas around the yard where youve noticed porcupine damage or that you want to protect. Affiliate Disclosure. Fisher, however, are effective predators of porcupines and can control porcupine populations in areas where they both live. A professional wildlife remover will come in and trap the porcupine with a live-trap baited with something coated in salt. Kuhns, M. R., Dettenmaier, M., & Tegt, J. Specifically, it is the ingredientcapsaicin. Porcupines remain common throughout most of their range, but conservationists know by now that everything can change in the blink of an eye. While most people rarely see porcupines, it is usually not difficult to tell if they are in an area. After performing heavy research, asking neighbors, and consulting experts and veterinarians, I found a few, proven, and effective ways of keeping porcupines from gnawing or munching on wood. Ultrasonic repellents are sound-emitting devices that are designed to deflect pests, including porcupines. Apparently it effects animals because they have salivary glands, but not birds (which don't). Peppermint oil and Pine-Sol provide strong scents that deter rodents from entering your car, won't make your vehicle smell bad, don't taste good, and won't damage any wires. Stretch this mesh wire over posts that have been set at least 6 to 9 inches apart. Step 3: Properly dispose of garbage. How do you stop porcupines from eating plywood buildings?Craig Loucao. This material is sprayed or painted on the plants sub-ject to damage. # Posted: 2 Apr 2012 06:12. Avoid wooden fences, as porcupines like to gnaw on wood. Her guides and reviews are well appreciated by Industry experts. If you didnt know these creatures were rodents, you probably didnt know they have over thirty thousand needles that cover their bodies, that their quills can be used for fishing, or that they are considered an edible animal. . Porcupines are the second largest rodent in Massachusetts after beavers. Each 1.25 lbs will protect approximately 50 sq. . Will deer eat raspberry plants? Porcupines have also been known to enter homes through the dog or cat door in search of food. Don't feed or interact with the raccoons. Once the porcupine is gone, close the entrance with hardware cloth, bricks, or lumber. The destruction of structures can be difficult to repair due to the extensive damage they sustain. Depending on the frequency set, it can go as far as injuring them or worse, exterminating them completely. They enjoy leaves, twigs, berries, nuts, seeds, flowers, fruit, inner tree bark, and evergreen needles. Consultyourlocal and state guidelines to see if Porcupines are a protected species in your location before applying controland proceed with caution when applying control as Porcupines can be dangerous. Now prepare the trap by pushing the door lock and pulling the door plate up. You could try to deter porcupines by sprinkling cayenne pepper on the wood, or painting the wood with a pepper-water solution. Luckily for me, Vito isnt the biggest pest in my life. You may not be able to remove all the things in your yard that attract porcupines. The main ingredient in hot sauce? Hot peppers! Critter Ridder is an organic repellent that works for a number of animals, including Porcupines. Girdling occurs when porcupines strip off the trees bark in a circle around the trunk. These nocturnal animals tend to keep to themselves, but can become a nuisance in certain situations. This causes porcupines to search elsewhere for food and leave your yard alone. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. The best way to prevent Porcupine intruders is to modify your property to make it unappealing to Porcupines. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. Hierarchical habitat selection by North American porcupines in southern boreal forest. Porcupines are also attracted to the glue used to bond plywood on wooden structures. Coyotes and wolves do occasionally kill a porcupine by seizing it by the nose and flipping it over and attacking its unprotected belly. Like spearmint, lavender will repel porcupines because of the fragrant scent the plant or the oil extract gives off. Interestingly, porcupines subsist almost entirely on bark and twigs throughout the winter, a diet offering about as much nutritional value as plywood, which I find fascinating because almost every northern woodland resident knows porcupines LOVE eating plywood! According toCornell University, putrescent eggs result from cracked eggs that did not pass inspection by the USDA. I know it. The repellent you'll use can range from over-the-counter repellents, as well as homemade ones. Its safe to say that it would be wise not to touch them. Rotten eggs work to repel porcupines because the odor is so strong that it overwhelms a porcupines sense of smell. Cayenne peppers and other hot peppers developed a capsaicin defense against herbivores. The porcupine is a peaceful animal that rarely attacks its enemies. Multiple trees or an entire area can be enclosed in a single fence. This page is a general Porcupine control guide. During winter a porcupine might spend days on end foraging in a single tree, dropping bits of branches and buds on the ground, which can attract other animals such as snowshoe hare, as well as their predators. Weasels may be, Read More 5 Most Common Places Where Weasels LiveContinue, Although theyre definitely cute little critters, finding mice in your home or around your property can be one daunting experience. As the final prevention measure, youll want to make all your wooden furniture, tools, and structures less appetizing to them. (They should probably lay off the salt.). Time For the Truth! You must actually touch the quill even very slightly for it to stick in you. A little gross, but hey, if it works, right? Soak them in saltwater to smell and look tastier to porcupines. Now, for a quick recap. One of the most effective ways to keep porcupines out of your yard is to build a fence to keep them out. Although wood preservatives can also contain many toxic substances, porcupines seem perturbed by only some of these. Facts You Need To Know, Do You Put Detergent In Before Or After Clothes? So, spray either of these substances on your car's wires to drive rodents away from your vehicle's engine bay. If there is no food, there is no reason for the deer to return. It turns its back, displays the black line running down the middle of its tail, edged with white quills visible in the dark. It comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle that can be sprayed in areas you want to protect. Moreover, understanding what porcupines want out of your wood can help you establish a better and more effective plan to keep them away. They'll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. Another wood-eating animal is the porcupine. Chances are that these pests may knock over the trap to reach the food inside. Fencing trees and gardens is the most effective way to prevent porcupine damage. Small Game, Predator and Trapping - How can i rid porcupines eating my wood stand? . This site is intended to provide education and information about how to keep porcupines away from your house, yard, garbage cans, shed, so that you can make an informed decision You cant place candles all over the yard, so what can be done? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. And it works! That being said, peppermint is still quite effective at deterring porcupines. if you need to deal with a porcupine problem. To keep them from growing too large, rodents chew on hard material to file them down. A wild animal has been abandoned or orphaned, A wild animal is damaging my house or other buildings, A person or pet has come in contact with or been attacked by a wild animal, An animal is causing a problem, but I don't know what it is, I know what animal is causing problems. If you have a nuisance porcupine chewing up your tires, trees, outside furniture or yard tools, try Pest Rid spray to stop them. in your yard. (2019). That's my buddy, Vito. Along with wooden buildings, porkies also enjoy the salt in fence posts coated in creosote, on car tires and radiator hoses, and from objects covered in human sweat (tool handles, clothes, and leather). It eats them. 3. Mix both petroleum jelly and cayenne pepper together so that you can spread it on the wooden areas of your home and dcor. Fencing trees and gardens is the most effective way to prevent porcupine damage. Another option is to buy a pre-made solution. This is a particular favorite of pulp outdoor literature. Porcupines love salt and fruit, so apples with salt on them will be a perfect porcupine attractant. Copyright 2020 by Wildlife Animal Control. If your plan of keeping them off your lawn isnt successful, what do you do? Identifying and Preventing Porcupine Damage to Trees. Porcupines are nocturnal animals, making it difficult to see them damaging your trees and homes. A study reported in theWildlife Society Bulletinfound that hot sauce effectively reduced porcupine foraging by greater than 48%. Spearmint and peppermint whats the difference? To use, simply bait the trap with something to attract the Porcupine, place it in a stategic area where they have been active and then set the trap by pushing on the door lock and lifting the door plate then pulling the trigger arm forward until the trigger arm's hook catches the door. Electric fences can also be an effective solution when put up properly. This is not the cheapest route to take however. Step 1 - Set up theSolutions Humane Live Animal Trap. Unlike beaver or rabbits, porcupines can ascend tree trunks and nibble on branches. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray outside in problem areas around the garden, on tree trunks, on wooden tool handles, and anywhere else those pesky porcupines are invading. Like putrescent eggs, spearmint can overpower a porcupines sense of smell, making them fearful of the smell. Spray it on the area that is the most prone to chewing and gnawing. Required fields are marked *. Porcupines are strictly herbivores, preferring a diet of fruits, foliage, leaves, and twigs. The first method is to drench your wooden furniture and structures with porcupine repellent. (And despite common rumor, a porcupine cannot shoot its quills at a person. The following day, stir it again, then use a funnel to decant it . There are a variety of ways that porcupines damage trees, including: An article in theCanadian Journal of Forest Researchlooked at the impact of porcupine feeding on hemlock forests over 15 years.