Zoo Boise Welcomes a Healthy, Prickly Porcupette
April 29, 2013
Zeus and Athena, a pair of North American Porcupines at Zoo Boise, had a porcupette on April 8th. The male baby hasn't been named yet. He is doing very well under the care of his mother Athena, and is on exhibit at the zoo. He weighed 517 grams at birth, and had gained 300 grams by his checkup just two weeks later.
The little male is the second porcupette to be born at Zoo Boise: in July 2012, Olympus ("Oly") was born to the same pair. Mostly arboreal, Athena spends most of her day sleeping in the trees while her baby stays on the ground. She comes down to care for him and to sleep near him at night. Within a few weeks, the porcupette will begin to eat vegetation and will learn to climb trees with her.
Photo credits: Zoo Boise
Porcupettes are born with open eyes and soft quills which harden within thirty minutes after birth. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines do no shoot or throw their quills as a defense. When attacked, a porcupine will tuck its head between its front paws and turn so their quills face the attacker. The hollow air-filled quills fall out of the porcupine’s skin easily. One North American porcupine can have as many as 30,000 quills.