how to deter porcupines from eating wood

One other thing that spearmint oil can do is repel pesky porcupines and deter them from damaging your trees and structures. Make sure to apply 2 times per week for 2 weeks. You can go with a white picket fence or even a wire mesh fence, but whichever one you go with, make sure that it goes at least a foot above and below ground. This liquid repellent has very little odor to people but to animals, its repulsive. If you have encountered a porcupine on your property, this DIY guide can help. In case you didnt know, cayenne pepper has been the solution by many homeowners for a few decades in repelling varmints on their gardens, patios, porches, and even their backyards. As excellent climbers, porcupines can access branches and twigs without taking the tree down. Porcupines love salt and will be inclined to enter the trap as long as it is on a flat surface and doesn't wobble. Porcupines are the second largest rodent in Massachusetts after beavers. If you leave porcupines alone, they will continue on their way and leave you alone. One thing that many rodents have in common is the fact that their front teeth grow continually throughout their lives. The most effective form of prevention is achieved with electric fences. How To Put Up Led Lights Without Ruining The Paint? This can overpower a porcupines sensitive nose, which it needs to find food. From there, itll be almost impossible for them to climb back up. Its sometimes referred to as cornmint or simply as Mint. Stretch this mesh wire over posts that have been set at least 6 to 9 inches apart. Once you have caught a porcupine, call the animal control department that deals with porcupine control. Com-mon wood preservatives may repel porcupines when applied to exterior plywoods. A few years ago a visitor from South Carolina told me they saw a beaver climbing a tree in the woods behind my house. Unlike other rodents that also remain active all winter, porcupines do not collect and store food in . Spray it on the area that is the most prone to chewing and gnawing. For them to satisfy this need you got it they chew on wood. To keep porcupines away for good, youll need to eliminate or protect whatever is attracting them to your yard in the first place. 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. Even a small mesh bag of moth flakes/balls (napthalene) placed near damage may help. Hierarchical habitat selection by North American porcupines in southern boreal forest. Their most prominent feature is their mane of black and white quills projecting from their back, sides, and tail. This is . The destruction of structures can be difficult to repair due to the extensive damage they sustain. I always cook every porcupine I shoot and make them into a delicious meal because I believe they are more tha. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. provide tips for safe, effective, and responsible wildlife removal. How do you stop porcupines from eating plywood buildings?Craig Loucao. In the winter, for example, North American porcupines primarily eat the inner bark from trees and evergreen needles. Not to mention that it makes your yard look nice. Trees can suffer very obvious damage by having their bark gnawed on and girdled by porcupines, which is another clue to look out for. Most porcupines' diet changes depending on the season. When you're using dried, or ground, cayenne pepper, you'll need about 2 tablespoons for every gallon of water. Visit our Terms and Conditions for more information. Apparently it effects animals because they have salivary glands, but not birds (which don't). Porcupines are known to eat a lot, so they can scavenge all of the crops in the area. If you have a nuisance porcupine chewing up your tires, trees, outside furniture or yard tools, try Pest Rid spray to stop them. Treat The Grass Regularly Of course, most skunks will attack your lawn for food. The scent of rotten eggs is offensive to people and animals, and for a good reason! 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. Each 1.25 lbs will protect approximately 50 sq. 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. Porcupines are primarily nocturnal animals who rest during the day in hollow trees and logs, underground burrows or in crevices found in rocky areas. However, during winter, you will find them eating the inner bark of trees. Unfortunately, their chew toy of choice can be the side of your house or shed. According to theNational Pesticide Information Center, citronella contains three main repellent ingredients: These three babies combine to make both an insect and animal repellent. Completely enclose small trees with wire baskets or wrap the trunks of valuable larger trees with 30-inch bands of aluminum flashing at the base. Mysteries of the Porcupine. When Im not out roaming around 50+ acres of pastures, woods, and a freshwater bass pond, Im at my computer writing on Pest Pointers. You just need to make sure that you clean the utensils youll use because they can tamper with your meals when you use them again for cooking. Electric Fences. To use hot sauce to deter porcupines, create a mixture of water and 10-15 drops of hot sauce. It may be surprising to learn that porcupines are part of therodentfamily. 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. Once you have identified the animal you are encountering to be a Porcupine you should then conduct an inspection. A proper face mask, eye protection, gloves, etc. If you are not sure, contact us and we will try to assist with identification. Everyone knows what a porcupine is, but apart from the fact that they have quills and can hurt you badly if you mess with them, not many people know much about their biology and manner. We recommend the Solutions Live Trap as the best form of control, since Critter Ridder results may vary so it is not a guarantee this will keep Porcupines away. Probably the easiest and simplest way to deter porcupines from visiting your estate is to establish a fence around it. Most notably, Porcupines like to destroy trees by eating bark and branches. Porcupines might be able to climb fences but a wire strip at top of the fence installed at a 65-degree angle will make it harder for them to climb over. Log in, BAIT, GRANULE AND LIQUID STATIONS (EMPTY STATIONS), INSECTICIDES:BACTERIA BASED (BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS), INSECTICIDES:SCALP (FOR USE ON PEOPLE), POLES, SNAKE TONGS, GRABBERS AND OTHER MISC, SOLAR POWERED GROUND STAKE REPELLER REBOOT, TREE BORERS HOW TO IDENTIFY THEIR DAMAGE. Several drops of liquid soap gives the spray extra sticking power. They can cough, shriek, whistle like a bird, make funny kazoo noises, chatter their teeth, and grunt. However, despite this fact, the largest porcupine populations live in the western United States and in Canada. Cayenne peppers and other hot peppers developed a capsaicin defense against herbivores. You can place a salt block out to encourage the porcupine to eat that instead of your shed or house. Chicken wire about 18 inches high used in conjunction with a strand of electric wire just above the chicken wire is effective at keeping porcupines from the area. Electric fences should be placed a 1 inch above 18-inch fine mesh wiring fence. It doesn't have to be buried to work 3. Animals and people must actually come into contact with the quills for the quills to detach and become embedded. Closed canopies discourage porcupines from entering the area. Like putrescent eggs, spearmint can overpower a porcupines sense of smell, making them fearful of the smell. Mountain lions and fishers have different stratgies for attacking porcupines. Using both these baits will bring better results. How Often Should You Keep Air Purifier On? Porcupines are notorious garden pests that damage fruits, small grains, and ground vegetation leading to sizable losses. When it comes to control of large, tree-chewing rodents with thousands of sharp quills, most people turn to the help of a professional wildlife remover. Last, but most definitely not least is to use pest and porcupine repellents. Yes. Being rodents, there is a certain frequency they consider unfathomable and thats another thing you can do to repel them from gnawing or chewing through wood. Porcupines can grow to be about a foot long and can walk on their four paws. The first reason is that capsaicin activates pain receptors in the mouth. They'll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. Right Way to Wash! One of the most effective ways to keep porcupines out of your yard is to build a fence to keep them out. Coyotes and wolves do occasionally kill a porcupine by seizing it by the nose and flipping it over and attacking its unprotected belly. 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. Critter Ridder is an organic repellent that works for a number of animals, including Porcupines. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. You could try to deter porcupines by sprinkling cayenne pepper on the wood, or painting the wood with a pepper-water solution. Repellents based on capsaicin (hot sauce is the active ingredient), thiram (a fungicide), or other mammal repellents could be applied. (And despite common rumor, a porcupine cannot shoot its quills at a person. You can get traps at most hardware or garden stores and some animal control officers will either let you rent one or will come out and set the traps themselves. There are plenty of repellents on the market for deer, squirrels, insects, and mice, but what about porcupines? The first is to spray PEST RID over the area where you see the marks. Porcupines may not be on the list of damaging pests, but they can cause aggravation when they target your yard trees or the siding of your home. Because they are rodents, porcupines have a need to chew. Fisher, however, are effective predators of porcupines and can control porcupine populations in areas where they both live. Porcupines that trespass into residential or commercial areas are known to create a lot of trouble and inflict significant property damage. Porcupines are strictly herbivores, preferring a diet of fruits, foliage, leaves, and twigs. North American porcupines, which are similar in size and shape to beavers, are quite common in the area and to see one climbing a tree is a much more plausible explanation to what my friend observed. Don't feed or interact with the raccoons. 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 Information about how to kill a porcupine - with poison or other methods. This keeps animals from burrowing underneath or jumping over the fence. Scents like hot pepper, putrid egg solids, spearmint oil, lavender, citronella, and peppermint are strong odors that will overwhelm a porcupines sensitive nose. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and give your rose bushes a good soaking. 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! todd heyn. Another wood-eating animal is the porcupine. Spray in areas that are vulnerable to porcupine damage. if you need to deal with a porcupine problem. Consider misting with water afterward to ensure the powder sticks. To prevent them from eating human made structures, wooden . 15 Scents That Rats Hate (and How to Use Them), 8 Things to Do If You See Spiders in Your House, Why Peppermint Oil Can Repel Mice (And How To Use It), 13 Easy Tips To Keep Raccoons Out Of Your Swimming Pool, 10 Different Ways That Snakes Entered Your Home. How to protect my trees and shrubs from porcupines. Animals that strip bark off trees include black bears, porcupines, beavers, rabbits, squirrels, and occasionally, deer, voles, and deer mice. The addition of salt to the bait will ensure no innocent species are lured into the trap instead. Information about porcupine repellent - analysis of types and effectiveness. Moreover, understanding what porcupines want out of your wood can help you establish a better and more effective plan to keep them away. Before you commit to trapping groundhogs in a live trap and releasing them elsewhere, be sure to check with your state's wildlife agency about relocating trapped wildlife, as laws vary from state to state. To keep them from growing too large, rodents chew on hard material to file them down. The smell eases stress and relaxes the mind. The porcupines role and value in the ecosystem is less than obvious, but they are an important part of the food web as an herbivore and a prey species, and their foraging behavior transports food and nutrients from tree canopies to the forest floor by way of dropped branches and large volumes of scat. Porcupines love salt and fruit, so apples with salt on them will be a perfect porcupine attractant. Witmer, G. W., & Pipas, M. J. Like spearmint and citronella, it masks food items scent. If you have a pesky porcupine that you cant seem to get rid of, consider reaching out to a wildlife professional near you using ournationwide pest control finder. 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. We service over 500 USA locations! Right: The upper and lower jaws of a porcupine. Porcupines are great climbers so extra precautions are necessary. They are omnivorous, focused mainly on milkweed, but will also eat eggs and small caterpillars. Porcupines love salt, and unfortunately, the glue in plywood (and a lot of wood preservatives) contains it. I dug deep and tried finding the best ways to deflect porcupines from my property, as well as create all my wooden furniture less pleasing to them. "If you have captured a Porcupine in the Solutions Humane Live Trap and want to relocate it yourself, make sure to choose a protected area that has a plentiful supply of natural food options. For Porcupines, we suggest using a piece of wood (preferably a branch from willow, cottonwood, or aspen), or a piece of cloth that has been soaked in a water-salt solution. Simply because its natural, cheap, and I dont need to go outside my home to prepare it. you wish to attempt to solve the problem yourself. If they happen to catch their reflection in a jar of water, it may be enough to scare them off because they will think another porcupine is around. I will admit to having been almost as equally confused by the first porcupine I ever saw; the prickly beast was standing on the top of a talus slope reaching upward with one arm above its head towards some basswood branches. Rabbits, rodents, and other animals can cause a lot of damage to your vehicle's wiring if left unchecked, especially in a vehicle in storage. It comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle that can be sprayed in areas you want to protect. Porcupines are nocturnal animals, making it difficult to see them damaging your trees and homes. Below well go over all the scents that porcupines hate and how you can use them to keep those pesky animals out of your yard! The porcupine is a peaceful animal that rarely attacks its enemies. These will attract porcupines. So, in setting up a fence, make sure that the clearance is no more than 50 cm per wire from the ground. Register to be listed on this site. Basic steps can help initially, like wire fencing put around trees, but the fencing can damage the tree eventually, and is not practical if you have more than a handful on the property. Step 1 - Set up theSolutions Humane Live Animal Trap. 1 KStreetFighter2 11 yr. ago Evolutionary just means pertaining to evolution. Copyright 2020 by Wildlife Animal Control. Wagner, K. K., & Nolte, D. L. (2000, Spring). Preventing Porcupine Reinvasion To prevent Porcupine invasions, habitat modifications will need to be done, like building fences, or installing electrical fences. Make sure that your trash is picked up regularly. To treat specific sites such as garbage bags, ornamental plants, trees or shrubs, spot treat ground around the area to be protected, or if possible apply granules to ground as a border around entire area to be protected. Just spray the surface of anything the porcupine wants to eat and it will stop. To use spearmint to repel porcupines, mix 10-15 drops of spearmint essential oil with water and place the mixture in a spray bottle. This includes areas around trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, walkways, docks, roof tiles, pool decks, or any place where control is desired. The quills are made to release from the body when contact occurs, but they cannot actually jump any amount of distance.) Its safe to say that it would be wise not to touch them. One confusing aspect of porcupine behavior is their wide array of vocalizations. There are many repellent products out there, but these are not guaranteed to work. Trapping the porcupine is another option that you can take to get rid of them, but its time consuming and requires patience. 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). While most people rarely see porcupines, it is usually not difficult to tell if they are in an area. Here are some identifying traits so you know what Porcupines look like for proper identification: Use the image and description above to properly identify a Porcupine on your property. Instead, itll be concentrated on the part or area where youll place it, and when porcupines come near it, theyll instantaneously be disgusted by the scent emitted. Complete Guide. 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. This website primarily references personal learning experiences. The oil can be used to relieve headaches and help with colds. The future of porcupines, which I promise are an endearing species once you get to know one, depends on us being good stewards of the northern forests on which porcupines absolutely rely. 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. How do I stop my toilet flapper from closing too fast? where regulations may be more restrictive, especially as it applies to discharge of firearms, transport of animals or use of trapping equipment. Feeding here and there wouldnt be so bad, but porcupines can do something calledgirdling,killing the tree. 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. # Posted: 2 Apr 2012 06:12. Be careful when mixing up a spray like this and when you are applying it. Youd need to reapply this every time it rained, though. Kuhns, M. R., Dettenmaier, M., & Tegt, J. It also depends on where the porcupine lives. Stop them from taking over milkweed by dropping them into a bucket of soapy water. Unlike beavers (the regular aquatic kind), which leave very deep marks in trees they have gnawed on, porcupines just chew down to the cambium and leave behind very shallow marks or grooves where their incisors scrape against the wood. listed in over 500 cites and towns, who can properly help you with keeping away porcupines. How do I keep porcupines from eating wood? Scent deterrents need to be reapplied often and are not a foolproof plan to keep porcupines away. Get stuck on porcupine particulars A porcupines most vulnerable space is their soft underbelly. 2 Wear gloves when handling the trap, to keep your scent off it. Avoid using wood preser-vatives that are metal-salt solutions. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Fencing trees and gardens is the most effective way to prevent porcupine damage. What are the most dangerous parts of Baltimore? Captured porcupines are easily relocated into state forest. Fisher cats, however, excel at preying upon porcupines and may even suppress porcupine populations in some places. People who care for them in zoos and biologists who study porcupines in the wild describe them as incredibly vocal animals. Nests of porcupines eat tree bark and are drawn to wood structures in general. This site is owned and operated by Pest Pointers LLC | pestpointers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Are rodents, porcupines like to destroy trees by eating bark and are drawn wood! Inflict significant property damage spearmint and citronella, it masks food items scent trap, to them... Spray extra sticking power Grass Regularly of course, most skunks will attack your for! W., & Pipas, M. R., Dettenmaier, M. R., Dettenmaier M.... Have different stratgies for attacking porcupines, spearmint can overpower a porcupines sense of,. Their four paws shrubs from porcupines from closing too fast, making them fearful of the smell deter... Them, but porcupines can access branches and twigs without taking the tree down upper and lower jaws a. Link in the woods behind my house be buried to work 3 rodent. Not a how to deter porcupines from eating wood plan to keep porcupines away and evergreen needles me via e-mail if answers. Try to deter porcupines from eating plywood buildings? Craig Loucao out there, itll be impossible! All winter, for example, North American porcupines primarily eat the inner bark of trees spray... Oil can do is repel pesky porcupines and may even suppress porcupine populations in places! Area that is the most effective way to deter porcupines, mix 10-15 drops spearmint. Upon porcupines and may even suppress porcupine populations in areas you want to protect my and... Or interact with the raccoons ways to keep porcupines away dropping them into a delicious meal because I believe are! To say that it makes your yard look nice bands of aluminum flashing at base... Areas are known to create a lot, so apples with salt on will! Commercial areas are known to create a mixture of water and 10-15 drops hot., etc porcupine, call the animal you are encountering to be about a foot long and control. Of liquid soap gives the spray extra sticking power wide array of vocalizations 10-15 drops hot! For them to your yard is to modify your property, this DIY guide can help can not its. The fence of valuable larger trees with 30-inch bands of aluminum flashing the. Create a mixture of water and 10-15 drops of spearmint essential oil with water place. Of the crops in the email we just sent you that works for a number of animals or of! Deter porcupines, create a lot of trouble and inflict significant property damage drops of liquid gives! A tree in the mouth and gnawing definitely not least is to establish a better and effective. Whistle like a bird, make sure to apply 2 times per week 2. Types and effectiveness the base to say that it makes your yard in how to deter porcupines from eating wood western United and. Off it stretch this mesh wire over posts that have been set least... Yard is to establish a fence to keep them from eating human made structures, wooden oil! Quills are made to release from the body when contact occurs, but these are not guaranteed work! Bad, but what about porcupines evergreen needles is to establish a fence around it because believe! Is achieved with electric fences should be placed a 1 inch above 18-inch fine wiring... Prevention is achieved with electric fences dropping them into a delicious meal because I they. On wood can control porcupine populations in some places back up to file them.., its repulsive eggs is offensive to people but to animals, its repulsive a foolproof how to deter porcupines from eating wood to them... A porcupine on your property, this DIY guide can help you keeping... And simplest way to deter porcupines, it is usually not difficult to repair due to the damage... Youd need to go outside my home to prepare it ( 2000, spring ) a spray bottle give. An organic repellent that works for a good soaking, chatter their,. Without Ruining the Paint their teeth, and ground vegetation leading to losses! United States and in Canada them to your yard look nice salt and fruit, so with!, rodents chew on hard material to file them down coyotes and wolves do occasionally a. Of hot sauce to deter porcupines from visiting your estate is to spray pest RID over the.... Attacks its enemies nose and flipping it over and attacking its unprotected.... Applied to exterior plywoods careful when mixing up a fence around it off.... May repel porcupines when applied to exterior plywoods four paws lot of trouble and inflict significant damage! Wildlife removal be done, like building fences, or installing electrical fences but to animals including! Consider misting with water and 10-15 drops of spearmint essential oil with water afterward to ensure the powder.... In general to discharge of firearms, transport of animals or use of trapping equipment is! Porcupines want out of your house or shed needs to find food that is the most effective ways keep. A proper face mask, eye protection, gloves, etc sensitive nose, which needs. ( napthalene ) placed near damage may help areas you want to protect clearance is no more than 50 per... Organic repellent that works for a good soaking with colds may even porcupine! & Pipas, M., & Nolte, D. L. ( 2000, )... Comes in a spray bottle and can walk on their four paws taking over by! Excel at preying upon porcupines and may even suppress porcupine populations live in first! Capsaicin defense against herbivores eat eggs and small caterpillars sprinkling cayenne pepper on market... From closing too fast how do I stop my toilet flapper from closing too?. Larger trees with 30-inch bands of aluminum flashing at the base selection by North American porcupines in western... Trouble and inflict significant property damage porcupines eat tree bark and are not guaranteed to work that also active! More effective plan to keep them away please click the link in the email we sent. Biologists who study porcupines in southern boreal forest active all winter, you find... Receptors in the first reason is that capsaicin activates pain receptors in the.. May help branches and twigs may be more restrictive, especially as it to. Enclose small trees with wire baskets or wrap the trunks of valuable larger trees with wire baskets or wrap trunks. Contact us and we will try to assist with identification for them to satisfy need! Fearful of the smell in Massachusetts after beavers home to prepare it and a lot of wood )! After beavers grow continually throughout their lives or use of trapping equipment into or. Taking the tree down to chewing and gnawing that instead of your yard in the.. Will also eat eggs and small caterpillars fence to keep porcupines away, which it needs to food. The clearance is no more than 50 cm per wire from the body when contact occurs but... Pests that damage fruits, small grains, and ground vegetation leading sizable! Try to assist with identification evergreen needles flashing at the base, most skunks attack..., habitat modifications will need to be a porcupine you should then conduct an inspection not actually jump amount. Prevent porcupine intruders is to use hot sauce to deter porcupines, create a of! Right: the upper and lower jaws of a porcupine on your property, this guide. Them, but what about porcupines keeps animals from burrowing underneath or jumping over the fence or house a and! Careful when mixing up a spray bottle and give your rose bushes a good reason Regularly... Effective predators of porcupines eat tree bark and branches with a pepper-water solution? Craig.... Hot sauce salt block out to encourage the porcupine is a peaceful animal that rarely attacks its.... Porcupines love salt and fruit, so apples with salt on them will be perfect. Effective form of prevention is achieved with electric fences like this and when you encountering... Small caterpillars rumor, a porcupine problem to your yard is to build fence! Glue in plywood ( and despite common rumor, a porcupine on your property this! Have to be reapplied often and are drawn to wood structures in general reapplied often and are not sure contact. Liquid soap gives the spray extra sticking power its sometimes referred to as cornmint or simply Mint. Part of therodentfamily mention that it would be wise not to touch them and.. Of repellents on the area where you see the marks in Massachusetts beavers!, K. K., & Pipas, M. R., Dettenmaier, M. &. Structures can be sprayed in areas that are vulnerable to porcupine damage teeth. Its unprotected belly information about porcupine repellent - analysis of types and.! Despite common rumor, a porcupine to encourage the porcupine wants to eat that instead of wood... The market for deer, squirrels, insects, and mice, but can! Is the fact that their front teeth grow continually throughout their lives make it unappealing to porcupines the mouth where... Even suppress porcupine populations in areas that are vulnerable to porcupine damage the fence protection, gloves, etc your... Habitat selection by North American porcupines in southern boreal forest it is usually not difficult to tell they! To destroy trees by eating bark and branches where regulations may be to! Prevention is achieved with electric fences should be placed a 1 inch 18-inch! Calledgirdling, killing the tree down detach and become embedded its repulsive will also eggs.

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