Origins: That a. porcupine can throw its quills at an attacker is a widely-believed bit of animal misinformation. Porcupines bristle up when alarmed, and a small muscle attached to each quill pulls it upright in the fur. read more
No, they can't throw their quills. The quills are loosely attached and have a fishhook like barb on the end, so the stick easily into anything that touches them. Normally the quills lie flat and I've read stories about people who had pet porcupines that you could actually pet like a cat without getting stuck with quills. read more
porcupine can throw its quills at an attacker is a widely-believed bit of animal misinformation. Porcupines bristle up when alarmed, and a small muscle attached to each quill pulls it upright in the fur. read more
Porcupines are popular cartoon characters because of their quills. You might have even seen a cartoon porcupine aim and shoot his quills at another animal. The cartoon version of the porcupine, however, is a far cry from the reality. read more