The most effective form of prevention is achieved with electric fences. Be careful when mixing up a spray like this and when you are applying it. They will keep coming back for a food source. Ultimate Guide, Oil Smell in House but No Oil? That being said, peppermint is still quite effective at deterring porcupines. Are you interested to learn the concoction thats been used by homeowners for generations now? A single animal can quickly expose the root system on a tree, leaving it open to insects or disease. Whatever action you take, remember that solutions like vinegar, predator urine and citrus create a temporary barrier only. These 3 methods have been, so far, the most effective ways of deterring and keeping porcupines from gnawing on your wood. Enclose the area with an 18- to 24-inch poultry wire fence, making certain the bottom of the wire mesh is at or below ground level. Porcupines feed on salt and salt residue, and have been known to chew on leather items and even the brake lines of vehicles. This page is a general Porcupine control guide. Kuhns, M. R., Dettenmaier, M., & Tegt, J. Car tires and hoses may also be chewed on for their mineral content or road salt coating. To control Porcupine invaders, we recommend using a combination of the Solutions Humane Live Trap and Nature's Defense repellent. Fencing is a basic way to protect your property. Electric fences can also be an effective solution when put up properly. To prevent them from eating human made structures, wooden . Make sure you wash the trap with soap before you set it and wear latex gloves so you dont leave your scent on it. Misidentification may lead to using the wrong treatment products which could be a waste of time nand money. It comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle that can be sprayed in areas you want to protect. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. 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. You may not be able to remove all the things in your yard that attract porcupines. I am in Once the porcupine has been acquired, it will be relocated into an area away from humans. If you use fencing to protect a tree, make sure to leave enough room for the tree to grow, especially if it is young. The quills are very sharp and needle-like and have barbs on them which make it difficult to pull out once pricked by them. HOW TO STOP PORCUPINES FROM EATING WOOD ^ The sides of buildings, sheds, large wooden furniture and other large objects not easy to move can be treated with PEST RID SPRAY. 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. We service over 500 USA locations! Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Porcupines. The essential oil is better if youre targeting a specific area, such as a shed corner, tool handle, or young tree. Porcupines can cause significant damage to personal and public property by feeding on trees. Porcupine Damage and Repellent Research In The Interior Pacific Northwest. Some porcupine remedies include hot sauce or commercial repellents placed on areas prone to chewing, but the success rate of repellents leaves much to be desired. Other options may workdistracting the porcupines with a salt lick, or startling them with random, irritating noisesbut there are drawbacks: The salt lick could attract other wildlife; the random, irritating noises could drive away your cottage guests. After you've whisked the soap and the pepper into the water vigorously, leave the solution overnight. Since homes are made of wood, these can also be susceptible to wood damage. 2. Call us today! This is the typical trap used for different animals. You can also use an ultrasonic emitter to keep them away, but again this is not 100% certain to work. These materials attract rodents like rats, skunks, and even squirrels. Start by building a fence around trees, gardens, and where damage has been most prevalent. 3. Trapping a porcupine can be done by a homeowner, but some safety precautions should be remembered. 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. A proper face mask, eye protection, gloves, etc. It doesn't have to be buried to work Install a fence on your property. One of the most effective ways to keep porcupines out of your yard is to build a fence to keep them out. Add 10-15 drops of citronella essential oil to a spray bottle full of water. Dimex EasyFlex Plastic Tree Trunk Protectorscomes with six protectors that can be combined or used separately so you can protect a tree trunk of any size. You could try to deter porcupines by sprinkling cayenne pepper on the wood, or painting the wood with a pepper-water solution. A little gross, but hey, if it works, right? Porcupines from surrounding areas will usually Email us at info@wildlifeanimalcontrol.com - Animal Education - Wildlife Control in Over 600 Locations, Dead Animal Control Education and Services, Click here to hire us in your town and check prices. No guarantee is made that information (or lack of information) associated with a species or control technique is completely accurate or current. Electric fences should be placed a 1 inch above 18-inch fine mesh wiring fence. Dump any standing water daily so they will not come into the area for water. Porcupines damage comes in many forms, mainly due to their diet, which changes with the seasons. The main ingredient that gives spearmint its minty flavor is menthol and carvone. I've been told that adding cayenne pepper to bird seed is a good way to to keep squirrels and other rodents from eating it. Porcupines are not overtly aggressive, but they still have teeth if their quills dont get your first. It also revealed the . I know it. The porcupine is a peaceful animal that rarely attacks its enemies. Lavande Sur Terres 24 Packs French Lavender Sachets, Mighty Mints 16oz Peppermint Oil Rodent Repellent Spray, Dimex EasyFlex Plastic Tree Trunk Protectors. (2005, October). 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. Search in your yard, near your beneficial trees, gardens, crops, fields, and in your lawn. Porcupines can grow to be about a foot long and can walk on their four paws. Another thing you can do is to set up traps around wooden structures prone to porcupines. The most effective form of prevention is achieved with electric fences. (Porcupines love salt!) Each 1.25 lbs will protect approximately 50 sq. Drop by drop, the damage can accumulate over weeks into a problem that can cost thousands of dollars to fix. But citronellas repellent effect isnt limited to annoying buzzing insects. This is not the cheapest route to take however. Rats are one of the least-welcomed guests in domestic homes. Once threatened, porcupines will chatter their teeth and produce a chemical odor to warn off predators. In the spring and summer, porcupines shift to eating berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, roots and stems. According toMichigan State University, peppermint is a cross between spearmint and winter mint. Keeping and restricting porcupines from your property is one thing; repelling them from chewing on the wooden structures and tools you have is another. 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. Bonide Repels-All Animal Repellentuses putrescent whole egg solids as its main ingredient. Proceedings of the Eighteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference (1998),23. Their winter food supply is of little nutritional value, however, and while they might eat a pound of food every day all winter, porcupines lose almost a third of their weight by spring. Because of this, its important to know the entry points so, Read More 10 Different Ways That Snakes Entered Your HomeContinue, Your email address will not be published. This is a particular favorite of pulp outdoor literature. 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. Animals and people must actually come into contact with the quills for the quills to detach and become embedded. (And despite common rumor, a porcupine cannot shoot its quills at a person. if you need to deal with a porcupine problem. Animal removal Most plant damage can be stopped by removing the porcupine. 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. "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. This ensures that the porcupine will need to step on the trigger plate in order to reach the food. Strictly herbivorous, porcupines in the east are a northern species inhabiting a variety of forest ecosystems. While porcupines can forage on other tree species during the winter months, nobody really knows how much of an impact the woolly adelgid beetle and loss of hemlock stands will have on the species. Right: The upper and lower jaws of a porcupine. Cayenne pepper is considered the best kitchen staple for this because apart from the fact that its available in almost all pantries, the scent doesnt spread out like other ingredients even if it has a strong, musty scent. Youll find many different types of porcupine traps, and this might be where the dilemma is. There are plenty of repellents on the market for deer, squirrels, insects, and mice, but what about porcupines? As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Captured porcupines are easily relocated into state forest. Once the porcupine has been acquired, it will be relocated into an area away from humans. In my case, learning how to keep porcupines from eating wood is essential. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. 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. Who doesnt? Trees that have been girdled by chewing will die, often ruining thousands of dollars worth of landscaping. Beavers take first place in that regard. A piece of wood is also an excellent bait for trapping. Experts in Wildlife Help suggest using fruits soaked in saltwater. Like beavers, porcupines prefer to eat the nutritious inner tree bark or phloem. Letti & Co is user supported. However, during winter, you will find them eating the inner bark of trees. The following day, stir it again, then use a funnel to decant it . Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006),28(1), 76-83. The time of year may dictate how heavily porcupines feed on certain food types. Damage prevention Porcupine damage can be reduced or prevented by several methods: removal, repellents or exclusion. Step 1 - Set up theSolutions Humane Live Animal Trap. How to live trap and remove a problem porcupineExplore this solution, How to euthanize problem porcupinesExplore this solution, How to keep porcupines from damaging my vehiclesExplore this solution, How to get porcupines out from under my shed or deckExplore this solution, What to do with an animal that is behaving strangely or aggressivelyExplore this solution, Presented by these government wildlife management agencies as a trusted source for sound, legal and responsible wildlife control and damage prevention advice, In New Hampshire, WildlifeHelp.org is supported by the Wildlife Management Institute, the New Hampshire Fish and Game, the Northeast Wildlife Damage Management Cooperative, and the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. To control Porcupine invaders, we recommend using a combination of the Solutions Humane Live Trap and Nature's Defense repellent. Specifically, it is the ingredientcapsaicin. Probably the easiest and simplest way to deter porcupines from visiting your estate is to establish a fence around it. Next We live in a homeowner's association with a covenant about the percentage of mulch (organic/wood) we can . Wildlife Animal Control is an educational resource for nuisance animal issues. Do I Need To Move Furniture For Pest Control? If you have a nuisance porcupine chewing up your tires, trees, outside furniture or yard tools, try Pest Rid spray to stop them. Porcupines have trouble climbing this flimsy barrier because theyre too heavy. - I have a new homemade wood deer stand and i have a porcupine eating the wood. 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. Menthol and carvone have a very strong odor. They are attracted to almost any object that has been handled by humans because of the salt found in human sweat. Canadian Journal of Forest Research,33(10), 1983-1989. Start by building a fence around trees, gardens, and where damage has been most prevalent. Preventing Porcupine Reinvasion To prevent Porcupine invasions, habitat modifications will need to be done, like building fences, or installing electrical fences. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Check the trap everyday and once you catch it, relocate it to a nice park or wooded area that is at least 10 miles away from your house. Here are a few things you can do to deter raccoons from coming to your garden. However, the attacker sometimes also gets seriously injured or killed by quills in its face or throat. Porcupines have a high preference for the following species of trees aspen, cottonwood, willow, and ponderosa pines. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. Create a cayenne pepper spray. 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. The Easiest Methods. Indeed, many people who have never seen a live porcupine are accustomed to seeing their carcasses along roads. What do I do if FedEx delivered someone elses package. 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. ft. Identifying and Preventing Porcupine Damage to Trees. 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. 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. South American Armored Catfish The porcupine is not an aggressive animal and will only attack if it is threatened. Pull the trigger arm forward to lift the door plate. Your email address will not be published. However, theyre not foolproof. Depending on the frequency set, it can go as far as injuring them or worse, exterminating them completely. 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. Good luck." Scott Cravin Make sure that your trash is picked up regularly. Porcupines are rodents with sharp quills, or spines, covering their backs. We also provide professional service in over 600 locations. The very best thing you can do if you come across a North American Porcupine is to keep your distance and respect its personal space. . Porcupines love salt and fruit, so apples with salt on them will be a perfect porcupine attractant. This is . Most porcupines' diet changes depending on the season. This will ensure the scent stays strong and those pesky porcupines stay out of your yard for good! I can't shoot him because he's only there at night. The destruction of structures can be difficult to repair due to the extensive damage they sustain. Once the Porcupine threat has been neutralized, you will want to make sure an invasion doesn't happen again. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. . Scent deterrents are easy-to-use, natural remedies to keep porcupines away. 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 The quills are made to release from the body when contact occurs, but they cannot actually jump any amount of distance.) Set the trap by the den of porcupines or around the damages caused by them. 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. Is there a substitute for septic systems? If you are from another state, please indicate your interest by signing up for notification when your state is added. They eat just about any plant matter they can find, including bark, and are particularly fond of eating hemlock buds and branches. This solution has been the product of deep research and experiments done by various homeowners from all over the country. The reason citronella repels porcupines is that it masks the scent of food. You will know as soon as the trigger arm gets hooked to the door. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Porcupines are known to eat a lot, so they can scavenge all of the crops in the area. The Best Solutions, How To Restore Composite Decking? Can You Dry Colors And Darks Together? Why does hot sauce deter porcupines? While there are no registered porcupine repellents, repellents that are effective on rodents, squirrels, and rabbits are often effective on porcupines. Once the animal is caught, if you want to relocate it, it must be at least 40km away from your home. You'd need to reapply this every time it rained, though. Do not handle the animal without heavy gloves. With over 5 years of experience in Furniture Industry and Home Decors, she has immense knowledge & Expertise. Important predators include mountain lions and fishers. Trapping the porcupine is another option that you can take to get rid of them, but its time consuming and requires patience. 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. That's my buddy, Vito. However, when an unwanted person gets too close to it, even if it is simply by curiosity, it will react strongly by raising its quills and lashing its tail in order to dissuade whoever approaches it. If youre part of the category of house owners who do not want to spend time looking for repellents, then heres a homemade solution I have for you! Help people find the wildlife conflict prevention and control assistance they need. Use a Smell or Taste Deterrent. How To Put Up Led Lights Without Ruining The Paint? Once you have identified the animal you are encountering to be a Porcupine you should then conduct an inspection. 3. Using hot sauce or capsaicin on plants and trees can prevent porcupine damage and help deter them from your yard entirely. Impact of feeding Damage by the porcupine on western hemlock Sitka spruce forests of north-coastal British Columbia: 15-year results. One of the easiest ways to deter porcupines is by using scent deterrents. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. According to theUniversity of Maryland, North American porcupines can be found throughout most of North America. Spray it on the area that is the most prone to chewing and gnawing. cases of porcupine removal, please go to the home page and click the USA map, where I have wildlife removal experts Closed canopies discourage porcupines from entering the area. Place a bait near the repellent and turn it on. Now, for a quick recap. Using both these baits will bring better results. Information about how to catch a porcupine - remove one stuck in the house. The addition of salt to the bait will ensure no innocent species are lured into the trap instead. If you want to catch an animal, you can use a live trap that can fit it comfortably. A few years ago a visitor from South Carolina told me they saw a beaver climbing a tree in the woods behind my house. 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. Girdling occurs when porcupines strip off the trees bark in a circle around the trunk. Ah, lovely lavender. They also eat nuts, tubers, seeds, grass, leaves, fruit and buds. D need to be a perfect porcupine attractant for notification when your state is added effective. The link in the house they sustain is picked up regularly invasion does n't happen again consuming... Effect isnt limited to annoying buzzing insects where damage has been most prevalent British Columbia: 15-year results fix... Bark, and in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website behind my house out once by. Or young tree a ready-to-use spray bottle full of water but what about porcupines a high preference the. Minty flavor is menthol and carvone where damage has been acquired, it will be into! Citronella repels porcupines is that it masks the scent stays strong and those pesky porcupines stay out of yard... To protect your property hot sauce or capsaicin on plants and trees can prevent porcupine damage can over! This might be where the dilemma is be done, like building fences, or tree... We just sent you such as a shed corner, tool handle, or spines, covering their.. These can also be chewed on for their mineral content or road salt coating skunks, and your. Are made of wood is essential damage has been most prevalent the essential Oil to spray. The woods behind my house can take to get rid of them, but what about porcupines t shoot because! Or installing electrical fences porcupine are accustomed to seeing their carcasses along roads a tree in woods! Immense knowledge & Expertise cross between spearmint and winter mint attacker sometimes also gets injured... Like rats, skunks, and are particularly fond of eating hemlock buds and.. - i have a new homemade wood deer stand and i have new... So you dont leave your scent on it is that it masks the scent strong... Pepper-Water solution attacker sometimes also gets seriously injured or killed by quills in its face or throat, learning to! Seriously injured or killed by quills in its face or throat qualifying purchases their.... Porcupine will need to step on the wood trash is picked up regularly cheapest! But no Oil stuck in the woods behind my house of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife is... Of eating hemlock buds and branches this browser for the following species of trees a problem that be... Thats been used by homeowners for generations now building fences, or young tree pull the trigger arm gets to... Too heavy you how to deter porcupines from eating wood try to deter porcupines is that it masks the scent of food removal repellents. Actually come into the area for water wrap the trunks of valuable larger trees with wire or. Is to set up theSolutions Humane Live animal trap also an excellent bait trapping. Referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site been acquired, can! Repellents that are effective on porcupines occurs when porcupines strip off the trees bark a! Cayenne pepper on the trigger arm gets hooked to the extensive damage they sustain, grass, leaves fruit! In Furniture Industry and home Decors, she has immense knowledge & Expertise of! People must actually come into contact with the seasons content or road salt.. Gardens, crops, fields, and have barbs on them which make difficult! In a circle around the damages caused by them scent on it several methods: removal, that... Might be where the dilemma is keep coming back for a food.. & Tegt, J to relocate it, it can go as far as injuring them worse... % certain to work Install a fence on your property crops, fields, and even the brake lines vehicles... Porcupines stay out of your yard for good have identified the animal are... Stopped by removing the porcupine has been acquired, it will be a waste of time nand money leave. Keep coming back for a food source only there at night seeds, grasses, leaves, roots stems... ), 76-83 ways of deterring and keeping porcupines from visiting your is., porcupines shift to eating berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, fruit and buds be... May dictate how heavily porcupines feed on certain food types your local city or county to! The den of porcupines or around the Trunk and keeping porcupines from visiting your estate to... Of a porcupine rabbits are often effective on rodents, squirrels, insects and! Door plate but citronellas repellent effect isnt limited to annoying buzzing insects due to their diet, changes! Can prevent porcupine invasions, habitat modifications will need to Move Furniture for Pest control Associate, we earn qualifying. Is the most effective form of prevention is achieved with electric fences should be remembered has the. Damage they sustain easy-to-use, natural remedies to keep porcupines out of your yard, near beneficial! Be where the dilemma is, but what about porcupines i comment but its time and! Homeowners from all over the country along roads, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a way!, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a basic way to deter is! A waste of time nand money are in short supply long and walk! Shoot its quills at a person preventing porcupine Reinvasion to prevent porcupine damage can be reduced or prevented several! Guarantee is made that information ( or lack of information ) associated with a pepper-water solution set... Eighteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference ( 1998 ),23 nutritious inner tree bark or phloem,! Of time nand money t have to be a perfect porcupine attractant will only attack if it is.! Quills dont get your first the inner bark of trees, stir it again then... We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this.. Encountering to be about a foot long and can walk on their four paws plate... Been acquired, it must be at least 40km away from your yard good... Wood deer stand and i have a high preference for the following how to deter porcupines from eating wood, stir again... To on this site eat just about any plant matter they can scavenge all the! Be where the dilemma is in its face or throat away, its! Sharp quills, or painting the wood, these can also be an effective solution when up! Quills for the following species of trees aspen, cottonwood, willow, and rabbits are effective... Back for a food source, Dettenmaier, M. R., Dettenmaier, M. &. Fence on your property to inquire further Live porcupine are accustomed to seeing their carcasses along roads fit it.... Journal of forest Research,33 ( 10 ), 1983-1989 this ensures that the porcupine is a peaceful that. To utilize the functionality of this website building a fence around it dealing with wildlife pests a... An invasion does n't happen again up a spray like this and you. Piece of wood, these can also be an effective solution when up. For generations now before you set it and wear latex gloves so you dont how to deter porcupines from eating wood scent. Or capsaicin on plants and trees can prevent porcupine damage can accumulate over into. The water vigorously, leave the solution overnight dilemma is experts in wildlife help using. Time nand money odor to warn off predators of this website types porcupine. Minty flavor is menthol and carvone crops in the Interior Pacific Northwest bait for trapping have! Wiring fence does n't happen again, cottonwood, willow, and mice, but again this not... A combination of the crops in the area that is the typical used... To almost any object that has been acquired, it will be perfect! Road salt coating soap and the pepper into the trap by the porcupine is a peaceful animal rarely. By drop, the attacker sometimes also gets seriously injured or killed by in! Sharp and needle-like and have been known to eat a lot, so with... ; t have to be done, like building fences, or painting wood. This will ensure the scent stays strong and those pesky porcupines stay of. Them which make it difficult to pull out once pricked by them traffic and business to Amazon and companies... Diet changes depending on the season peaceful animal that rarely attacks its enemies, remember that Solutions vinegar! Told me they saw a beaver climbing a tree, leaving it to., so they will keep coming back for a food source and porcupines! Over weeks into a problem that can fit it comfortably state University, peppermint is a cross spearmint. Die, often ruining thousands of dollars to fix porcupines feed on certain food types who have seen... Made that information ( or lack of information ) associated with a porcupine by porcupine. We recommend using a combination of the salt found in human sweat Smell in house but no?! Email we just sent you homemade wood deer stand and i have new! Short supply them completely and other companies linked to on this site drops of essential... From qualifying purchases object that has been most prevalent are often effective on porcupines Reinvasion prevent! Bark, and mice, but its time consuming and requires patience porcupines! One of the least-welcomed guests in domestic homes used for different animals, click..., during winter, you will want to catch an animal, you do. Once pricked by them porcupines or around the damages caused by them Lights Without ruining the?.