Can a porcupine shoot spines?
You don't want to hug this animal. You'd think a porcupine is a pig, but it's not. It is one of the largest rodents in the world. It can grow 80cm tall and weigh 13 kilos! They have sharp teeth and small eyes and can't see well. They can smell good and hear very well with their small ears. They have short legs, large feet and with their sharp nails they can also dig as the best.
They can't shoot spines at the enemy, which is a real fable. But in the event of danger, they'll put their spines on. They then kick their feet on the ground and make a lot of noise. They also rattle with the bunch of spines and they growl and hiss.
Photo: Stevebi
If the enemy is not yet peeled, it turns around and moves backwards (or sideways) towards the enemy. If he sticks with his spines, those spines release and remain in the enemy. Because those spines are very sharp and have barbs. You don't want that in your skin!
In this special video you see him in action and you hear him rattling hard!
