African Crested Porcupine

Scientific Name: Hystrix Cristata

Habitat: Deserts, Savannas.

Diet: Herbivore

Weight: 29-60 lbs.

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Range: Africa, Southern Europe (Italy)

Lifespan: 10-20 Years

Size: 24-37 in.

Crested Porcupines are the largest rodents in Africa, and the largest species of porcupine in the world. They are nocturnal, solitary foragers. Their diet includes bark, roots, tubers, bulbs, fruits, and crops.

Porcupine quills are modified hair made of keratin, much like human hair and nails. They use their quills for defense. They raise and vibrate the ones on their backs to appear larger. If that doesn’t work, they will stamp their feet and attack with their back ends to stab their opponent. Porcupines cannot shoot their quills!

Porcupines live in family groups, called a prickle. Females will give birth to one litter per year, having 1-2 babies in each litter. Baby porcupines are called porcupettes!

Our Residents

Quilber and Lawrence, males both born in 2013, came to the sanctuary in 2015. When they were roughly 2 years old, they were abandoned at a farm supply auction, where an anonymous donor agreed to pay their fee and bring them to us.

Quilber and Lawrence, males both born in 2013, came to the sanctuary in 2015. When they were roughly 2 years old, they were abandoned at a farm supply auction, where an anonymous donor agreed to pay their fee and bring them to us.

Lawrence is shyer and more easily startled than Quilber, and also exhibits more abnormal behavior than his enclosure friend. This is likely due to past neglect, mistreatment, or stress of being in an inappropriate captive environment. Although Quilbe

Lawrence is shyer and more easily startled than Quilber, and also exhibits more abnormal behavior than his enclosure friend. This is likely due to past neglect, mistreatment, or stress of being in an inappropriate captive environment. Although Quilber arrived in the same inappropriate caging conditions as Lawrence, he was not as affected by his previous mistreatment and has a more outgoing, almost “goofy” personality.

Quilber and Lawrence love to nibble on fresh branches and rearrange their burrows on a nightly basis. Their favorite treat is sweet potatoes. They also enjoy chewing on antlers and beef bones to keep their constantly growing teeth healthy and trimmed

Quilber and Lawrence love to nibble on fresh branches and rearrange their burrows on a nightly basis. Their favorite treat is sweet potatoes. They also enjoy chewing on antlers and beef bones to keep their constantly growing teeth healthy and trimmed down. Both Quillber and Lawrence are fairly easy-going, non-aggressive porcupines as long as their keepers move slowly and deliberately and take care not to startle them.