The porcupine is an animal that has been around for quite some time. Porcupines are native to North America, where they have lived for millions of years. They can be found in many different parts of the United States including the Rocky Mountains, deserts, prairies, forests, and wetlands. You may be wondering "why would anyone want to eat something in squirts quills?" Well, if you think about it, caterpillars do not have sharp claws or teeth like other animals in their group. So porcupines use the spines on their back to protect themselves from predators. Some of these quills contain barbs and can even stick into people without leaving a mark! What is inside the quill? Porcupine quills are loaded with food and vitamins. One study revealed that they have over 9 times the amount of vitamin C in them than oranges! A small porcupine quill contains almost 1,000 calories! This makes porcupines a superfood. While eating porcupines isn't recommended due to the high-fat content, the quills are full of fiber, protein, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, and thiamin. Porcupines quills are also a great way to get your daily dose of Vitamin B-12.
Porcupine quills are often referred to as the hair of the porcupine. They are actually a type of hair called keratin. Porcupine quill hair becomes stiff when dry, but softens again once wetted. It has been used since ancient times for making textiles. Porcupine Quills are considered a delicacy in some countries around the world. Porcupine Quill Hair is extremely strong and durable. If properly dried (not too moist) they can last from hundreds of years to thousands of years! Porcupine quills were traditionally used by Native Americans to make arrowheads and spear points. They were also used for decorating clothing, such as moccasins, leggings, blankets, and hats. Porcupine Quilla Hair was also incorporated into tattoos and body adornments, including war paint. Porcupine Quilling was a popular art form among Aboriginal people of Australia until the practice changed course towards tattooing in the early 19th century.
Porcupines' quills are basically dried out sections of hair from a porcupine. They vary in color from white to black, but they can range in size from tiny little quills that are only a few millimeters long to massive quills that measure over 12 centimeters long. Porcupine quills have been used throughout history as both medicine and tools. In fact, they have first discovered in Peru around 800 AD and were initially used as a form of currency. This was then followed by their use of them in dentistry as fillers and for medicinal purposes, as well as being used as fishing tackle. Today, they’re still used in China, Russia, India, Nepal, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, and the United States.
Porcupine quill production started in the 1920s but it was not until the 1980’s that they became popular. In the 1990s porcupines were hunted down heavily throughout North America due to their quills being used as drug paraphernalia. Porcupines are social animals, making them less vulnerable to poachers. They live together in groups and communicate in different ways including sounds, scent, and touch. The porcupine’s quills have been used traditionally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, and other medical conditions. In addition to being used medicinally, the quills can be fashioned into jewelry items. Porcupines are territorial animals and therefore need a space to call home. If this is not provided then the porcupine may become aggressive and attack its neighbors. To protect themselves from predators, porcupines use their tails as weapons.
