What Do You Do If a Porcupine Attacks You in the Wild?

Porcupines are naturally shy and will not go out of their way to attack humans under most circumstances. As a result, porcupines are not generally a threat to humans. However, if you accidentally approach a porcupine with its babies or if you encounter a rabid porcupine, it may attack.

  1. How Porcupines Attack

    • Contrary to popular legend, porcupines do not throw their quills. Instead, porcupines attack by backing into you or hitting you with their tails, which deposits their barbed quills into your skin. The quills are not poisonous, but they can be very painful and harbor bacteria from the porcupine's environment, according to Samantha K. Yeltatzie, DVM. Losing quills does not hurt the porcupine because a porcupine can replace their lost quills in 2 to 8 months.

    Getting Away

    • Back away from the porcupine but do not turn your back to it or try to run away. Turning away from the animal gives it the opportunity to attack when your attention is elsewhere. Run only as a last resort if the porcupine will not be scared into going away. Grab a stick or anything you can swing and hit the porcupine across the snout hard enough to stun it. If you hit with moderate force, you will sting but not severely hurt the porcupine. This is usually enough to cause the porcupine to run away.

    Removing Quills

    • Seek medical attention to remove the quills. If you are too far away from civilization to reach medical attention, carefully remove the quills by gently pulling them out one by one, making sure to get the entire barb out. If the barb breaks off of the quill, remove it with tweezers. If you are bitten, clean out the wound with rubbing alcohol and see a physician as soon as possible to get a rabies shot in case the animal is rabid.

    Preventing Attacks

    • Avoid walking in the woods at night. Porcupines are nocturnal animals and, while they can see you, you or your pet may not be able to see them. You may accidentally step on or come too close to a porcupine in the dark. While porcupines rarely approach populated areas, they may enter an unoccupied tent or space seeking salt, according to Paul Tawrell, author of "Wilderness Camping & Hiking." To prevent porcupines from entering the campsite, place moth balls near entrances and around food storage areas.