I don't know if we should call him our first "guest" of the season, but this little guy is definitely been frequenting the ranch for the past couple of weeks. Porcupines are some of the most peculiar creatures, they are very shy and keep to themselves. However, if YOU bother them, they are more than well equipped to land you with a face full of quills. If the quills are not removed immediately, they can fester and cause infection in the skin, due to a small barb that is attached to the end of each quill. Removing the quills can be very painful (just ask some of the ranch dogs). And, you can see how dangerous they could be around cattle and horses.... walking along and OOPS! There's a porcupine! Ouch! Keep your distance!
In case you are wondering what he's doing with his hand... he's covering up his very yellow teeth! They are the same color as the tree... perhaps they are made of wood too?
Looks soft and cuddly, right? Just like your teddy bear! HA HA!
Each quill will stick into skin like a razor, and can be "shot" from a distance of up to 5 feet away!
Like I was saying, he needs to see a dentist....
