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There are plenty of states that are scattered across the country that are home to porcupines. In general, this is an animal that can be found throughout most of Canada, but it is also common in the United States. There are even some species that can be found as far south as Mexico. Some of the states that have a lot of porcupines include New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the vast majority of states in the New England area. As long as you keep your eyes open, you should be able to find them in some of the cool, moist areas of the United States.
There are fourteen states that do not have porcupines. In Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, you won’t see a porcupine. In other states, sightings of porcupines may be rare or only occur in specific parts of the state.
There are a lot of people who are wondering if they can keep this animal as a pet. Keep in mind that the laws regarding different types of pets can vary significantly from state to state, so you need to take a look at the regulations in your area to make sure you are allowed to have a porcupine before you go out and buy one.
The good news is that most states will allow you to have one as a pet, but that does not necessarily mean that you want to have one. Porcupines are relatively easygoing, but they are not necessarily animals that are going to cuddle with you in your bed. Keep in mind that they do not necessarily have hair, but instead have spikes, which means that they will hurt you if you try to hug them.
If you are interested in keeping one of these animals, as a pet, you need to make sure you have the ability to feed them. What types of foods do porcupines eat? They can eat a variety of plants, as they are chiefly foragers. In the wild, they can be found feeding on the bark of different types of trees. Some of the most common species of bark they eat include hemlock, birch, beech, pine, aspen, elm, oak, willow, spruce, and fir. In addition, they like to eat various types of wildflowers and acorns. These animals also like to munch on roots and seeds. You need to make sure that your pet porcupine has enough to eat, so make sure you talk to an expert who can help you before you decide to take one home.
State | Porcupines Present | Hunting Laws | Specific Habitat Range |
---|---|---|---|
Alaska | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout all of Alaska except the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak, Nunivak, and St. Lawrence island |
Arizona | Yes | Hunting prohibited | Most common in Northern Arizona |
Arkansas | Yes | Permitted w license | From woodlands and forests to rocky cliff |
California | Yes | Permitted | Most common in montane conifer and wet meadow habitats, and can be found in the Coast Ranges, Klamath Mountains, southern Cascades, Modoc Plateau, Sierra Nevada, and Transverse Ranges |
Colorado | Yes | Permitted if porcupine is damaging crops, property, or livestock | Throughout Colorado in wooded and brushy habitats but probably are most common in woodlands of ponderosa or pinyon pine |
Connecticut | Yes | Permitted | Forest areas; Northwest corner; most common in northern Litchfield County |
Georgia | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout Georgia - mountainous and hilly regions |
Idaho | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout the state |
Kansas | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout Kansas except outheastern portion of the state |
Kentucky | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout the state |
Maine | Yes | Permitted | Statewide in hardwood/hemlock forests |
Maryland | Yes | Permitted w license | Western part of the state (Allegany, Garrett, Washington and Frederick) |
Massachusetts | Yes | Permitted w license | Western and central parts of the state and occasionally observed in Middlesex County |
Michigan | Yes | Permitted w license | Statewide in forests areas |
Minnesota | Yes | Permitted | Throughout the state excluding the southwestern region of the state |
Missouri | Yes | Permitted | Porcupines are not native to Missouri and have only been documented a few times in the state. |
Montana | Yes | Permitted | Throughout the state |
Nebraska | Yes | Permitted w license | Statewide in forests areas |
Nevada | Yes | Permitted w license | Dispersed across the state, besides in Nevada's most southern deserts |
New Hampshire | Yes | Permitted | Throughout the state in coniferous and mixed forested areas |
New Jersey | Yes | Permitted w license | Northern part of the state |
New Mexico | Yes | Permitted | Throughout the state |
New York | Yes | Permitted | Upstate New York, most common in Finger Lakes |
North Dakota | Yes | Permitted | Eastern part of the state |
Ohio | Yes | Permitted | Occasional sightings in Northeast Ohio |
Oklahoma | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout the state (mostly northwest) |
Oregon | Yes | Permitted | Throughout most of the state east of the Cascade Range |
Pennsylvania | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout the state (in areas of extensive forests) |
Rhode Island | Yes | Permitted if approved by Dept. of Environmental Management | Rare |
South Dakota | Yes | Permitted w license | Western half of the state |
Texas | Yes | Permitted w license | Western half of Texas, including the Panhandle |
Utah | Yes | Hunting prohibited | Throughout the state ( wetlands, deserts, and shrub-land habitats) |
Vermont | Yes | Permitted | Throughout the state |
Washington | Yes | Permitted | Forested areas or brushy wetlands throughout the state |
Wisconsin | Yes | Permitted | Northern half of the state |
Wyoming | Yes | Permitted w license | Throughout the state |
Alabama | No | ||
Delaware | No | ||
Florida | No | ||
Hawaii | No | ||
Illinois | No | ||
Indiana | No | ||
Iowa | No | ||
Louisiana | No | ||
Mississippi | No | ||
North Carolina | No | ||
South Carolina | No | ||
Tennessee | No | ||
Virginia | No | ||
West Virginia | No |