Changes

==Life Cycle==

==Life Cycle==

Porcupines breed in the [[fall]] or early [[winter]]. The courtship ritual involves males who are looking for a mate uttering several high falsetto squeaks, while females announce their availability by squatting. When the two come together, they confirm the arrangement with a great deal of nose rubbing. One or two young are born with soft quills and eyes open about 10 days later. Their quills harden within the hour and they begin eating solid food after two weeks, but they continue to nurse for 4 or 5 months. While captives have lived up to 30 years, porcupines in the wild tend to have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years.

Porcupines breed in the [[fall]] or early [[winter]]. The courtship ritual involves males who are looking for a mate uttering several high falsetto squeaks, while females announce their availability by squatting. When the two come together, they confirm the arrangement with a great deal of nose rubbing. One or two young are born with soft quills and eyes open about 10 days later. Their quills harden within the hour and they begin eating solid food after two weeks, but they continue to nurse for 4 or 5 months. While captives have lived up to 30 years, porcupines in the wild tend to have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years.

[[Category:Rodents]]

[[Category:Rodents]]

[[Category:Mammals]]

[[Category:Mammals]]