The Update to Baby Porcupine Eating Banana with Hiccups

Ten years ago while volunteering at The Raptor Center I went to my friend Gail Buhl's office. Though she's in charge of the eduction birds, she's a licensed wildlife rehabber and sometimes takes in other creatures. That day she had a porcupet aka a baby porcupine that had been found on the side of the road next to its dead mother who had presumably been hit by a car. I took a video of it eating a banana while having the hiccups. It's had over 2 million views and that doesn't count the times it's been stolen from my channel and placed on someone else's. After the porcupine was old enough he went to Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center where he's lived ever since teaching kids and adults what's true and false when it comes to porcupines. 

Recently I went to a conference at Wolf Ridge and got a chance to not only see him where he lives but to also see him in action in the classroom and outside during a tracking workshop. What a treat! So above is a ten year update. 

Porcupet Sweeping The World

Remember those videos of the porcupet (aka baby porcupine). I had them on Google Video and last week, I transferred them to You Tube--Holy Crap, the one of the baby porcupine eating a banana had 16,000 views yesterday and today it's past 27,000! I just got a message from someone who produces an animal show on a BBC station asking if they can use it. On top of that, Neatorama picked it up so I'm getting a double wammy from them with the Disapproving Rabbits promotion. The internet is a strange and wonderful place!

Cute Overload

A goal has been reached! I finally met Cute Overload's stringent standards!! I sent a link of the porcupet nursing and it turned up on their site. They have been so kind and supportive of disapproving rabbits and just a great source of joy to my daily blog reading. I've submitted animals photos before but they never made it up. I remember taking the video thinking, "If this doesn't make it, I give up."

Whoot!

Porcupet

Digressing from birds for a moment--but it is SO worth it! Did you know that a young porcupine is called a porcupet? Neither did I! A friend of mine who is a professional wildlife rehabber has an orphaned procupet. It's already socialized to humans so she is continuing that and he will end up at either a zoo or wildlife center.

I'm just a video takin' fool lately and got these must see tvs. First is a nursing porcupet--crank up the sound so you can hear the oh so cute suckling sound as well as his contented little grunts (note the person handling him is wearing leather gloves--those quills are already set for business):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqc5jJQwVu8&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

This video is the little porcupet practicing his mad climbing skills on a stool--important to build muscle and strength:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYC0IYuOYLw&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

There's one more video here of the young porcupine engaging in play but also learning porcupine defense moves. If I had more time, I'd put a Black-eyed Peas song in the background of this one to go with his odd little grooves. This play is important as he is practicing his defensive moves.

I love livin' in a state with porcupines.

UPDATE: as of the end of 2007 he is now living at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Mn and goes by the name Clover. His videos are still a sensation on YouTube.