Porcupine With Dangerously Sharp Quills Just Wants To Be Petted: Redditors React

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kalila courban
Feb 27, 2022 11:00 AM EST

Porcupines are easily the best example of cruel irony in the natural world. They're outrageously sweet and affectionate, they love hugs and cuddles, yet they're one of the few animals we can't even pet easily.  The porcupine is not an aggressive animal and will only attack if it is threatened. Once threatened, porcupines will chatter their teeth and produce a chemical odor to warn off predators. 

Well, today we came across a delightful Reddit thread featuring a video of Charlie the Porcupine getting all of the love and affection he deserves plus a little more. It is truly an adorable sight, so we suggest you prepare your eyes and brains for the sensory overload that is to come. Porcupines are adorable, try to prove us wrong. Go ahead, we'll wait. While you are building your argument, here, enjoy this video of Charlie being his perfectly adorable self. 

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  • 01
    via StinkyTofu111

    Despite his dangerously sharp quills, Charlie the porcupine loves to be pet. And he even looks super cute while being pet and loved on. Though, we can not imagine a situation in which Charlie would not look cute. Just look at that sweet face and gigantic snoot. 

  • 02
    Font - ilexheder +3·1 mo. ago On the other hand, their willingness to be sociable with humans is probably BECAUSE of their quills-they don't have as much built-in "o shit run away" instinct as other herbivores because they don't need it! 4.7k 5 J Reply Share •••
    via .
  • 03
    Font - mckeanna +3 · 1 mo. ago They really have a dgaf attitude. I absolutely adore them. We have one big ol fatty that live in our woods who likes to chew on our front steps and I have to literally push her off with a broom to get her to stop. Then she will slowly waddle away into the darkness. I say her because she occasionally has babies and we get to see the parade a mini-porcs heading to our apple tree at dusk in late summer. My dog completely ignores them, so that a bonus.
    via mckeanna

    Vibe check- passed. 

  • 04
    Font - SharlowsHouseOfHugs +2 ·1 mo. ago · edited1 mo. ago I've spent a couple years working with African porcupines. They're massive (3+feet long), and have smooth hollow quills, not the small barbed ones most people think of when they think Porcupine. These guys are insanely cuddly and affectionate, and they understand they can hurt you, so they'll show you where to pet and scratch, and will very carefully snuggle up so nobody gets poked, and even when you are poked, it isn't a horrible pain,
    via SharlowsHouseOfHugs
  • 05
    Font - inerlite +3 · 1 mo. ago I wonder if animals get pets and wonder what kind of magic humans have that makes it so nice 4 1.3k Reply Share
    via inerlite
  • 06
    Font - globaICitizen +3·1 mo. ago "I'm misunderstood" aww yes you are Charlie!
    via globaICitizen
  • 07
    Font - zombiegirl_me +3·1 mo. ago In my teens, I found 3 baby porcupines after their mother was run over and died. I raised them and yes, they absolutely loved pets and cuddles (carefully, of course!). I was sad when they were big enough to 'let' go. Note: they were always wild, stayed outside, I just helped them stay alive until they could fend for themselves. They were so sweet!
    via zombiegirl_me
  • 08
    Font - ejchristian86 +3·1 mo. ago I used to volunteer at a zoo that had two porcupines. Thumper was a North American porcupine who basically looked like a black, chonky dandelion. He thought he was a dog and would roll over for tummy rubs. (FYI you gotta wear gloves for porcupine tummy rubs.) Then there was Sassy, a prehensile-tailed porcupine like this one. She liked shoulder rides and went crazy for coconut. They are ridiculously delightful animals.
    via ejchristian86
  • 09
    Font - top_of_the_stairs +2·1 mo. ago A group of porcupines is called a congregation, and a congregation of porcupines is called a prickle. I love porcupines. 1.2k Reply Share ••.
    via top_of_the_stairs
  • 10
    Font - razzec_phone +1 1 mo. ago · edited 1 mo. ago I think they mean the group name for porcupines change as the size of the group increases. 1 porcupine = porcupine 5 porcupines = congregation %3D 25 porcupines = prickle %3D I'm just picking random numbers there but i think it demonstrates what I mean.
    via razzec_phone
  • 11
    Organism - top_of_the_stairs +2 · 1 mo. ago Porcupines have surprisingly long lifespans at 20-25 years; capybaras, their rodent cousins so to speak, max out at 15 years. Also, baby porcupines are called "porcupettes." Thank you for subscribing to Porcupine Facts.
    via top_of_the_stairs
  • 12
    Organism - Dregoran +2 · 1 mo. ago Porcupines develop a penicillin like antibiotic in their quills. It's an evolutionary trait to prevent infection and aid in healing self inflicted wounds from their quills. Porcupines are a little too fat for their own good and often fall out of trees trying to get snacks from inaccessible branches. The fall is when the self inflicted quill pokes typically happen.
    via Dregoran
  • 13
    Human body - Ragingbull444 +2 · 1 mo. ago I find it sad how an animal wants lots of love but evolved specifically to make physical contact difficult
    via Ragingbull444
  • 14
    Rectangle - Antique-Extension417 +1: 1 mo. ago The right pair of gloves could protect you and still feel nice to him and you could just get in there with the scritches and the belly rubs and everything.
    via Antique-Extension417

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porcupines wholesome porcupine adorable heartwarming cute animals cute quills quill uplifting reddit thread Reddit animals
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