# How do porcupines "do it"? Gingerly! But seriously, folks.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-porcupines-do-it-gingerly-but-seriously-folks/49214 "2001-01-09T20:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-porcupines-do-it-gingerly-but-seriously-folks/49214/1 "2001-01-09T20:52:29Z")
How _do_ they do it? I mean, “doggy style” is obviously right out, isn’t it? Or are they so grimly determined that they just tough it out? And, dear God, they’re not **born** with those spines are they! ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-porcupines-do-it-gingerly-but-seriously-folks/49214/2 "2001-01-09T21:08:36Z")
[The master already answered this question.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_207.html) For more details, just read some of my posts. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-porcupines-do-it-gingerly-but-seriously-folks/49214/3 "2001-01-09T21:14:18Z")
This website is a real hoot. Porcupine Sex. Really.[http://www.improbable.com/sharewair/porcupine.html](http://www.improbable.com/sharewair/porcupine.html) > [@](#): > > The porcupines in the study were part of a colony kept at the Biology Department at the University of Buffalo during the 1940s. The colony consisted of 5 females (Maudie, Nightie, Prickles, Snooks and Skeezix) and 3 males (Old Dad, Johnnie and Pinkie^). It was noted that the animals of both sexes objected to being stroked or having their feet, tail base or genitals touched by the authors. > > The male makes sexual contact from behind the female. The spines of both animals were relaxed and lay flat. [http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/porcupin/porcupin.html](http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/porcupin/porcupin.html) > [@](#): > > . Mating used to be the subject of considerable speculation and ingenious theories, but the explanation is simple. The female flattens her quills and twists her tail out of the male’s way so he can mount in the normal manner. > [@](#): > > The baby porcupine is well developed at birth: its eyes are open, and the blunt incisor teeth and molars are already exposed. About 30cm long, it weighs about 0.4g and is covered in dense black hair. The sharp barbless quills are soft and concealed in the hair. Within hours of birth the quills harden and can be erected. ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-porcupines-do-it-gingerly-but-seriously-folks/49214/4 "2001-01-09T21:16:00Z")
[Here you go!](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_207.html) Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-porcupines-do-it-gingerly-but-seriously-folks/49214/5 "2001-01-09T21:16:00Z")
The thing that is odd about their mating habits is that the female signals receptivity by allowing the male to spray her with urine before mating commences. “When fully soaked copulation occurs …”. No references seem to mention any unusual postures, so I assume that, yes, they DO use “doggie” style. The quills lie flat during mating according to some sources. Perhaps the urine-soaking helps - just a WAG. The newborn porcupine has soft quills which harden shortly after birth. Some sources mention that porcupines DO occasionally stick themselves with a few of their own quills, and are very adept at pulling them out with their teeth.