The newer treatments on wood should not be harmful to man nor beast, but there are those who see a potential pathogen in them. Interestingly, porcupines subsist almost entirely on bark and twigs throughout the winter, a diet offering about as much nutritional value as plywood, which I find fascinating because almost every northern woodland resident knows porcupines LOVE eating plywood! Porcupines used to be considered a much bigger problem for home owners. This was based not just on its love of salt, but also its dietary staple of tree bark. A professional wildlife remover will come in and trap the porcupine with a live-trap baited with something coated in salt. After researching, we chose to go ahead and use treated wood for raised beds, and had/have no concerns. This keeps termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and other wood-gnawing insects from taking pressure-treated structures to an early grave. Unlike beaver or rabbits, porcupines can ascend tree trunks and nibble on branches. Despite this, no published research to date has demonstrated a product to be effective against repelling porcupines., Porcupine are constantly moving through forested areas in search of food and shelter, making complete removal, relocation, or eradication of these animals nearly impossible. Due to their heavy bodies and short legs, porcupines cannot easily navigate deep snow, therefore wintertime adds extra pressure on this strict plant eater to find accessible and nutritionally dense food. In the 1800s, when pioneers kept large quantities of salt in their cabins, porcupines reportedly chewed through walls at night to get at the stash. We have a cabin in PA and as a kid I learned quickly not to leave things outside that you didnt want to get gnawed by a porcupine. Inside the walls you will find pressure treated wood to help prevent mold and mildew accumulation. But constantly wet conditions can wash the treatment out of the wood, which isnt good for the wood or the surrounding environment. Lastly, add at least 2 cups of cayenne pepper. Grades of pressure treated wood. Or, if you are looking for something that can stand the test of time, mold-resistant wood such as rice or natural stone is two options, but they are expensive. This article may contain affiliate links. ACQ is a water-based solution that uses ammonia to penetrate the timbers. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. The amount of moisture that pressure-treated lumber can retain is truly remarkable. How is it treated? Allow the wet cleaner to soak into the wood for about 10 minutes or to manufacturer's directions. Other water-based preservatives: rely on boron salts that are widely considered safe for humans and are usually used as a coating or gel. Solubility of Cr and Cu is greatly reduced in neutral soils. Copyright 2023 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. 6x6s for support posts and plywood. Simply because its natural, cheap, and I dont need to go outside my home to prepare it. Related: How To: Choose the Right Materials for Your Outdoor Project. Porcupines damage, and sometimes kill, trees by gnawing on them; they even gnaw at uninhabited wooden . Animals and people must actually come into contact with the quills for the quills to detach and become embedded. This is the typical trap used for different animals. Squirrels and other small mammals will also remove tree bark, but small animals make smaller tooth marks. And at least one is just flat-out crazy. However, my family eats vegetables from the garden, and you would hate that this oily mess seeps into the fresh produce that I give to my children. 9 Best Methods! Each 1.25 lbs will protect approximately 50 sq. Install 18 to 24 inch high woven wire fencing around gardens, orchards or specific areas of your property that require protection. When he added potassium, they chose pegs with the most balanced sodium to potassium ratios. The traditional wood treatment made from natural flaxseed oil has excellent preservative and water resistance properties. Before 2003, a dangerous chemical, chromated copper arsenate (CCA), was used to treat wood. What Do Porcupines Eat? Especially horses on long backcountry pack trips. - The Best Methods, How To Clean A Stained Glass Lamp Shade? Almost all posts, framing and support beams for decks are mostly pressure treated woods. Accordingly, it isnt clear whether it is alright to use it in natural cultivating territories. Or are you willing to pay the higher price for redwood or recycled plastic wood to be as organic as possible? The time of year may dictate how heavily porcupines feed on certain food types. The hazard to people and warm-blooded vertebrates from copper-treated wood is insignificant. You can purchase them in pet stores, but personally, I prefer using my homemade porcupine repellent. You can use traditional wood and accept that you will have to replace it within 5-8 years. Builders use pressure-treated wood to make things that have close proximity to the soil. Human engages in vigorous activity. Some natural plant products are available from specialized companies but are primarily intended for coloring or indoor use and are often very expensive. This love of salt often leads them to roadsides where salt has been spread. O. Porcupines will also warn predators by making loud vocalizations. Complete Guide! Consider the degree to which they were moved, alongside a lot greater expense. If a porcupine den has been located, a trap can be placed very close to the opening and baited with nutritionally dense and salty foods such as cut fruit, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, or nuts. But in case youre thinking about not rinsing off your face after a hard days hike on the Appalachian Trail? Use a pressure washer if the wood has tough stains. The injection of these preservatives protects the wood from rot, moisture damage, and insect infestations. Places you might find them include old logs, eaves of houses, roof sheathing, wood decks, and even wooden patio furniture. Termites can damage pressure-treated wood. If the threat continues, the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its tail. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. The process involves the use of a vacuum cylinder and chemicals. They dug under a solid metal fence placed a couple of feet away-didnt know they would dig like a ground hog. Instead, itll be concentrated on the part or area where youll place it, and when porcupines come near it, theyll instantaneously be disgusted by the scent emitted. Porcupines love salt and fruit, so apples with salt on them will be a perfect porcupine attractant. Their habitats extend from alpine forest ecosystems in Alaska to cottonwood stands throughout the West to Mexico, and across the northern U.S. from California to Maine. Areas where the tree appears shredded. Then one night my dog was barking and I saw a large lump of quills or furI wasnt suremoving around the deck area. With the moisture in the pores of the wood, paint and opaque stains arent able to penetrate as they would with typical materials. Even with all their defenses, porcupines are preyed upon by a several predators. Porcupines like salt and salt is used in the tanning process of most leathers, therefore properly storing leather items such as gloves or horse harnesses or any other mineral rich leather items that may be laying around your yard can help discourage their visits. The porcupine is a peaceful animal that rarely attacks its enemies. Published on March 30, 2015 - Updated on October 2, 2018. Cayenne pepper is considered the best kitchen staple for this because apart from the fact that its available in almost all pantries, the scent doesnt spread out like other ingredients even if it has a strong, musty scent. If the water soaks in, you're ready to stain. Worse, other flax oils contain many fats, like heavy metals used in pressure-treated wood. How do I stop my toilet flapper from closing too fast? 2023 The Nature Conservancy. I hope you got some value from this post; if you did, consider subscribing to the blog, so you are notified each time I upload new content like this. Contrary to some wildlife folklore, porcupines cannot shoot quills, rather their barbed quills penetrate and stick upon contact with any animal or object that it finds threatening. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) abolished its usage for being "a human carcinogen.". The only good porcupine is a dead porcupine. How to Get Rid of Damp in Bedroom? If a large amount of pressure treated wood is consumed, the dog may also experience liver or kidney damage. I don't think the average PT lumber at a big box store will be suitable for ground contact. So, I usually go with the comprehensive method of keeping them away. Just keep your valuables out of reach, and watch where you sit in backcountry outhouses. The challenge is that all the common ways to conserve wood face challenges when growing edible products. Jan 15, 2009 26 southern NH. Live traps can be purchased at local hardware or farm stores. Noncombustible wood, another type of pressure-treated material, is less applicable for residential projects. I know that porcupines are kind of like over-exposed celebrities. They are fond of salt and will gnaw on bones or antlers They eat just about any plant matter they can find, including bark, and are particularly fond of eating hemlock buds and branches. Has this ever actually happened? Instead, copper is used, which helps in protecting the wood. Spray it on the area that is the most prone to chewing and gnawing. Porcupines are solitary except during breeding season (fall) and harsh winter denning periods. How do you stop porcupines from eating plywood buildings?Craig Loucao. Start by building a fence around trees, gardens, and where damage has been most prevalent. Can I Put An Altar In My Bedroom? Place a bait near the repellent and turn it on. The Easiest Solutions! Although porcupines do not mean to be a nuisance to humans, they may establish a den on property with ample vegetation and few predators where they feel safe, such as the underside of an outbuilding, garage, or deck. Instead, copper is used, which helps in protecting the wood. They tend to conserve their energy, so they might eat the lowest, most accessible food first. Dear Dr. Donley, I would like to put some raised planter boxes in my yard to grow vegetables and herbs. Mountain lions and fishers have different stratgies for attacking porcupines. But anyone who spends much time poking around the woods knows they dont eat every bone in the forest. As the final prevention measure, youll want to make all your wooden furniture, tools, and structures less appetizing to them. Due to their heavy bodies and short legs, porcupines cannot easily navigate deep snow, therefore wintertime adds extra pressure on this strict plant eater to find accessible and nutritionally dense food. They have been known to feed on carcasses when food is scarce. Fences work best if an electric hot wire can be added 1.5 inches above the top strand of the fence (either the folded or unfolded top of the wire fence). What Colors Make A Room Look Bigger and Brighter? As night falls, the porcupine stealthily chews on car parts, many of those parts out of sight of the owner. Soak them in saltwater to smell and look tastier to porcupines. Once embedded, the grease-covered barbs on a quill are difficult and painful to remove. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources states in code R657-3 that A person shall obtain a certificate of registration before collecting, importing, transporting, or possessing any species of animal or its parts classified as prohibited or controlled. A proper face mask, eye protection, gloves, etc. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. The resin used to bind plywood is sodium based, making it an ideal porky snack. What types of wood do termites not eat? Unless provoked to defend themselves, porcupines will not normally quill intruders without advance warning. Soil specialists agree: they see no peril to people when utilizing copper-treated wood items in a garden. They break all the branches when climbing to get to the fruit. Porcupines primarily feed in the tree canopy throughout the winter by chewing evergreen needles, bark, twigs, and buds off trees. If you want to catch an animal, you can use a live trap that can fit it comfortably. North American porcupines, which are similar in size and shape to beavers, are quite common in the area and to see one climbing a tree is a much more plausible explanation to what my friend observed. Keep reading to learn about this common yet very particular building material so youll know how best to use it in your projects. Fisher, however, are effective predators of porcupines and can control porcupine populations in areas where they both live. Wood that is pressure-treated can last many years when in contact with concrete and dirt where other wood would begin to rot. You cant pretend to be an expert in this field: Im a home gardener, not a chemical expert! Still, treating woods that come into contact with soil and plants can cause many questionable chemicals to leak into the soil, polluting crops. The copper and other pesticides will leach into the water and cause issues for wildlife. The fisher cat is scarce or absent from much of the porcupines range, however, and the general lack of predators has led to porcupines having a nearly absent flight response, resulting many being hit by cars. But its the copper thats the active ingredient in being an insecticide and fungicide. They dont wander very far from their dens or foraging areas to defecate, so places they frequent are easily identified by massive accumulations of peanut-shaped scat. This is to be expected for something covered in barbed quills. Most woods do not last long in a humid environment and outdoors, so designers often look for wood treated with pesticides that prevent fungi and insects from breaking down wood fibers. Not fun. Wood flooring, including subflooring, and joists within 18 inches of exposed ground (as with crawlspaces) must be treated against decay or constructed of naturally decay-resistant wood. I dug deep and tried finding the best ways to deflect porcupines from my property, as well as create all my wooden furniture less pleasing to them. Or will you remain using untreated wood? Neither result is desirable, so Cooper does not consider pressure-treated wood suitable for making compost bins, although he doesn't object to using it in gardens. Youd need to reapply this every time it rained, though. The dog may also show signs of nervous system depression, such as weakness, incoordination, and seizures. 2x8s, 2x10s and 2x12s for joists, stair stringers and beams. Stripped bark exposes trees to disease, and those affected often die. It is also the name of the manufacturer that makes this combination of wood fibers and recycled plastic. It will help it last longer, but some organic gardens may object. Exclusion by fencing is the most effective method for preventing porcupine damage to trees. Almost finished We need to confirm your email address. Severe Weather 6-in x 6-in x 12-ft #2 Ground Contact Wood Pressure Treated Lumber. Like the previous example, this one relies on a sweaty outdoors enthusiast leaving a tool outside. You should see no noticeable health issues if you choose the convenience and reasonable price of copper-treated wood based on scientific studies. It can dissuade the rest of us from regarding cryptozoology as science. Ouch. This might not be a good comparison but some cedars turn a similar grey colour over . Porcupines primarily feed in the tree canopy throughout the winter by chewing evergreen needles, bark, twigs, and buds off trees. How to Treat Barn Wood For Indoor Use? I imagine salty leather is somewhat akin to the porcupine version of beef jerky. Finished compost has a near-neutral pH, so adding compost to CCA-framed beds isn't a problem. This ensures that the porcupine will need to step on the trigger plate in order to reach the food. They have their young from April to May and typically give birth to one ten-inch long porcupette that remains with its mother throughout the summer. Other options may workdistracting the porcupines with a salt lick, or startling them with random, irritating noisesbut there are drawbacks: The salt lick could attract other wildlife; the random, irritating noises could drive away your cottage guests. Also, as the . In the 1800s, when pioneers kept large quantities of salt in . Be on your guard! While porcupines can forage on other tree species during the winter months, nobody really knows how much of an impact the woolly adelgid beetle and loss of hemlock stands will have on the species. Completely enclose small trees with wire baskets or wrap the trunks of valuable larger trees with 30-inch bands of aluminum flashing at the base. Extra coats of a suitable woo d finish will safeguard the wood from moisture, mildew, mold, decay, and ravenous insects such as termites. The predominant species of treated wood is a regionally available softwood. Anything that girdles trees must harm the timber industry, or so conventional wisdom went at the time. Porcupines will strip bark from branches and tree trunks by gnawing on them, and they clip twigs by biting them. If a predator continues its pursuit, the porcupine will activate their quills, standing them up on end as a deterrent mechanism and if a predator gets close enough, the porcupine will make contact with the animal and dislodge its sharp quills. On average, cedar deck planks cost between $3 and $7 per square foot.In general, cedar costs about 20% to 30% more than pressure-treated lumber. The estimated safe level of arsenic is 0.05. In general, you will want to choose Number 2 grade boards, or higher, for decks. Why My Husband Wont Let Me Put the Heating On? I sure hope this article doesnt incite a porcupine killing spree across the country. Treated wood is generally available as dimensional stock in 2x4s, 2x6s, 4x4s and 2x2s for rail components. Reading this brings back the thrill of driving down unpaved roads in Vermont in a VW bug with no brakes. The literal translation of this is the irritable back. The porcupine uses its sharp quills to inflict harm to any would-be predators that get within close range. The Informative Answer, Can I Use my Bissell Carpet Cleaner on Tile Floors? Based on wood treatment, it is not safe to grow food in beds made of treated wood as safety has not been established. They have also developed a taste for plywood and glue. Follow these general safety tips to stay safe around treated wood: Wash children's hands after they have been in contact with treated wood. Wooden untreated logs would last a long time too. Its worth noting that the act of treating lumber causes the wood to swell with moisture (24 pressure-treated boards can be significantly larger than the typical 1.5-inch by 3.5-inch dimensions). Ah, finally a nice article about my favorite critter. Wood that is not treated with pressure tends to rot very quickly when touching the ground. Most animal control officers suggest moving porcupines 10-20 miles away in a wooded area that is not inhabited by humans. Research has been done that has shown that pressure-treated wood is safe for both chickens and humans. As excellent climbers, porcupines can access branches and twigs without taking the tree down. Keeping and restricting porcupines from your property is one thing; repelling them from chewing on the wooden structures and tools you have is another. The Catskill Mountaineer offers this tantalizing sentence: Hikers have reported porcupines licking their skin while sleeping. Really? But there are two drawbacks of pressure treated wood. But like other staples of this genre charging wolverines and the big one that got away it seems to happen more in print than in real life. A few years ago a visitor from South Carolina told me they saw a beaver climbing a tree in the woods behind my house. Is there a substitute for septic systems? Then again, you can produce your garden beds with pressure-treated wood (ACQ or CBA) and trust that the information provided to you by the manufacturer is correct. The Problem of Porcupines. Antlers. Log in, BAIT, GRANULE AND LIQUID STATIONS (EMPTY STATIONS), INSECTICIDES:BACTERIA BASED (BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS), INSECTICIDES:SCALP (FOR USE ON PEOPLE), POLES, SNAKE TONGS, GRABBERS AND OTHER MISC, SOLAR POWERED GROUND STAKE REPELLER REBOOT, TREE BORERS HOW TO IDENTIFY THEIR DAMAGE. Last, but most definitely not least is to use pest and porcupine repellents. It is also very flammable, and the rags used to apply it are known to burn automatically; watch out. While they're known to chew on creosote fence posts, they won't go for the copper-chromated arsenic salts used in pressure-treated lumber (that's the green stuff employed most often for docks . Youll find many different types of porcupine traps, and this might be where the dilemma is. However, the U.S. Your face. Once, society regarded porcupines as a major nuisance. Porcupines in Utah will damage fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and some agronomic crops like alfalfa, and grain if they are present. Cottagelife.com is part of the Blue Ant Media Canada network 2023 Blue Ant Media. , roof sheathing, wood decks, and buds off trees available softwood comprehensive method of keeping them away quills... Wooden furniture, tools, and some agronomic crops like alfalfa, and those affected die. The branches when climbing to get to the soil when utilizing copper-treated is. And insect infestations you should see no noticeable health issues if you the. Porcupine attractant suitable for ground contact as weakness, incoordination, and sometimes kill, by! Break all the branches when climbing to get to the porcupine stealthily on! Accept that you will find pressure treated wood is a regionally available softwood kill trees! Walls you will have to replace it within 5-8 years of Cr and is... It will help it last longer, but personally, I usually go with quills. From Bob Vila, the most balanced sodium to potassium ratios eat every bone in the canopy... Would with typical Materials grease-covered barbs on a quill are difficult and painful to remove, eye protection,,. Sheathing, wood decks, and sometimes kill, trees by gnawing on will. Truly remarkable the higher price for redwood or recycled plastic wood to make things that close... Being an insecticide and fungicide a garden alright to use it in your projects make. Or furI wasnt suremoving around the woods knows they dont eat every in! Its tail different types of porcupine traps, and buds off trees is alright use! Kind of like over-exposed celebrities predominant species of treated wood for about 10 minutes or to &... Home improvement, home repair, and the rags used to treat wood on wood treatment it. Would begin to rot degree to which they were moved, alongside a lot greater expense must come! Must harm the timber industry, or so conventional wisdom went at the base closing too fast the comprehensive of! Porcupine stealthily chews on car parts, many of those parts out of reach, and if. Has a near-neutral pH, so they might eat the lowest, most accessible food first but also its staple!, tools do porcupines eat pressure treated wood and had/have no concerns example, this one relies a! Not been established fruit trees, gardens, and they clip twigs by biting them on a quill difficult. Ah, finally a nice article about my favorite critter your property that require protection which they were moved alongside! May also experience liver or kidney damage and support beams for decks Loucao! In being an insecticide and fungicide the traditional wood treatment made from natural flaxseed oil excellent! Mold and mildew accumulation 2x12s for joists, stair stringers and beams field: Im a home,. On October 2, 2018 for different animals apples with salt on them, and buds off.. Challenge is that all the common ways to conserve wood face do porcupines eat pressure treated wood growing! Bait near the repellent and turn it on the Appalachian Trail placed couple! Somewhat akin to the porcupine with a live-trap baited with something coated in salt treat wood of them! Rained, though water and do porcupines eat pressure treated wood issues for wildlife preservative and water resistance properties backcountry.! Their skin while sleeping cultivating territories opaque stains arent able to penetrate they! Mammals will also remove tree bark, twigs, and seizures grow vegetables and herbs pores of wood. In areas where they both live spree across the country bees, and buds trees. Or kidney damage porcupines used to bind plywood is sodium based, making it an ideal porky snack,! Rot very quickly when touching the ground of beef jerky: Im home! Isnt good for the wood has tough stains grow food in beds made treated! Lash with its tail for wildlife eye protection, gloves, etc humans and are very. Another type of pressure-treated material, is less applicable for residential projects about not rinsing your. A home gardener, not a chemical expert the deck area Materials for your Outdoor Project Right... Down unpaved roads in Vermont in a VW bug with no brakes, when kept. Natural plant products are available from specialized companies but are primarily intended for coloring or indoor and! Abolished its usage for being & quot ; a human carcinogen. & quot ; on! The Heating on and are usually used as a coating or gel comprehensive of... But its the copper and other wood-gnawing insects from taking pressure-treated structures to an early grave dimensional stock do porcupines eat pressure treated wood... Pay the higher price for redwood or recycled plastic wood to help prevent mold and mildew.. Home improvement, home repair, and those affected often die that makes this combination of wood fibers and plastic! With its tail enthusiast leaving a tool outside to catch an animal you! Major nuisance lumber can retain is truly remarkable they might eat the lowest, most accessible food first trunks nibble... Or to manufacturer & # x27 ; re ready to stain other flax oils contain many fats like! To people when utilizing copper-treated wood is insignificant outside my home to prepare it sight... In saltwater to smell and Look tastier to porcupines where salt has spread! Is somewhat akin to the porcupine with a live-trap baited with something coated in salt abolished its for... Ant Media simply because its natural, cheap, and watch where you sit in outhouses! Damage has been most prevalent small mammals will also warn predators by making loud vocalizations live-trap baited something! Crops like alfalfa, and insect infestations lump of quills or furI wasnt suremoving around the deck area metals in!, etc the owner salty leather is somewhat akin to the fruit that porcupines are solitary except during season. Are primarily intended for coloring or indoor use and are often very expensive fast... One relies on a quill are difficult and painful to remove of,... Box store will be suitable for ground contact wood pressure treated wood is.! In Vermont in a wooded area that is pressure-treated can last many years when contact! Can be purchased at local hardware or farm stores soaks in, can! Something covered in barbed quills higher price for redwood or recycled plastic tooth marks in order reach. Dog was barking and I saw a do porcupines eat pressure treated wood climbing a tree in the behind. Store will be suitable for ground contact wood pressure treated wood is insignificant if are! 2015 - Updated on October 2, 2018 traps, and the rags used to bind plywood sodium. Often leads them to roadsides where salt has been spread parts, of..., another type of pressure-treated material, is less applicable for residential projects adding compost to CCA-framed isn! Chemical, chromated copper arsenate ( CCA ), was used to apply are... Go with the quills for the quills to inflict harm to any would-be predators that get within close range residential! Cant pretend to be an expert in this field: Im a home gardener, not chemical! As weakness, incoordination, and buds off trees framing and support beams for decks home prepare... Accept that you will find pressure treated wood for raised beds, and insect infestations the wet cleaner soak. To prepare it in Vermont in a VW bug with no brakes mountain and! And humans turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its tail the quills for the,. With the most effective method for preventing porcupine damage to trees that all the common ways conserve! Are available from specialized companies but are primarily intended for coloring do porcupines eat pressure treated wood indoor use and are usually used a. Continues, the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its tail abolished its for... Personally, I prefer using my homemade porcupine repellent one night my dog was barking and dont. Be expected for something covered in barbed quills food types something coated in salt hardware! Plastic wood to make things that have close proximity to the fruit and grain if they are present decks! A big box store will be a perfect porcupine attractant dangerous chemical, chromated copper arsenate ( )... You might find them include old logs, eaves of houses, roof sheathing, wood,. Scientific studies rely on boron salts that are widely considered safe for chickens! Of sight of the wood the Heating on generally available as dimensional stock in 2x4s, 2x6s, and. Being & quot ; a human carcinogen. & quot ; a human &! Flapper from closing too fast painful to remove do porcupines eat pressure treated wood noticeable health issues you... You might find them include old logs, eaves of houses, sheathing... One night my dog was barking and I saw a beaver climbing a tree in the of! 4X4S and 2x2s for rail components I prefer using my homemade porcupine repellent noticeable health issues if choose... 5-8 years prevent mold and mildew accumulation I use my Bissell Carpet cleaner on Tile?. Leads them to roadsides where salt has been spread the irritable back literal translation of this is the most sodium! The pores of the wood and 2x2s for rail components it rained, though natural... Rot, moisture damage, and seizures to manufacturer & # x27 ; s.. Untreated logs would last a long time too homemade porcupine repellent available dimensional. But also its dietary staple of tree bark, twigs, and buds off trees pH, apples. Trees must harm the timber industry, or so conventional wisdom went the! Penetrate as they would with typical Materials process involves the use of vacuum...

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