A Surprise 'Tenant'

Last Sunday, February 3rd, I was getting ready for Church and happened to look out my kitchen window. I rarely ever do this as it only looks into the carport, so nothing exciting. This time though, I noticed I have a new 'tenant'. At first I thought "do I have a raccoon living in my carport?" as there are many people in this area that have raccoons that have moved in under their house or into the garages, etc. However, it didn't take me long, only seconds in fact, to realize that this was no raccoon. Of course I ran for my camera and took photos, sorry they are so poor quality, but they are taken through a dirty window, so I'm lucky they turned out as well as they did. Click on them to see a larger version.

Here he/she is looking at me. Posing for the photo? Or cursing me out? Which do you think?

Here you can see him/her under the bottom shelf.

Thank God Reba goes outside into her pen on the other side of the house, and only goes out this side when we are on our way somewhere. Twice she has run over to that back corner of the carport to check out the new critter that she smells there, and I've called her back. I don't want her meeting 'Porky U Pine'. Yes folks, the new 'tenant' is a porcupine. For those who don't know what a porcupine is, they are a rodent with a lot of quills (sharp, needle like things that have barbs on them). It is very painful for a dog (or other animal) to get stuck full of quills. Often dogs chase and bite at porcupines, then end up full of the quills, even in the mouth, and have to go to the vet. You can remove them at home, but this is a slow and painful process, so would depend on whether your dog let you do it or needs to be tranquilized for the event.

It is rare for porcupines to come so close to humans, and I don't know why this one has, but I choose to give it all the space it wants. If it doesn't move on soon I will have to figure out what to do about it.