David Matos Mendes

"Attacked" by a porcupine - BioParque do Rio

This individual had a few porcupine thorns attached to it's face. I warned a keeper, and was informed that the zoo has already started the treatment. (I didn't really understand how a treatment for this kind of injury could have started without having the thorns taken off the animal's flesh).
This individual had a few porcupine thorns attached to it's face. I warned a keeper, and was informed that the zoo has already started the treatment. (I didn't really understand how a treatment for this kind of injury could have started without having the thorns taken off the animal's flesh).
 
@Mr Gharial
Yes, there are brazilian porcupines living in the big aviary among all the birds and other animals (sloths, agoutis, iguanas, etc). I liked their idea to add not only birds in the aviary, but for what we can see, it might be a good idea to move the porcupines to another enclosure.
 
@David Matos Mendes I don't know about that, its been quite sometime since I was last at Sorocaba zoo.

Yes, they do still keep porcupines of both Coendou prehensilis and Coendou spinosus in the same enclosure.

The irony is that in that same row of three enclosures is an enclosure for just three meerkats which (if they were to get rid of these) would have been far better for the tapetis and would have stopped those kind of injuries from occurring.
 
It seems like maybe the quills have ends cut off, odd diagonal tip if you zoom. There's a theory that if you cut a quill it releases the pressure inside the quill and the quill can then be more easily removed. Other people say "grasp the quill and pull out firmly. It might work in dogs but I'd guess it would really shred the thin skin on a macaws face.
I have almost no experience with quills except for keeper who got quilled in the face but what's the betting that local vets have lots of experience in Brazil!
 

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BioParque do Rio
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David Matos Mendes
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NIKON COOLPIX P500
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Sat, 19 June 2021 9:49 AM
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