Porcupines cannot shoot their quills as projectiles. This is a common myth, but in reality, porcupines' quills lie flat against their bodies and only erect when threatened. They defend themselves by puffing up their quills and swinging their spiny tails to embed the quills into a predator or threat upon contact. The quills detach easily when they come into contact with flesh due to microscopic barbs, but they are not launched or shot out at a distance
. Some sources humorously mention a supposed distance of quill "launching" up to 18 feet, but this is a joke and not factual—the quills do not shoot or fly through the air
. The quills only embed when the porcupine physically strikes or brushes against a predator within close range, typically within tail-swinging distance
. In summary, porcupines cannot shoot their quills any distance; their quills only become embedded through direct contact during defensive actions.
