The Fort Worth Zoo in Texas has recently welcomed an adorable new addition to its family – a baby porcupine known as a porcupette. The porcupette, a prehensile-tailed porcupine, was born on May 17, 2025, to proud parents Piper and Quilliam. Weighing just 404 grams, equivalent to the size of a loaf of sandwich bread, this tiny creature is already capturing hearts at the zoo.
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The Fort Worth Zoo announced the birth of the porcupette through an Instagram post, showcasing the newborn perched on a wooden post and sniffing the glove of a zoo worker. Baby porcupines are born with soft, red hair that later develops into hard, protective quills. In a few weeks, this little porcupette will be fully quilled, marking an important milestone in its growth and development.
Over the past two weeks, the porcupette has been bonding with its mother, nursing, and showing promising signs of growth. The diligent animal care team at the zoo has been monitoring the tiny tot’s progress by weighing it daily. Surprisingly, it has nearly doubled in size since its birth, demonstrating healthy and steady growth under the zoo’s care.
The sex of porcupines is not immediately apparent as their sex organs are internal. It can take up to six months before the gender of a baby porcupine is known. To expedite this process, the Fort Worth Zoo plans to conduct a quill DNA test on the porcupette to determine its sex sooner. The zoo has teased that the gender reveal and the naming of the porcupette will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Animal enthusiasts and fellow zoos have expressed joy and excitement over the arrival of the baby porcupine at the Fort Worth Zoo. Comments overflowing with admiration and love flooded the zoo’s social media posts, with some suggesting endearing names for the porcupette. The overwhelming cuteness of the porcupette has left many in awe of this precious addition to the zoo’s family.
The parents of the porcupette, Quilliam and Piper, are described as a curious and nosy bonded pair that enjoy munching on corn and coconut. As an ambassador animal species, they play a vital role in engaging audiences, participating in stage shows, and receiving regular training and care from their keepers. Their prehensile tails, adapted for various functions like holding objects and balancing on branches, add to their charm and uniqueness.
The prehensile-tailed porcupine, also known as a coendou, is native to South America and belongs to the New World porcupine species. Inhabiting trees, these nocturnal creatures use their strong prehensile tails for grasping and climbing. The gestation period for a female porcupine is about 203 days, with weaning occurring around 10 weeks. Full size is typically reached by the porcupette at approximately 48 weeks, marking its transition into adulthood.
The introduction of the baby porcupine at the Fort Worth Zoo has sparked joy and fascination among visitors and animal lovers alike. As the porcupette continues to grow and thrive under the care of the zoo’s dedicated staff, it serves as a symbol of hope and new beginnings for both the zoo and its visitors. Stay tuned for further updates on this adorable addition and witness the heartwarming journey of this young porcupine at the Fort Worth Zoo.