$foo= '\t\a\b\c';
print "foo=($foo)\n";
quotemeta $foo;
print "foo=($foo)\n";
$foo= quotemeta $foo;
print "foo=($foo)\n";
__END__
Produces:
foo=(\t\a\b\c)
foo=(\t\a\b\c)
foo=(\\t\\a\\b\\c)
[download]

That is, quotemeta doesn't modify in place, it returns a modified value so your uses of quotemeta are useless.

If you had turned on warnings, then you would have been told: Useless use of quotemeta in void context at quotemeta.pl line 5. which is why we often urge people to do stuff like that. q-:

        - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")