[Featured]: Has anyone been in touch with the octopus family in Oklahoma?

[Danna]

Hi awesome octo-keepers! I've been hearing a lot about the Clifford family in Oklahoma (They got an octopus for their son to raise as a pet — then it had 50 babies) and I was just wondering if they had found TONMO or if anyone here had found them? It sounds like they're doing a great job, but also that they are pretty anxious to rehome a bunch of little bimacs, and I figured connecting them with the TONMO community would be a great way to do that if they aren't already here.

(Apologies to the mods if this isn't the right forum for posting this question, I wasn't sure where to put it!)

 

[tonmo]

First, this is the right forum / no apologies!

I did see this story (by way of @octobot, here) -- I thought about engaging, but ya know... work! This is the perfect forum and resource for this family; we'd welcome them with open octo arms

 

[jeffday]

so far as i know meg aka invertebabe has been in touch with them, i was under the impression they were in touch with someone from tonmo as well, as least, that's what they'd told her?

 

[tonmo]

might be the case! @sedna, @Thales, @gjbarord have you been in support? If so, cool!

I'm late to the story these days (for the moment) but we're always doing good things.... we're a big tent and in a lot of places

 

[tonmo]

Ah, he must be a customer of yours, @Tomh (unless there was another seller) - finally found the references -- one in the NYT (but inaccessible, behind a paywall), but the Seattle Times mentioned us here:

Clifford said he ordered Terrance through a broker he found through the Octopus News Magazine Online, which calls itself “an online community and news resource for anything and everything pertaining to octopuses, squids and cephalopods.” He said he was told the octopus came from a diver with a fishing license in California, which permits people to catch octopuses in areas that are not state marine reserves.

A man bought his son an octopus. Then came the ‘expensive, wet chaos’

A family in Oklahoma got more than they expected after the arrival of their cephalopod pet.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[Tomh]

Yes sir, talked to him a lot. Thanks

 

[tonmo]

took me a while to put 2 + 2 together (or shall we say, 8 + 8), but the octo owner (edit: his friend!) is indeed a TONMO member and had sent me (via FedEx) this incredible photo of his bimac (not Terrance!) back in February. We'd been corresponding via email as well... happens a lot, and I'm just generally not always as plugged in to TONMO happenings as I should be. Anyway, had been meaning to share his photo, here it is shortly after I'd opened it. It's a beautiful photograph in person!

 

[tonmo]

Here's some more on this: the following is from a friend of the owner of Terrance, who has taken in some of the babies for care! Here's his story, which I'm sharing with his permission:

EDIT: I will post this as a proper article over the weekend or so, given clarifications below. Stay tuned!

 

[Tomh]

Yes I have been in contact with them from the beginning. It’s a great story !

 

[Dr. Lizz]

took me a while to put 2 + 2 together (or shall we say, 8 + 8), but the octo owner is indeed a TONMO member and had sent me (via FedEx) this incredible photo of his bimac back in February. We'd been corresponding via email as well... happens a lot, and I'm just generally not always as plugged in to TONMO happenings as I should be. Anyway, had been meaning to share his photo, here it is shortly after I'd opened it. It's a beautiful photograph in person!

The photo you picture is NOT Terrence. It is of one of my two Bimacs and was taken by my daughter-in-law. I shared MY photo with Cameron Clifford. I also live in the Oklahoma Ciy area and currently am raising all remaining 18 hatchlings with Cameron’s help. I have just provided Toney with a detailed account of this entire story which I believe he has just posted on this form

 

[tonmo]

thanks for clarifying @Dr. Lizz -- a complex story! I have corrected my post. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Danna]

Here's some more on this: the following is from a friend of the owner of Terrance, who has taken in some of the babies for care! Here's his story, which I'm sharing with his permission:

EDIT: I will post this as a proper article over the weekend or so, given clarifications below. Stay tuned!

I am so looking forward to the article! Many thanks to everyone in this thread for taking the time to answer. It is a fascinating story and so lovely to see the support for pet octopuses and their keepers!

 

[tonmo]

I am so looking forward to the article! Many thanks to everyone in this thread for taking the time to answer. It is a fascinating story and so lovely to see the support for pet octopuses and their keepers!

Article posted; thanks again @Dr. Lizz for sharing your tank details!l and insights!

Terrance the Oklahoman Octopus, Her Babies, and Another Bimac of Note

Aquarium specifics and insights from Tim Tytle regarding Terrance the pet octopus from Oklahoma.

tonmo.com