Chicago And Cephalopods

[#30Girl]

Hey! I'm in Chicago, spotting some majorly awesome cephalopod things. First off:

China Town
Wonderfully squid related. I went there and found two great squid and octopus matching wood cutouts and will put them on my wall as soon as I get home!

Navy Pier
I liked that trip a lot, and I found Two octopus magnets in a wonderful shop near the Ferris wheel (which was also neat.)

I am also going to shedd aquarium tomorrow(thanks cthulu77!) and am looking forward to the giant pacific octopus i'm hearing about!


Thank you TONMOers!

Chicago is a great place. Lots of neat things and attractions to see. I think anyone would love it there.

 

[Tintenfisch]

Nice work - be sure to post pics of your new goodies.

 

[#30Girl]

Nice work - be sure to post pics of your new goodies.

Thanks, but sadly, my camera is impossible to hook up to my computer.

 

[#30Girl]

I also went to the shedd aquarium yesterday. The giant pacific octopus was hiding, but it was so much fun!

 

[Architeuthoceras]

There are probably fossil cephs in the Field Museum, I cant remember, last time I was there was 1986.

 

[DWhatley]

At least you have been! I have been to Chicago only once (on business - about the same time frame) and did not even know about the Shedd. I have pipe dreams about doing a month long retirement vacation just going to aquarium

 

[Architeuthoceras]

I went to the Shedd the weekend after the Field. I seem to recall Nautiluses. I spent two months there, even got to see Mcmahon and the Fridge play football.

 

[sharkyshark]

hit up the shedd 3 months ago, the new rennovations are amazing, did'nt get to see the new dolphin exhibit tho. i must head back lol

 

[#30Girl]

I went to the Shedd the weekend after the Field. I seem to recall Nautiluses. I spent two months there, even got to see Mcmahon and the Fridge play football.

There were nautiluses? I only remember seeing a giant pacific octopus last...

 

[sedna]

I was just in Chicago this past weekend, my dad takes my family every year. The John G. Shedd Aquarium is not a great aquarium for the animals it houses but for its architecture and the styles of tanks it has. It's like a time line of aquarium history, when you're there you have to take the time to appreciate everything from the light fixtures and molded ceilings to the way information is displayed to the tanks themselves, how they are set up and even the way the traffic flow differs from the old parts to the new.

As for cephs, they have 1 GPO on display. A guy giving a guided tour informed his group that OCTOPI could only be kept in sealed tanks or ones with a large gap between the H2O surface and the top of the tank because they can't support their weight out of water... Of course he talked about their TENTACLES. He didn't know anything about that individual octo. The girl who does face painting told he is about 4-5 months and is active between noon and 3 and in his den by 5.

In the basement there is tank labeled "pacific 2 spot octopus" but it was empty. The docents said they were told the octo is still too small to be on display...

The Shedd is a fun aquarium but you don't take a trip to Chicago just for it, especially if you're looking for cephs!

 

[DWhatley]

Thanks for the review on the Shedd. I hope to go one day and would likely have been disappointed without the reality check (I know you have seen ours, how would you compare them? We have a new GPO display but I missed the opening of the exhibit by two days last trip ). On the other hand, if you are interested in seahorses I hear they have a killer display (especially for the leafy seadragons - my personal fav) or will you burst that bubble too?

 

[Dustinh]

shedd is amazing!

the GPO was nice,
she sleeps in the tank corner,

up in the right

 

[sedna]

Yes, D, Shedd has a great display of sea dragons, plus several other tanks with pipe fish and sea horses. They do themselves proud that way. They also have 2 pregnant belugas and some gorgeous pacific white sided dolphins. If you are into fresh water, they have a whole Amazon river exhibit, and of course GREAT LAKES stuff. One of my personal faves are the shark eggs that they have illuminated so you can see the pups squiggling inside!

D- have you been to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chatenooga? In the last year and a half I've been to the Georgia and Shedd aquariums twice, but the Tennessee Aquarium was the best by far! The had a killer nautilus tank, a great cuttle tank and 2 GPOs in separate tanks. They also have you covered for sea horses and dragons. Don't give up on the trip to Chicago some day (we'll meet you there- just say when!) it's worth it. However, don't overlook that Tennessee jewel so close to you!!

 

[DWhatley]

You mentioned the new (from when we went) expansion to the TN aquarium but we have yet to make the trip (closer than CHI but still not close). Too bad John no longer comes down here as that would have been a great excuse to make the trip.