Molly - A. aculeatus

[SabrinaR]

Most people I know run the refugium light 24/7.

 

[octomatic]

k, sweet thanks SabrinaR!

 

[octomatic]

so today i attempted first physical contact with molly. she was hanging on the front glass and i reached out with one finger slowly to touch her. as i got closer she started changing colors rapidly and shyed away so i left her alone. im not scared of being bitten but i dont want her to act negativly towards me. do the Aculeatus respond well to touch? or a mantle rub?

 

[DWhatley]

I suggest a slightly different approach. Make your hand available for her to approach you and not the other way around ( prefer to do this without food and not at feeding time). Most will start with quick touch and retreat (sometimes this IS at feeding time) but then gradually go for multiple touches and then longer ones. Sometimes they will start with bumping their mantle on you hand. When you get a mantle bump then gently tickle. The octos that take to touch usually like being petted (VERY gently) on the mantle or between the eyes. As trust grows, some will play squish (see Monty's or Puddles thread for an example). Always a gentle touch and never grab or trap. Don't expect interation over night and don't give up easily. I have had O. briareus and O. mercatoris that never came for petting but most will if you work with them. IME, squish, takes a special relationship and only one in a few will show an interest or that degree of trust.

 

[octomatic]

ok, ill try that. thanks D

 

[DWhatley]

Note that in the videos it often looks like I trap the octo playing squish but also note that the octo returns. It is hard to describe the difference because part of the game is to let them mush through your fingers (I think is feels much like scratching an itch). The key is that they CHOOSE the tighter exit and that an open nosquish exit is always available and readily located. Also note that we do have an octo bite thread and I have participated. My bites have never been from this kind of interaction (instead they were nonskin breaking nips while trying to get a senescent animal to go back to the tank and come off of my hand) but octopuses are not domestic animals and will, on occassion bite. A healthy animal can easily draw blood and many have enough poison to make the experience very unpleasant for anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks.

 

[octomatic]

this morning molly was hanging out by the front glass on a rock, I measured her mantle and I looks to be 1"-1 1/4". Im not sure if mantle size is a good indication of age but im hoping that she is young and has alot of time left

 

[octomatic]

 

[DWhatley]

LOL, At first I thought that was Molly being put back into her tank after an escape!

 

[corw314]

Awww...Molly is very cute! Great video!

 

[octomatic]

im noticing that the ends of her arms are sometimes a lighter color, not compleatly white just lighter. she can still change colors and im not seeing any corkscrewing. she usally has the ends of her arms curled though. is this the begining of senesence? i hope not...

 

[DWhatley]

IME, the first notable signs of senescence are highly reduced body patterning, lack of appetite over a couple of weeks (one or two days is not part of the observation) and avoidance of humans (especially when they have been readily interactive). Senescence is part of aging so little signs begin at middle age but the greyish all over tone to the body and arms is often an indicator that the end is within a month. I have never noted arm tip color as an indication of anything special. Corkscrewing arms along with the drab look has been a bad sign but not just keeping the arms curled (corkscrewing is quite different and looks like its name).

In any case, this is the life of an octo so try not to spoil your time with her by worring about it (I know, way more easily said than done and I am probably worlds worst).

 

[octomatic]

well, shes been a little piggie. eating alot and even snacking on my hermits. she still seems curious about me, but not enough to touch me. ill keep everyone posted

 

[octomatic]

i just ordered 20 fiddlers from aquaculture store. im interested to see how it works out and how many arrive alive because im in seattle and they are in florida

 

[SabrinaR]

Paul is pretty good at checking out weather and what not. Normally he will toss a few extras in just in case there are some DOA's The colder it is the less loss I have had. Only 2 or 3 times (and I ordered every 2 weeks for the passed year) have I had less than I ordered DOA. If the water doesnt smell you can put them in the freezer and keep them that way. Only when the weather is REALLY cold like in Chicago winters and an extra day of shipping (3 days instead of 2) have I heard of total losses.