Hello Everyone!
I have an octopus behavior question. I've been working with Robin (an O. Bocki) for a little while now trying to get her used to me and I'm trying to figure out if she's curious or is possibly being aggressive. Every since day one she's been very interested in my hands and almost every time I put a hand (well cleaned of course) in her tank it's like she's drawn to it like a moth to a light. If I rest my hand near her she will reach out and try to touch it or sometimes even if she sees my hand in the tank she'll carefully come over to it while making eye contact with me and try to touch it. The first problem is she's never content with just reaching out with one or two arms. She always tries to come onto my hand and I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit, but I am worried about getting bitten so when she gets closer I usually end up yanking my hand back (I know I shouldn't yank it, but it kind of just happens without thinking about it. I am working on that though). The second problem is sometimes she tries to slowly come on to my hand and other times it's quite quick like she tries to jump on my hand. So my question is this: because she's always trying to come onto my hand, sometimes quickly, am I mistaking curiosity for aggression? Is she possibly thinking that my hand is prey? I apologize if this is a silly question, but with Robin only being my second octopus (the first really didn't live long) I feel I'm still very new to trying to figure out octopus behavior.
I have an octopus behavior question. I've been working with Robin (an O. Bocki) for a little while now trying to get her used to me and I'm trying to figure out if she's curious or is possibly being aggressive. Every since day one she's been very interested in my hands and almost every time I put a hand (well cleaned of course) in her tank it's like she's drawn to it like a moth to a light. If I rest my hand near her she will reach out and try to touch it or sometimes even if she sees my hand in the tank she'll carefully come over to it while making eye contact with me and try to touch it. The first problem is she's never content with just reaching out with one or two arms. She always tries to come onto my hand and I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit, but I am worried about getting bitten so when she gets closer I usually end up yanking my hand back (I know I shouldn't yank it, but it kind of just happens without thinking about it. I am working on that though). The second problem is sometimes she tries to slowly come on to my hand and other times it's quite quick like she tries to jump on my hand. So my question is this: because she's always trying to come onto my hand, sometimes quickly, am I mistaking curiosity for aggression? Is she possibly thinking that my hand is prey? I apologize if this is a silly question, but with Robin only being my second octopus (the first really didn't live long) I feel I'm still very new to trying to figure out octopus behavior.
! I'm actually expecting a new video camera tomorrow so I can try to get a good one then. I do. She has shells, soft baby legos, a few small baby cups, some smooth stones, some small suction cups (she seemed to enjoy popping them off the glass on her tank), and I have a few connectable rings that I move around her tank (I don't have the connectable rings in the tank all the time though)
