[Octopus]: Baby Kraken!

[sedna]

Philip from KP Aquatics has done it again- he’s set me up with a tiny little briareus! It’s so small that I was nervous that it would get lost in the tank. I started out by putting it into a critter keeper, but being an octopus it decided to slip out within hours. Less than 24 hours in the tank, it was settled in to its new home. It started stick feeding immediately! It’s still mostly nocturnal, so I haven’t seen it moving around enough to be able to tell if it’s male or female. It’ll definitely be a couple weeks before I can get some video of it, but this one is rather precocious- so hopefully it will prove me wrong!

 

[Nancy]

Congratulations on your new octopus! How big is your tiny little briareus!
Certainly is cute!

Nancy

 

[sedna]

Congratulations on your new octopus! How big is your tiny little briareus!
Certainly is cute!

Nancy

We estimate the mantle to be about a half inch, but it’s hard because we haven’t seen it stretched all the way out. Just past that super tricky stage where they don’t always acclimate well (in my experience, anyway), but with no apprehension about taking food from a skewer. It’s stick fed just about every day so far- though the tank is heavily populated with pods and small hermit crabs- and it’s already playing a bit of “tug-o-war” with me.

 

[Tomh]

nice!!!

 

[sedna]

I have been using behavioral conditioning with the baby Kraken to try and train it to go to a certain spot when he wants to stick feet. Some mornings I find it in a little cave towards the front of the tank, where it has a view of everything and it is visible to me. On those mornings, I make sure to stick feed it right away before it hides deeper in the rock work for the day. Other mornings, I don’t find him at all- just a pile of empty hermit crab shells! .

For the most part this little baby is still nocturnal. I haven’t seen enough of it’s arms to tell if it is male or female. It’s been here for three weeks now, so I am confidently calling acclimated. Last night it finally decided to really come out and investigate me. He played a little hide and seek popping up from behind rocks, coming further out if I was ignoring it and jumping back into a rack when I look toward it again. I think this one is going to be fun!

 

[LLynn1952]

I was looking at the videos of the baby last nite, and from what i could see, which admittedly i couldn't tell ( cataracts, can't wait to get the surgeries) what i was seeing! It was when the little stinker was trying to wrestle the stick from you that i could see how bitty the Octo- tot really is and how much fun

I have been using behavioral conditioning with the baby Kraken to try and train it to go to a certain spot when he wants to stick feet. Some mornings I find it in a little cave towards the front of the tank, where it has a view of everything and it is visible to me. On those mornings, I make sure to stick feed it right away before it hides deeper in the rock work for the day. Other mornings, I don’t find him at all- just a pile of empty hermit crab shells! .

For the most part this little baby is still nocturnal. I haven’t seen enough of it’s arms to tell if it is male or female. It’s been here for three weeks now, so I am confidently calling acclimated. Last night it finally decided to really come out and investigate me. He played a little hide and seek popping up from behind rocks, coming further out if I was ignoring it and jumping back into a rack when I look toward it again. I think this one is going to be fun!

 

[LLynn1952]

I was looking at the videos of the baby last nite, and from what i could see, which admittedly i couldn't tell ( cataracts, can't wait to get the surgeries) what i was seeing! It was when the little stinker was trying to wrestle the stick from you that i could see how bitty he really is! i am so thrilled for you!!!!! And by extension, all of us.❤ I was watching the "wee wacky wall walkers" ( that cracks me up so much) that another Leslie on a different site was surprised with and was so amazed. I watched them every chance i got while waiting for baby Kraken to acclimate, because i knew their fates were uncertain and what a rare opportunity it was. See, i'm learning a bit . Anyway, i am very excited about your little cutie and have a feeling i may fall in love with Briareus even more.

 

[Nancy]

I’m glad you have an interactive, fun little octopus! It’s an unforgettable experience to have.
And cataract surgery was one of the best things I ever did. I have much better vision now than I ever had before.

Nancy

 

[LLynn1952]

I’m glad you have an interactive, fun little octopus! It’s an unforgettable experience to have.
And cataract surgery was one of the best things I ever did. I have much better vision now than I ever had before.

Nancy

Hi Nancy . I am very pleased to meet you. My post was to Sedna about her new very young Briareus. He is so tiny and so stinkin' cute, i almost can't stand it. I have recently, finally!, been able to indulge myself with learning as much as i can about them. As i will not be able to have my own wee buddy, i live vicariously ( i have GOT to go to Thesaurus.com and find a few synonyms for vicarious, it'really getting ridiculous ) through others and their little 8 legged friends.
Everybody on the Octopus site has been so kind and generous with their time and knowledge.
My wonderful eye doc told me the same thing about my eyes possibly gettinnv better post surgery. That would be so fabulous. Tell me about any oct(s) you may have hanging out at your house if you would. Thank you for the contact and i look forward to learning from you as well. WARNING !!!!! I may drive you crazy with questions

 

[sedna]

I got some video yesterday morning of this little baby. I see it out in the evening, but I still haven’t seen enough of its third right arm to notice whether it has a hectocotylus or not. For now we honestly just refer to it as “the little baby Kraken.” It loves to play tug-of-war when I feed it, and it has seemed to choose that spot when it wants to be fed. It is not there every morning, but I still continue to feed it when it is.

 

[Nancy]

Sedna,
I meant to congratulate you for having such an interactive and fun little octopus.
Nancy

 

[sedna]

I was looking at the videos of the baby last nite, and from what i could see, which admittedly i couldn't tell ( cataracts, can't wait to get the surgeries) what i was seeing! It was when the little stinker was trying to wrestle the stick from you that i could see how bitty the Octo- tot really is and how much fun

Yes! It really seems to enjoy tug-o-war with the skewer at feeding time!

 

[sedna]

i’m so excited because this little one is finally becoming more comfortable with me. This morning I spied it as it was about to go into its den for the day, but when it noticed me it changed direction and slithered towards me-slowly skulking its way front and center! It was hunting pods while checking me out, which is why it seems to make jerky motions in this clip. This went on for a good 20 minutes or so, until the lights began to brighten up- as you can see the green star polyps are just starting to open. It’s taken about a month to get to this point, I think because tiny ones are a little more cautious. I love that at this young age the typical hunting coloration of dark red head with light bluish white arms is already apparent!

 

[sedna]

Caught this little one out last night after dark. I was surprised that as I shined a flashlight on it, it actually came closer into the light and started really showing off for me! I was able to get this three minute video, which is more than I’ve seen him moving in plain sight in the month we’ve had it. Usually it goes for a hiding place to watch me from, but yesterday it seemed to have become more confident or curious- or both. I’m hoping that by watching the video over and over I might get a clue as to whether it’s male or female. Please feel free to submit your opinions! Notice at about 1:25 while it is using it webbing to hunt pads by rapping around the light rock, you can see some pods zooming around

 

[sedna]

Photo shoot! Got some amazing bonding time with my Baby Kraken last night! We made “First Contact,” the first time it touched me. I put my fingers in the tank and it gingerly approached. It shyly extended one arm, ever so lightly touched my finger- and then grab my entire hand and tried to play in the tank! . I am absolutely captivated by this baby!