Does your octopus recognize you???

Joined
Oct 2, 2009
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Mystique showed some sign that she might have recognize me and not others today. For the past month me, my daughter, husband and even my 2 year old who runs up to the tank and sticks his face to the tank and at times taping the glass can approach the tank with out concern. We all can do this and Mystique will stay out on the tank or rock or where ever she may be. Until this morning.

I have a friend who I have been trying to show my octopuses to for weeks. Today I waited to feed Mystique so she would be out when my friend got here. The second my friend got with in 10 feet of the tank Mystique immediately froze and went back into the rock. Which leads me to wonder... do they actually recognize some as safe and some as the unknown and there for not safe?

Has anyone else had experience with this? I have read of others not having this kind of response so I am curious as to what others have seen.

Additionally: This is also a high traffic area leading into the kitchen but sitting in our dining area where we eat.
 
I think some do!
Legs used to recognize me and my neighbor, Don. You could tell by her reaction when one of us entered the room versus someone she had never seen or had seen but not touched. Don was the only person, I can think of, that had contact with Legs, he also fed her on a number of occasions while i was outta town. She was very curious about people she had never seen before, she would spy on them, watch what they were doing. If they approached the tank she would approach the glass, as if to say hi. I have a few friends that frequent my house but are unamused by octopuses or fish tanks so they pay little attention, and basically in return She would ignore them as well.

Waldo was very social and would presented himself to people, but he didn't seem to care who it was. as long the attention was on him we would dance on the glass

Pen just wanted to eat everyone and showed aggression to everyone.

Seven didn't pay much attention to life outside the tank. he just kinda lived in his own world, unless you actually touched the glass or put your hand in the tank then he was curious.
Rorschach was comfortable with me, but was pretty shy to everyone else. He started to get used to Don I think, although if an octo had bad vision, it would be very easy to confuse me with Don, We're the same shape...bearded and rounded...
 
Interesting question! I had a porcupine puffer that I KNOW recognized my immediate family as opposed to strangers. He would be out and about as I worked in the tank, stared at the tank, etc. but whenever someone knew came into the house he would immediately go into hiding. At first I thought it was coincidence but after a while I started to realize that I was never able to show strangers my puffer because he would always run and hide. As soon as the person would leave the room, out he came again. We have so much to learn aout these amazing creatures and it's all fascinating!
Sue
 
:lol: I went to look up stomatopods and the first thing that popped up was
royslist_banner.gif



:biggrin2: Just made me laugh. They are cool little creatures. I have thought about keeping one, I just dont have the tank space.
 
Jean tells a good story (and I wish she would check in!) about an octopus that did not like one of the attendants. The feeling was mutual so for some unknown reason :sagrin: she would get more octo tank clean up duty that others. I could not find the thread but I seem to recall it would knock over or grab and empty the bucket of collected crab shells and taunt her in other ways like squirting her when she passed by.

Octane would come to me to be petted but not to Neal. My mother (who I favor in general looks and height) decided to try to pet him at the end of a visit to our house. As I was about to say it would take awhile before Octane would wander over and investigate, he swam right over to her and allowed her to pet him as much as she wanted. I do think they can recoginze our basic features but, like CapFish suggests, similar looking people may be assumed to be the same person.
 
I think it depends on the octo. I did have one that would ink EVERY TIME my husband approched the tank. I think it had most to do with the way he approached the tank than any "personal feelings" the octo might have for John. It may be that some like attention better than others, I've certainly had some that were more social than others. I do think they come to recognize the person who feeds them, because even the shy ones I've had get used to a routine and would be ready to interact at feeding time.
 
When I had my octopus, I believe it recognized me. I could do pretty much anything in the room or in the tank and it would come out and see what was going on. Though if my parents or sister entered the room he would retreat to his shell and chill out there. He only inked 3 times (minor inks but inked none the less) at my sister, she didn't do anything to him was just merely looking into the tank.
 

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