ROTFLMAOWTIME!!!!
Man, you got a GOOD one!
OK, right off the bat, all this behavior means that your octopus is very comfortable in his home- congratulations! Tell you what though, it's not acting like any vulgaris I've known. Sounds more like the trademark monkeyshines of a bimac. Sounds a LOT like my now deceased Tomi. (poor guy shuffled off his mortal coil on Sunday.
Anyway, I still stand by my vulgaris ID, especially since you haven't seen any blue.
Watching your octopus hang out of the water is really unnerving. Thing is, many octopuses will haunt the tidal area where they get caught in tide pools. They have been known to cross dry rock to get where they need to. Vulgaris isn't at the top of the list of octopus that do this, but I sure wouldn't rule it out.
Unnerving or not, octopuses don't sit there and "plan" an escape. The intelligence of octopuses is subject of heated debate, but we all agree on one thing: They are fantastic problem solvers. It may be that octopuses escape from tanks simply as a manner of their habits.
The octos that are prone to escape are also chronic curious wanderers, and *I* think the escape behavior is more the unfortunate result of relentless curiousity.
Here's a prosective octopus algorithm: (exits water slightly) Hey, it's the lid. I wonder if I can pull it down. nope. I wonder if I can push it off? nope. I wonder if I can force an arm through here....hey, something out here moves! I wonder if I can pull it...etc etc etc. They're just bound to figure it out!
As for it's ability to tear apart aquarium equipment that we need tools to assemble, well... Octopuses are VERY strong. Everyone I've introduced to an octopus has been amazed at the little ball of muscle's strength. They also have suckers- great for getting a grip on those slippery plastic and rubber pieces.
I have seen octopuses do some funny and often mind boggling stuff.
Like yours, most octos I've kept really dug the magnet scraper. I know very well the THUNK sound of the magnet handle falling on the floor. Tomi was extremely posessive of anything entering the water- nets, arms, floating fish bags, and even my iguana's tail (a photo of which is posted somewhere over in the behavior section.) I had a briareus that often dragged a seahorse around like a balloon. Another Bimac used to get a kick out of pulling on the bobbing floating thermometer. Yet another seemed to enjoy waving the bubbler around the tank. Tomi religiously collected empty snail shells. Other Some octopuses will sort all the gravel in thier tank. Most completely rearrange the tank, even dragging around 10# chunks of liverock until they had the perfect den.
Your hand is just another thing for the octopus to check out. I have been bitten by octopuses twice. Usually your will only be "felt" by the beak. Again, it's unnerving. Have patience, trust needs to be built both inside and outside the aquarium.
You're doing well, and this sounds like an interesting critter. I hope you keep us posted!
Cheers, Jimbo