[Octopus]: Kestra

[sedna]

Kestra hasn’t shown anything but an arm poking out from underneath a rock for three day’s now... I put some shore shrimp I’d ordered into the tank, and I think she’s in a “good coma.” Yesterday I shined a flashlight into her den and she responded by throwing out a shrimp carcass she was finished with... . So I guess now I’m housekeeping...

 

[sedna]

Some pictures of Kestra before the food coma set in...

 

[sedna]

So for fun, I took this video of Kestra in “selfie mode.” Please forgive the wicked bad reflection, there was no way to take the video otherwise. People are always asking me to take videos of my octopus is looking at themselves, so I decided to see if it would even work.

In NO WAY will I claim that I believe she recognizes her self in the video! I have no way of knowing if she could even see the phone outside of the tank at the angle I was holding it. But, it’s pretty interesting the way she stopped and waved her arm on the glass. I see her do that once in a while whether or not there is a camera on her, but the way she stopped first was a little different.

 

[DWhatley]

So, be a bit more "scientific" and repeat the experiment several times an see if you get a similar reaction?

 

[sedna]

So, be a bit more "scientific" and repeat the experiment several times an see if you get a similar reaction?

Yes, that’s the next step! It did seem that she could at least see the phone, but who knows if she recognized another octopus? I’ll be updating you on this one!!!

 

[sedna]

We walked in on Kestra hunting critters out of the macroalgae in her tank. So much fun to watch her battle with stuff under that beautiful thin veil skin. I’m not sure if she caught what she wanted at that moment or gave up because we distracted her.

 

[sedna]

Another video of Kestra in selfie mode. Again, I have no proof that she recognizes her self but this is now the second time she is exhibiting this behavior. At a different point with her today, I showed her a video of herself. She really showed no reaction whatsoever to that. I’m not sure what to make of that... I will continue to experiment with this, and am open to suggestions!

 

[davelin315]

@sedna , I have been wondering whether they do recognize themselves and have contemplated putting a mirror into the tank with my Mimic to see what happens. Not sure I want to spook her but at the same time my interest is there and I find your experimentation intriguing with the selfies.

 

[sedna]

@sedna , I have been wondering whether they do recognize themselves and have contemplated putting a mirror into the tank with my Mimic to see what happens. Not sure I want to spook her but at the same time my interest is there and I find your experimentation intriguing with the selfies.

In the past few days, I have been showing her more video of herself. To be honest, she doesn’t seem any more or less interested in that than any other video as long as there is motion to look at. If I show her screen of all text or something else boring, she tends to ignore it. She pays attention to video of herself with the same interest that she’ll watch SpongeBob…

 

[TheSeeker]

Have you noticed any change in her behavior? Like, for example, more restlessness?

 

[sedna]

Have you noticed any change in her behavior? Like, for example, more restlessness?

How do you mean? More restless in general or when she’s watching a video? Sometimes she totally ignores the phone and goes about her business- I register that as “not interested.” Sometimes she moves back and forth on the glass, which I take as interest in the screen. A couple of times she’s completely stopped and waved one arm back and forth on the glass in front of the phone- that’s when I’m trying to figure out if she recognizes herself on the screen.

 

[sedna]

I love it when octopuses display bifurcated coloration! In these shots, Kestra was sitting on the side of the tank, with a pile of purple live rock on her right and the light colored wall on her left. The “bad pic” of the tank is to show the colors on either side of her.

 

[MightyMolusk]

those long tentacles and that little head might just be the cutest thing I have ever seen. 10/10 octopus.

 

[sedna]

“Oh, octopuses are sooooooo smart!” We’ve all heard it, as soon as someone hears you’re a keeper, they want to tell you ALL about it. If they only knew- they aren’t so smart that learn the first time! Kestra lost an arm tip to the power head when she first came home. It wasn’t bad at all. These are new Current wave makers with covers over the sides. So, of course Kestra just put an arm in from the front... .

She’s fine, the wave makers are entirely covered, and I’m tired of being told about Octopus Intelligence!

 

[sedna]

So I just like this video because I was having fun with the shape of the tank. It was cool to get video of her from different angles.