Kooah - O.briareus

[DWhatley]

Kooah's behavior continues to be very different from any of the others I have kept. She still stays molded to the LR when crawling and just kind of oozes where she wants to go. Last night she came up to investigate my hand and let me pet her on the head (in front of the eyes and on the webbing) and slowly started to check out my hand with her arm, starting with the thicker part close to the webbing. Once again when she started touching with the tip (regenerated end, maybe 3 months old) she paniced, inked (less than the first two times) and dashed back into the LR. Very strange. She definitely knew my fingers were at the top of the tank and she swam up to them presenting her head and bringing her whole body to the level of my hand. She seemed to expect to be touched and sat a few minutes just being petted but when she explored, she did not like something she touched/tasted. It would appear that new arm growth (or possibly just the end inch or so) is more sensative than any other part of their body.

 

[Nancy]

Nice octopus, D! The coloring looks strange for a briareus - all that I've seen at some point show the red and white.
And yes, octopuses make eye contact, but that may be easier to see during the day.

Nancy

 

[DWhatley]

Colors are normal but I have to use a flash so the green shows up more. The arms immediately at the webbing are extremely muscular and I am thinking she has grown up using them to hold on to the undersides of things like in her picuture.

I played a bit with eye contact and would agree. A lot of people have played hide and seek with their octos. I experimented with the game making sure I was visible except for the eyes and Kooah would always elevate her eye stalks until she was looking me in the eye (Kooah is the first animal I have kept that seems to like this game). Granted, she could be looking at the nose or mouth (and mouth would make some sense) and I might try covering these next to see if she reacts differently.

Again tonight she let me touch her (this time I went to where she was on the wall rather than her coming to my hand) on the head and this time on the mantle but as soon as the tips of her arms touched my wrist, she zipped away. I have been wondering if nicotine on my fingers is part of the answer (my other octos have not been this way though) but this time the touch was well up the wrist and not likely to be cigarette related. Heat maybe?

 

[sulley]

i know when they are trying to bring up huge freshwater rays in the amazon the natives drop tobacco on them so they release from the mud on the bottom then they can catch them with the net...the rays hate it so cigarettes may have something to do with it

 

[DWhatley]

Kooah has shifted the rocks around in both sides of the aquarium and has not come out for two nights (she is usually out every night). I have to use a flash light (red) to even see an arm and she disliked that so much that she blocked the one place I could peak in on her. She has not eaten in two days and I had noticed her mantle getting slightly fuller but not at all like KaySoh's so I expected more time. Sigh ...

There is a chance she has mated and I have wanted to try briareus young but I had high hopes she would be much more interactive before it was her time.

 

[sedna]

I'm not sure to be excited or sad for you! I was glad that Lerxst is a boy but also REALLY want to try raising briareus babes. I hope all is wonderful and successful so you can pave the way for the rest of us, but I really do hope you get some more good time with her.

 

[DWhatley]

Kooah has been sequestered for 10 days but has been taking food regularly. Last night she rearranged the rock work (big clue when I found the on top of the rocks covering a hole) and the main front den entrance is now open. She is all the way to the back and there is very little light but I managed to get one shot of the eggs and an out of focus video after an hour of trying. Unfortunately, if the eggs are a full 10 days old, it does not look like they are fertile but I do not know when she attached them. They do look nicely inflated and I am hoping she will leave the opening so I can monitor for any signs of life.

Click on the thumbnail for a clear look at the eggs. Unfortunately further enlargement shows nothing of interest.

 

[sulley]

tucks really didnt show anything till 2 weeks..hers looked just like that

 

[DWhatley]

I am trying very hard not to get excited but do think I will order a couple of new breeder nets like I used with the mercs.

 

[Lmecher]

Congratulations D! I will keep my fingers crossed for you. If you manage to get some of them to live, I want one! I know it's a long shot but really I need some good news. Staying tuned