[Featured]: Octopus living in groups and more stuff

thanks for the positive feedback guys ,

im really starting to feel affection for this big cheeky guy , really hope the fishermen keep away

and one more

4123600089_06fdaf2291_o.jpg



and another video
http://s856.photobucket.com/albums/ab122/jugglematt/?action=view&current=DSCN0751.flv


hope to go out again tomorow and see if he is feeling more freindly .
i was thinking of taking some shiny presents , like a stanless steel nut and see how it goes ,,


im very luck to live quite close to the dive site , and even though i need to use my boat to get access its still fairly easy to duck out after work

regards Matty
 
Too much fun, it is a wonder you didn't get a mouth full of saltwater (I suspect you did get a quantity in your mask as it is hard to keep a seal while laughing).

Haggs brought Situ Two several different toys (start at post 29) to see what she would do with them and you might look at his list for ideas. One of the reasons we came up with trying a selection of things is that she would always carry something under her webbing when she would go to Haggs. The idea was to see if she would trade objects.

This species seem particularly addictive. Pam (Haggs' wife) labeled Situ Two, "the other woman" because of the amount of time he spent with her.

If I am close on my guestimates, I would say your big guy is at least twice the size of Situ Two. I am wondering if he is, #1 male and #2 the only male in the group. I have never hear of harem behavior in octopuses but your scallop patch group may suggest this if there is only one male.
 
we went out again yesterday afternoon

the big occy was fairly shy this time and stayed in his hole and only just poked his arms out a bit , but the other smaller occys ( we counted 9 others ) were more bold , climbing onto my and my buddys hands , at one time my buddy had one occy on one hand and another occy on the other hand , he also got a little nip , i think the occy was just testing .

tried giving a number of items with little success,
table spoon with handle cut off ( played with and discarded)
stainless steel tube , ( no intrest )
brass clip 1inch in size w ith orange cord attached ( now this is better , wanted to keep it really liked it and i was flat out getting it back ) it was attached to my camera

my buddys were smiling , they had a ball

Regards
Matty
 
In the aquariums they all seem to want to keep the feeding stick so you might try taking a very thin stick (like a bamboo skewer) to see if it interests them. Ours also like a zip tie we have attached to a floating clear cube.
 
Hey Haggs
yeah the dominant Is pretty Big , a little intimidating when he is wrapped around your arm and sucking madly , any idea how old this big guy would be ?



on our most recent trip , after an first shyness the big occy came out , climbed onto my hand actually started test biting me . then he was chewing on my neoprene glove . a shake and a point the finger and he backed off , he is getting very bold , i wonder is he thinking of me as Food!!

also had some aggressive behavior to another occy living on the outside of the Midden, similar to the previous videos ,
big dominant Occy flares up . swims over to smaller occys hole , completly covers it up , a fight happens , big occy drags small occy out of hole and chases him off , this happened 3 times on our last dive to the same occy !


really looking forward to going on a nite dive with the Occys , but due to summer time and daylight savings , sunset inst until 9pm so its getting pretty late by the time you get home
thanks for the positive feedback
Matty
 
It has been about a week since you saw the shy behavior. Now it will be interesting to see if the big guy remains interactive. One of the reasearchers (Jean Boal) made a comment in one of her videos that cuttlefish were easier to work with because octopuses tended to have to WANT to participate (in memory experiements) where the cuttles were consistent. We have all found that they seem to have moods and want to play more on some days than others but there seems to be a long first interaction followed by a week or two of reserve before interaction is regular.

In percentage, how much smaller are the other octos than "the big guy"?

Edit: Just saw your new photos (BR and scallop). Do you see the blue dots on the scallops when you dive or are they only visible with the flash. It would seem they would be an aquarium common if those spots show up like that in tank lighting.

We have been able to train ours not to bite or even suck down with their suckers by shaking off the arm when it sucks down (or touching the top of the arm in the case of the hummelincki) and then gently stroking the mantle or between the eyes. If they start to get gabby, I force the release and then again try to "pet" them. Ultimately, they learn to touch without grabbing. In the aquarium, it does not take long for the hummelincki to get the idea (same with my macropus) and come for mantle pets. I have been less successful, however, with the briareus but our new girl is not yet actively touching for more than a second or two.
 
HI All
we we did 3 more dives with the occys over the weekend.

on friday the big guy was very friendly again , with bold behavior , reaching out , grabbing , touching , very sociable , grabbed onto my hand , whole body on my hand biting and generally curious behavior . also chasing smaller occys and dragging them out of their holes

then Sunday the big guy was much more shy , he was out of his regular hole and another occy was living in it , when i approached him he actually pushed my hand away , but most of the smaller occys were more friendly and curious on that day


blue dots are visable in natural light , torch or strobe brings light up better.

small occys would be less than 1/2 size of the big guy

i defenitly notice moods with the occys ,
if the dont want to play i leave them alone , i am also patient , no need to rush the encounter .

they do seem to remember me

still hoping to get in for a night dive ,
big seas and wind at the moment so no diving for a few days

Matty
 
Hi Guys
well i went out again this past weekend , the occys are still a bit shy , the main guy is staying in his hole and the smalller other occys are out a bit , .

had a nice dive with them but unfortunately after my second dive on Saturday i developed a Skin bend which will have me out of the water for at least a month or possibility for ever !

had a very eventful low level flight in a Helicopter from our local hospital to the Re compression chamber in Sydney , then a 5 hr session in the chamber , and another 2 hrs the next day .

now im booked in for a PFO test (hole in the heart Valve) to see if this is the contributing factor for me getting bent , will find out on the 23rd if i have the PFO then if i have one ,,,, have to decide if i get it fixed or give up diving ......

wish me luck
Matty
 

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