Penelope - O.Vulgaris

[DWhatley]

I so wish I could have manuvered a trip to Miami while I was in FL for MACNA to meet Penn (and you too of course ).

 

[Lmecher]

Kind of makes me feel better that I am not the only one

 

[cuttlegirl]

Reminds me of the time we "trained" a Hawaiian Monk Seal to squirt us in the face. When the head trainer came back from vacation, he was furious. Of course, we had to "untrain" him... not as easy as training...

 

[DWhatley]

LOL! Interesting thought, how DO you untrain? Did you train him to squirt something else or just stop squirting?

 

[CaptFish]

Unfortunately I am here to report bad news, As of yesterday Pen has taken a turn for the worst. He stopped eating two days ago, yesterday he spent the whole day out but just hung on the back wall, he did not hunt or play. His color is also pretty pale. Worst of all yesterday he chewed off the tips of his front two arm(L1 and R1).

Just outta curiosity I actually removed the entire lid of the tank and stuck my arm in there, in the past this would trigger an immediate attack. instead He paid no mind to me and actually let me pet him. He used one arm to explore my hand as I was playing with him, but never made an attempt to grab me.

Tank paramiters are all normal so I'm pretty sure it is old age. When I received pen back in May he was a;ready a large octopus. He came with a mantle of about 4" and has grown to a mantle of close to 7".

 

[Level_Head]

Sad to hear, but natural and seemingly inevitable for their kind. Pen has been a vicarious treat for those of us enjoying him from a distance.

Best wishes!

 

[DWhatley]

The arm eating thing makes me think (purly hobbiest observation) either his skin is irritating him (like a dog that chews on itself with fleas or other irritations) or he thinks he should be eating and is senescent enough that he is unaware of what he is doing. When exposed to air, Octane ate more than the tips of his arms and I have had a couple to eat their arms in the last 24 hours of life. The only thing I can suggest (and it is likely too late because he is not eating) is to try to get him to eat a quantity of Tetricycline. If the arm tips were infected and he still has some internal ability to fight further infection, it seems to help. On a young octopus, I have seen results but not on one that is senescent.

 

[Lmecher]

I am so to hear. Pen has been a very interesting octopus. He will surely be missed. The final days and hours are the most difficult...waiting for it to be over. I feel for you.

 

[CaptFish]

What I'm witnessing is identical to Legs and Waldo. More like Waldo because it is progressing so fast.

Right now it is long past his usual bed time and he is still hanging on the glass in the same place he has been all day.

 

[Level_Head]

A remembered, lighter moment: When you described Pen's accuracy with his water cannon, I was reminded of a character from a science fiction novel series by Steve Perry.

In the "Matador" series, the main character is nicknamed The Man Who Never Missed, which is also the title of one of the books. His mentor and instructor was named simply Pen.

 

[CaptFish]

RIP Pen


I actually euthanized him last night. At one point he was still alive but he had lost control of all his arms. He was just sitting on the bottom and his last supper was starting to eat him. In his very last few minutes his chromatophores were all flashing randomly very faintly, then they stopped and he went pale. This is when I decided to euthanize. I did not get any post mort pics, but he looked just like every other dead octopus I've seen, just huge.


D did you even hear back for the guy in Scotland that wanted our octopuses for his beak wear study. i have Pen in the freezer, and I'm trying to decided weather or not to preserve him.

 

[Level_Head]

Sad news.

Best wishes.

 

[SabrinaR]

RIP Pen. I am sorry Capt.

 

[Lmecher]

Pen

 

[sulley]

shoot sorry dave