-
Welcome to TONMO, a community of cephalopod experts, hobbyists and enthusiasts. Established in 2000, we are the founders of TONMOCON, and birthplace of World Octopus Day and Cephalopod Awareness Days. To contribute to the discussion, register here, and perhaps Introduce Yourself. To rid yourself of ads and enjoy other perks, become a Supporter for just $50/year. Follow us on Twitter for more cephy goodness.
[Octopus]: Shelby - O. Hummelincki
- Thread starter DWhatley
- Start date
-
- Tags
- hummelincki
.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2014
- Messages
- 386
How's Shelby? 
Unreadable as ever. For almost a week he would come up to the play corner when he would see me. When I put my hand in the tank he would let me pet him and sometimes even come up and rub on my finger. The next week (ie THIS week), he stays on the side of the tank and wants nothing to do with me. I tried to get a video of him voluntarily rubbing on my finger but he has been in his, leave me alone, mode ever since I made the attempt. I don't think the camera is at fault for the behavior shifts but am not totally ruling it out.
He is eating slightly less and is getting picky. Now I have to offer a live crab every other day. After he catches and eats the crab, he will also take a small piece of shrimp. If the shrimp is offered first, he pushes it away. On the day after the live crab feast, he will take half a medium shrimp with gusto.
He is eating slightly less and is getting picky. Now I have to offer a live crab every other day. After he catches and eats the crab, he will also take a small piece of shrimp. If the shrimp is offered first, he pushes it away. On the day after the live crab feast, he will take half a medium shrimp with gusto.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2014
- Messages
- 386
Have you tried solo toys? Plastic keys, pvc tubing etc?
Maybe Shelby is ashamed of the human touching, hehe
Maybe Shelby is ashamed of the human touching, hehe
LOL, of course the day after I say he is being awkward, he goes to his play corner and wants to be petted. As I have mentioned many times, I think this behavior has something to do with "itchy" skin and sucker pad shedding. I never see it in juveniles but frequently see adults seeming to enjoy rubbing or sitting on hands. During Shelby's last (before today) interaction, he had partially shed some of his sucker linings and did not flee from my finger when I touched the suckers that still had part of the lining attached. Slight sucker pressure on my fingers completed the removal of the dead skin. I have seen two of the O. briareus use the Koralias to accomplish sucker skin removal but don't remember others that were quite as clear as Shelby's use of my finger to groom.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2014
- Messages
- 386
Shelby was smart enough to figure out the food slave's finger and this 'play thing' the human wants to do can be ... helpful. He is back in his den pondering other uses for the human.
He has "back scratcher" down pretty well
Shelby shows another oddity that none of my others have expressed. He does not like the dogs. He will come to his interaction corner and bob like he wants attention but if the dogs come into the room, he retreats to his rocks (not hiding, just leaving our corner) until the dog/dogs leave. All the other octos I have kept decide early on that they cannot bother them (or just don't notice them - unlikely, the dogs are not small). This has made me think Shelby is a bit paranoid or less intelligent than others of same and different species BUT he noticed and took an interest in small humans, something I have never seen before (albeit, not many have been exposed to kids in recent years).
Shelby shows another oddity that none of my others have expressed. He does not like the dogs. He will come to his interaction corner and bob like he wants attention but if the dogs come into the room, he retreats to his rocks (not hiding, just leaving our corner) until the dog/dogs leave. All the other octos I have kept decide early on that they cannot bother them (or just don't notice them - unlikely, the dogs are not small). This has made me think Shelby is a bit paranoid or less intelligent than others of same and different species BUT he noticed and took an interest in small humans, something I have never seen before (albeit, not many have been exposed to kids in recent years).
Or maybe he's more intelligent!
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2015
- Messages
- 5
Awesome write up! I really enjoy your videos. It's pretty funny,I also have a Caribbean two spot, and they seem to share quite a few characteristics. I got mine the day before thanksgiving. I guess they're coming back around again. I have a few photos in the introduction forum, if you'd care to take a look to compare and contrast. Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks and it will definitely be fun to compare personality notes. Shelby is aging but still eating so I am hoping he will be with me for awhile yet. I fed him a newly shed crawfish tonight for his live food. Need to get more crabs but my supplier won't be out collecting until after the holidays.
