Ziggy - Macropus ?

[Teacher Kim]

Thanks "D"! Sachs has turned out to be a great sourse for the fiddler crabs.... and also sea horses!! I am happy to report that Ziggy is still doing great! She loves her fiddler crabs, but still eats the half shell clams. She has interacted with me a couple more times, but it's definitely not a priority with her! The kids just love her, and so does everyone else that comes into our house! Hopefully she will help encourage people to take care of the ocean!!

 

[gpx1200]

http://www.mariculturetechnology.com/baitfish.htm
i orderd a bunch of fidlers from these guys for $3 a dozen last weak and they all arived live and healthy looking, all the ones that haven't been gobbled up by happy octopi and mantis shrimp are still alive and doing well in a plastic tub with a little sand and water, they ship dry with a little damp sand in the bag so shipping isn't bad.
i would not recomend the sw feeder shrimp as most of the 3 dozen i orderd wer tiny and added alot to the shipping cost, i will order from them again but next time i will only order the crabs

 

[Teacher Kim]

I'm soooo excited! Ziggy actually came out and played with me when I was cleaning it just now! And it's 11am in the morning! I've been kinda busy, so her tank has been slightly neglected as far as keeping glass clean. I'm actually wondering if maybe, in her own way, she was missing the interaction of me working on tank, even though it would have been pretty much only visual! LOL !! Anyway, it was really cool to see her during the day! I am going to try and add a pic I took while she was on my hand. An interesting thing, I realize that she might not really be a "big" as I originally thought! LOL ! I think it's because she stretches out when she's swimming!

 

[Tentacle Toast]

Sweet...she missed you! That is soo awesome; something about the pictures/videos/stories of octopuses, in their own playful & intently curious way exploring their humans in these encounters somehow makes me feel..."warm". It's like they observe us with as much fascination & wonder as we observe them. I love all animals, but those which contemplate us back hold a special place in my heart.

 

[Teacher Kim]

Yep! I think there is a lot more truth to your comment than any of us realize!!

 

[DWhatley]

I have to admit it was very odd to have our son mention that Yeti would not come out (but would eat) after he moved the rocks to retrieve shells. He swore she had been in hiding for almost two weeks of the three we were gone but as soon as we entered the house she was out on the glass and very active (as was Octavia but she had not gone into hiding).

 

[Teacher Kim]

Well, holidays are over and I finally have time for a Ziggy update! She's still alive and well! Preschool kids are still very interested in her, often using the magnifying glass to look for her. They get so excited when they find one of her tenticles moving aroun! I have gradually added more rocks, etc, to give her new places to explore. The kids also love it when they find her in a new hiding place! She is often sleeping on the sand under a piece of live rock, and she does not pull things up to hide her enterance. She seems to push up a bit of sand to narrow the opening, but you can still look in and see her curled up. (Maybe she likes watching us from her den!) She has kind of a florescent green look to her when inside.

She is consistently eating pieces of prawn, half shelled clams, live or thawed fiddler crabs and most recently, a muscle. I have one hermit crab left that has been in the tank since the beginning. The other 3 were eaten in the first few weeks of her arrival. I also have a couple of snails left. I keep live marine shore shrimp in the tank at all times and I still have 2 live clams in with her that I bought from the local fish shop quite awhile ago!! lol!

She will enteract with me, but I'm not big on playing at 3 a.m.!! Once in awhile she will come out before 8 a.m. and interact by touching me and backing up and then touching again, usually 3 or 4 times. She will sometimes attach herself to my hand in some way and I can always feel her very gently using her beak on my skin if she is attached.

She was up early last night, which is pretty rare! I have to say that we had company over to watch the 49ers' game. (Go Niners!!) I think all the noise caught her interest. She came all the way out and would stop for a bit, then move on. She was probably out off and on for over 15 minutes, then I got too busy to check on her! lol. She never came all the way up to the front of the glass tho. Just watched from areas in the back. Oh, I need to mention that her tank is located in the family room where everyone was.

The other thing I have to report is that she really hasn't grown much. The pic of her on my finger in an earlier post is still pretty accurate size/color wise. I really thought she would grow more.

She is a great octopus, but if I replace her at some point in the future I would definitely look for a type that comes out a little more during the day, if there are any. I get to see how cool she is, but there are so many other people coming through our house all the time that never get to see her! They look at me like I'm a little crazy because they never get to see just how amazing she really is!!

Enough for now. Hope everyone is well. Will be more active again, now that holidays are over! As always, thanks for any input or ideas regarding her care, etc.!! T. Kim

 

[Teacher Kim]

I think it's going to be a sad day at our school. If you read my last post, you may have had a thought that I totally missed, until now! I don't think Ziggy was out due to noise or interest. I think it was the beginning of what will soon be the end for her. She has been out much more in the last couple of days and now she is this little grey ball sitting on the sand. Soooo sad. I have talked often with the children about the possibility of her death, but it is still sad.

We will discuss her situation at group and I will let the children decide whether they want to burry her or try to save her in a jar, if possible. Sorry that might sound bad, but we do love science! I will update later.

 

[Teacher Kim]

Oh gosh, is there anyone out there? Ziggy has spent the last 3 hours wandering back and forth along the front glass. Sometimes it's like she can barely even hang on. I have the tank covered to make her more comfortable. Just how long does this take?? It's so sad!

 

[DWhatley]

Sorry to be late in answering Kim. Yes you are observing the end . If you will look at the last page of Puddles journal you will note the similarities. You will also see (slide down from the initial link) that Puddles went on display in an elementary school science center.

If you want to preserve him long term, you will need some 10% formalin and then transfer to 90% alcohol (the transfer is not necessary but will make a clearer display and is somewhat safer should the jar get broken). For short term preservation, you can use 90% alcohol but without the formalin treatment first, it will shrivel up and only keep for a few months in good condition. There are tricks to creating a better display that I have not mastered. The formalin will freeze the position within seconds and you will want a container that will allow for maximum extension and a little creative placement. For small ones a week is plenty before transfering. When you transfer, rinse vigorously in saltwater (the liquid will be yellow). Wear gloves and use a well ventilated area when dealing with the formalin. If you don't have immediate access to formalin, freeze it until you can get some. You will probably get a little deterioration if you have to freeze it but they don't look lifelike in once preserved and the formalin will prevent further decay.

 

[Teacher Kim]

Thanks "D"!! You made me feel better about preserving! One side of me wants to, but the other is suddenly not sure. I think it's because they are so intelligent. I feel kind of like she deserves more, but to be educating kids is a pretty good end I guess. Thanks also for the info on what to use to preserve her. I just hope her passing doesn't take too much longer. It's sad. Am gonna check your journal now. Thanks again!

 

[DWhatley]

Kim,
I preserve all my octopuses that end up in good condition (which means you need to find them very soon after they die). My guess is this one will likely not make it through the night if Ziggy is sitting out in the light, gray and balled up. If you see the clean up crew noting it, you may want to place it in a breeder net (euthanization is also an option that some keepers take at this point).

If you preserve, get enough alcohol for two full containers. Often the first transfer will still have some formalin and become yellow. If this happens, replace the alcohol (should only need to do this once but I have found it needed for a clear, home done preservation).

 

[Teacher Kim]

Got it! She passed last night and is in the freezer. She appears to be in very good condition. Am working on getting the formalin. So, how long does she stay in the formalin before moving her to the alcohol? By the way, my kids all voted to put her in a jar! Maybe they will all grow up to be scientists!!

 

[DWhatley]

I think we learn to be squeamish about dead things, kids don't seem to have that issue and are fascinated. I don't display my preserved specimens and they sit in a jar in the garage until someone needs/wants them. I preserve them for people that come to TONMO looking for educational material . The usual request if from parents for school projects or for children that have an early interest in cephalopods. Oddly, it gives me a sense that my wards continue beyond their short life span when they are used for education.

 

[Teacher Kim]

Well, if I fail at preserving Ziggy, I might be interested in one of yours, if you have any available!! Humm..... how much would one of yours cost?? my zip is 93901, Central California, if that helps. You might have a better or bigger one than Ziggy and then we could burry her and have one to look at! Or maybe they are too hard to ship?? Let me know!