We have two fairly new Giant Pacific Octopuses (yes, it is octopuses, if you don't believe me click here) at the aquarium, a male, Rain and a female, Squirt. I got to feed Squirt. Both octopuses are in separate tall, open-topped, glass cylinders. My supervisor presented the "Octopus Talk" on a microphone while I climbed up the ladder, threaded a dead herring onto a thin metal pole and tried to get Squirt to eat. There were probably about 50 people watching and waiting to catch a glimpse of the then hidden octopus, so the pressure was on. I was high enough to look down into the glass cylinder and tried to coax her out of her den with the juice from the herring. I put the herring into the water with the stick and waved it around for several minutes. Just when I was about to give up on her and take it out, one skinny be-suctioned arm crept out of the space between the rocks.
Before I knew it Squirt had completely emerged from her den and had grabbed on to my stick with at least 4 arms. As per my training, I didn't tug back but held firm. It took her a good 3-4 minutes to pull the herring off, but then she just wanted to play with my feeding stick. She wrapped one of her arms so far up that it came out of the water and was only inches from my hand. Again, like I had been trained to do, I gently twisted the feeding stick and she eventually let go so I could pull it out of the water. It was a really awesome few minutes, made even better by the audience ooohing and aaaaaahing when she finally showed herself. How many of my friends can say that they've fed a Gaint Pacific Octopus? I don't think any. I feel special.
Wow!!! <but you're special anyway...(<;{
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