BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home

Subject: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:09 PM

This is a fun and educational video to watch: Click here for video!

I knew these little squiglies were intelligent but I didn't know that they did this. I suppose if hermit crabs can do similar things to protect themselves from predators than octopi can do the same.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: gnu
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:27 PM

Link don't work for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:30 PM

Amazing critters. How it uses the two halves to make a bunker is something! Some years ago there was a film on TV that showed a biologist's struggles to keep one in an aquarium. The octopus would creep out of a thin gap between the tank and its cover.

The bird that uses a straw to tease insects out of a log also is pretty smart.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:37 PM

I'm assuming this octopus is in an aquarium; it appears to be behind glass. Wonder if it/they make use of other things in a natural/wild environment?

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: gnu
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:41 PM

It worked on the next try. Kewl.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:50 PM

Some interesting octopus intelligence stories at this site:
http://www.faculty.uaf.edu/ffrsb/outreach/articles/intelligence.html

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: gnu
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:04 PM

Ed... really kewl too! Thanks all.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:04 PM

You may have seen this before....octipus vs a Mason Jar...but, if not.

http://www.poetv.com/video.php?vid=38322

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:14 PM

Lovely with a glass of Ouzo

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 08:16 PM

Ebbie-

The octopus is in the wild, I believe, and the glass you see is what protects the camera lens from the curious creature.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 09:07 PM

Charley is correct. The critter excavates the half-buried discarded shells and moves them to a good location.
It has long been observed that octopi use objects on the sea floor for safety, but this documents collection and use of two shell halves rather than incidental use of a convenient object in place.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: frogprince
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 09:17 PM

We were consistently taught in school that all the behaviour of the "lower" creatures (everything but man) was strictly instinctive, or learned by "conditioned" training. It must have taken a measure of "conditioned training" to be able to believe that.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 09:42 PM

An interesting article on Octipus intelligence:
http://www.slate.com/id/2192211/

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 02:16 PM

I lookm forward to seeing how they incorporate this kind of Octopus ingenuity if they ever get round to making Finding Nemo 2

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Paul Burke
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 03:51 PM

But will it cause outrage when it blacks up to dance with the Britannia Coconut Dancers?

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 04:05 PM

The second time it picked up the shells and ran off, I thought it looked like a little old lady lifting up her skirts and running. Hilarious, delightful, and amazing. Neat! thanks for posting!

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 05:50 PM

Anyone feel like giving it a sound track?

Appropriately enough, I just tried it with Ringo's "Octopus's Garden", and it goes very well.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 06:34 PM

This YouTube version of the clip is a little bit longer.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 11:11 AM

They were actually re-enacting Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Subject: RE: BS: Octopus Coconut Mobile Home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 05:07 PM

You gotta love 'em clips!

Charley Noble