Handling octopus: how do you feel?

If you were on a guided dive from a boat or shore, and the Dive Guide caught an octop

  • Appreciate the opportunity to see an octopus closely.

    Votes: 40 16.5%
  • Wish the guide would have refrained from touching the octopus

    Votes: 181 74.8%
  • Not really care one way or the other

    Votes: 21 8.7%

  • Total voters
    242

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Tortuga Roja

Guest
Messages
309
Reaction score
0
Location
Maui
[EDIT} I didn't realize that most of my question would be cut off. I think it's important to see the entire question and answers intact :
-----------------
If you were on a guided dive from a boat or shore, and the Dive Guide caught an octopus and handled it for all to see and photograph while it dispersed it's ink, would you:

1) Appreciate the opportunity to see an octopus closely and be apt to thank or increase the tip after the dive.

2) Wish the guide would have refrained from touching the octopus and want to tell the DM so and/or decrease the tip after the dive.

3) Not really care one way or the other

----------------



I am doing a little research and would like to know what most divers think about dive guides that interact with animals. There are lots of degrees to this phrase from petting a manta to allowing a cleaner shrimp to clean your fingernails, to riding turtles. For my purposes, I would like to make this very specific so when making your selection, please try to honestly access what you do or would do in this exact situation only without bringing in any other activity or animal in your decision.

Thanks!
 
I generally only handle animals I'm going to eat, or which I'm confidant won't be worse off for the experience, like the 20-or-so lb. lobster I caught and released (with gmbaker) just for the thrill of it.

I personally wouldn't handle an octopus unless I planned to kill it and eat it. I find my self in the somewhat odd position of liking octopus on both social and culinary levels, and really enjoy seeing them. I've never been octopus hunting, but I wouldn't rule it out.

As for guides, I'm not at all impressed with interactions, unless initiated by the animals. If you want to show me something, point it out, don't grab it.
 
The only animals I will handle with impunity are crabs ... and that's because I'm usually inviting them home for dinner, so I don't worry about stressing them out.

If I want to interact with an octopus, I'll hold out my hand or arm and let the animal decide whether or not to initiate the contact. Most will ... they're curious critters. Some won't. If they turn white, I'll back off ... that's their "leave me alone" color.

I don't condone feeding wild critters. Around here, feeding wolf eels has become popular. Turns 'em into pets. Sure, they'll come out of their den and "interact with you" ... what they're really doing is begging for food. That's a most unwolfly way to behave. Personally, I'd rather see 'em acting like wolf eels, even if that means I have to peer into their den to see 'em.

There's always a balance to achieve ... part of the reason most of us dive is to interact with the critters. But our interaction will inevitably change their behavior. What we each have to decide is what amount of change is acceptable ... for us as well as for them.

I'm not sure there is a single "correct" answer to this one ... I like to take pictures of sea critters. But I also recognize that the flash disturbs them. I do it anyway ... and hope that the stress I'm causing the critter isn't doing any real harm.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
If a creature approaches me, I may touch it. I won't go after them.

I guess I'd appreciate the opportunity to see it up close while wishing the leader had left it alone.

(2) + (1)
 
I would have to say that in this case I would wish he had not caught it at all, because even though it would be a chance to see it up close, it just wouldn't be the same as seeing it underwater and how it acts/reacts to its environment
 
2005-09-30-bue-ringed-octopus.jpg

he should handle one of these
they're so cute and cuddly
 
Let the octopus decide. Guides are often very ill informed about the critters they handle. Having kept a few in public aquariums I have a deep respect for them, as well as cuttlefish. Squid...they are not so sociable.

X
 
Diving Cayman early this year we had a pair of reef squid who would join us on shore dives.They always showed up when we entered the water and followed us around even if there were other squid schooling they would stay with us.I am ASSUMING they were the same pair all the time.Not really sure.
 
Hmmm...maybe its time to clean those wetsuits...maybe you smelled like squid to them...:)
 
only handle an octopus when my buddy is out of air personally...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom