[D_Whatley]

Just to keep it totally within spec:

I shot some video but LittleBit is eating a crab claw and not interested in playing. To shoot the aquarium, however, I really need a tripod or just give her the PB and let her video herself

Escape proofing the aquarium is the first thing you do when you design an octopus tank. An escaped octopus is a dead one, they can live a few minutes (the larger ones longer and the intertidal a bit more than some others their size). Cool pet but lifespan is very, very short.

[blackjack93117]

Just to keep it totally within spec:Click to view quoted image

I shot some video but LittleBit is eating a crab claw and not interested in playing. To shoot the aquarium, however, I really need a tripod or just give her the PB and let her video herself

LOL! that's too cool. Is he full grown will he outgrow the tank and eat the neighbors??

Thanks for sharing...

[BlackStormRising]

Big Boy's never gonna let me live this down, but I did a videochat with my brother's cat on saturday night. Whassup with these animals diggin' the playbook??

[jafobabe]

Big Boy's never gonna let me live this down, but I did a videochat with my brother's cat on saturday night. Whassup with these animals diggin' the playbook??

CUTE!!! I think it has to do with the awesome HD and vivid colors.

[BlackStormRising]

Say there, big D, if he's a LittleBit hungry, I'm giving Pruney a bath tonight...it was time to empty out the paddywagon. I'm calling it a Retina display...

[D_Whatley]

Say there, big D

LOL, I have not been called that in more years than I care to admit but with the age of the comic, perhaps I am not the only old timer on the forum.

Sadly, LittleBit is nearing the end of her lifespan. They don't stop growing until they stop eating and she still eats well. She is especially large for the species I believe her to be but not the largest species I have kept. My avitar gets larger and there is one that we occasionally see that needs a tank in excess of 150 gallons (LittleBit's tank is roughly 60).

Speaking of displays, my husband is looking for a new GPS and has ugraded his first choice to one that has a similar resolution to the PB because he is impressed with my new "toy"

[AugustArborists]

If only the PB was waterproof, I could get some cool pictures of LittleBit investigating it. Several people have wondered what an octopus would do with a computer and this is just the right size and touch sensative ... someday maybe

Geez, is the snail gonna be ok? Also, LittleBit has a runny mantle. Oh, wait...on second viewing, never mind, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Too cool of a pet, and I really think she's awesome, beats my dog, but at least I can walk Larry (yes, my dog's name is Larry).

NOT a bash, I'm just boring animal-wise. I feel mammals are a bit more...tactile. Sorry, atrocious pun intended.

*EDIT* I'm sorry her time is short, it is never a good time to lose a pet, even when you know it's coming.

[D_Whatley]

Geez, is the snail gonna be ok? Also, LittleBit has a runny mantle. Oh, wait...on second viewing, never mind, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Too cool of a pet, and I really think she's awesome, beats my dog, but at least I can walk Larry (yes, my dog's name is Larry).

That particular snail was fine for that particular moment Sometimes Bailey (Irish wolfhound) gets jealous and tries to feed me to the octos though

NOT a bash, I'm just boring animal-wise. I feel mammals are a bit more...tactile. Sorry, atrocious pun intended.

LittleBit is a bit more tactile than most - some might use the term aggressive - but most octos will accept being petted for short periods if you work with them.

[jafobabe]

Octos are very stunning to watch and so intelligent.

[mud314]

For some reason this commercial came to mind...don't know why
[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6hmgTY76M[/YT]

[jafobabe]

LOL Love it!

[Laura Knotek]

<H2>CHINCHILLA STEW (WITH BEER)</H2>

3 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds boneless chinchilla, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 medium onions, thinly sliced
12 ounces dark beer or ale, preferably Belgian or stout
1/4 cup beef stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 teaspoons red currant jelly or brown sugar
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley for garnish

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the
chinchilla cubes evenly with the mixture, shaking off
any excess, and set aside for later.

In a 4-to-5-quart heavy casserole or Dutch oven
over medium heat, heat the oil until hot (when the
chinchilla hits the oil, the fat should sizzle). In 2
batches so as to not crowd the pan, brown the
chinchilla on all sides until it's a deep golden color,
and remove to a bowl.

Add the butter to the oil and melt, then add the
onions and cook over medium high heat, stirring
frequently, for about 15 minutes, or until the
onions are soft and brown.

Slowly add the beer and stock to the onions,
scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden
spoon to lift up the drippings. Set the meat over
the onions and add the bay leaf and thyme, and
season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a
simmer, cover, and cook over very low heat for 1
1/2 hours, or until the beef is tender.

Uncover the pot and boil the liquid down a bit to
thicken. Stir in the jelly or sugar and the vinegar
and simmer for another minute. Remove the bay
leaf and adjust the seasoning; serve immediately
garnished with parsley.

[jafobabe]

That's mean! I'm outta here before 93117 sees this... cya!

[blackjack93117]

LOL too funny thanks...

BTW in case anyone is considering chinchillas keep in mind that they don't like warm climes unless you have good A/C available - those fur coats ya know... Canada might work out well they are native from the mountains of South America where they jump from rock to rock and hide in crevices.

They mostly eat hay- Oxbow chinchilla pellets work well and on occasional raisin or small piece of dried fruit. maybe two a day max - three if they are being extra cute. But too much sweets upsets their digestive system. Oh and they love to/need to chew would but be sure its not something poisonous, and they need to take dust baths to keep their fur furry.

They also need exercise so its good to have a place for them to run around and they are fast and jump high!

That's my Chinchilla instruction manual!
They like to chew cords and things and because they are good jumpers so it's hard to find open space for them to exercise .

An LARGE exercise wheel works sometimes, but kinda restricting. They are very active at night or should be.

Just my responsible petsmanship - and do try to rescue one rather than support trafficking to pet stores. Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on Petfinder

There are a lot of homeless guinea pigs on there as well.

[blackjack93117]

Oh geez thanks Lak...

[D_Whatley]

Octos are very stunning to watch and so intelligent.

There has been a lot of press of late on octopus intelligence but you must keep in mind that it is intelligence based upon invertebrate standards. Octopuses are VERY smart clams but most do not compare favorably to normal household animals. The frustrating part for fans is that there is physical potential (don't hit me if I say "like the PB") but with such short lifespans (roughly 12 months for the kind we can keep in an aquarium and only roughly 4 years for the largest) there is an extreme limit on what they can learn.

[blackjack93117]

There has been a lot of press of late on octopus intelligence but you must keep in mind that it is intelligence based upon invertebrate standards. Octopuses are VERY smart clams but most do not compare favorably to normal household animals. The frustrating part for fans is that there is physical potential (don't hit me if I say "like the PB") but with such short lifespans (roughly 12 months for the kind we can keep in an aquarium and only roughly 4 years for the largest) there is an extreme limit on what they can learn.

Can they learn to multi-task on the playbook? Run 8 apps at once?

[jafobabe]

So true. But it does amaze me to watch how they go through an obsticle course for the first time, to get their food, and so fast!

[Laura Knotek]

I have a friend who had a chinchilla. She kept it in a cage all the time, and it was in a drafty area.

The poor thing died.

I don't think she had it in the proper environment.

She never let it out of its cage.

[blackjack93117]

I have a friend who had a chinchilla. She kept it in a cage all the time, and it was in a drafty area.

The poor thing died.

I don't think she had it in the proper environment.

She never let it out of its cage.

They are very sensitive to environment - which is why I posted the care and feeding instructions above ^^^

Not rugged at all - like a cat or dog or a playbook!

[D_Whatley]

I think I will try showing a video to one of them tonight after it recharges a bit. Aquarium kept octopuses have been often sited watching computer screens (no, really!) but I have never had a computer that I could easily show them until now. New experimentation shows they can recognize prey if the video is in HD (refresh rate more than definition seems to be the key). I currently have two species and recently they seem to have noticed each other so I may show Diego the video of LittleBit to see if I can detect recognition. I probably won't get an obvious response but it will be an interesting use of the portability and screen quality of the PB .

[Laura Knotek]

They are very sensitive to environment - which is why I posted the care and feeding instructions above ^^^

Not rugged at all - like a cat or dog.

She ended up getting a de-scented skunk as her next pet.

The skunk is healthy and happy.

[blackjack93117]

She ended up getting a de-scented skunk as her next pet.

The skunk is healthy and happy.

skunks are beautiful animals - I always wanted to see one up close but ... there's that...problem....

[Elite1]

skunks are beautiful animals - I always wanted to see one up close but ... there's that...problem....

Feel free to walk my dog late at night� We're heading out right now and we're likely to see a skunk. Lots of them here.

I can vouch for how cute some of them look, since my pug and I have had too many Close Encounters of the Skunk Kind. Luckily we've come through unscathed. (Or maybe unsprayed?)

Anyway, I'll tell them you say hello.

[jordandrews90]

lol this sounds like a good commercial! Very cute.