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Family who got their nine-year-old son a pet octopus reveal how it upended their life and destroyed their home after giving birth to 50 babies
Daily Mail UK ^ | April 14, 2024 | Dolores Chang

Posted on 04/14/2024 2:51:31 AM PDT by Morgana

An Oklahoma family had no idea that a birthday gift for their nine-year-old son would lead to the birth of 50 octopus babies, numerous water tanks that took over half of a bathroom, and thousands of dollars on food supplies and water damage repairs.

Cameron Clifford, a 36-year-old dentist, said his son Cal had been obsessed with octopuses since the age of three.

'Every birthday, every Christmas, every holiday, he would always say: 'All I want is an octopus,'' Clifford told the New York Times.

In October, Clifford made a call to a local aquarium store and acquired a female California two-spot octopus for Cal's ninth birthday. They named her Terrance.

Terrance turned out to be larger than expected and soon began laying eggs. Clifford documented the journey on TikTok, where his videos amassed millions of views from 400,000 followers.

'Do not get a pet octopus unless you're ready to lose sleep and your kids' college fund simultaneously,' he told USAToday, jokingly.

When Clifford told his son that they could order an octopus from a local aquarium store, the nine-year-old immediately burst into tears.

'His ultimate dream, his cloud nine, the greatest thing that could ever possibly happen in one's life had just become a possibility, and he just broke down,' Clifford said.

'My friends and family, of course, all, as you probably imagine, said to me, 'Well, now you have to get it for him. You can't just dangle that in front of him and then turn around and just flatline that dream.'' the father added.

The father and son began preparing for the arrival of the pet octopus, which they named Terrence.

Clifford ordered a saltwater tank, a water cycling system and food supplies for Terrence, mostly from Facebook marketplace. He thought it would cost around $600.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
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To: Nervous Tick

That’s good until 2-3 of them come back and attach suckers on someone’s backside.


81 posted on 04/14/2024 5:07:15 PM PDT by gitmo (If your biography doesn't match your theology, what good is it?)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
I watched an old movie from 1974, Freebie and the Bean. In one bar scene you can hear “Go see Cal, Go see Cal, Go see Cal’ in the background.

🤠🤣

82 posted on 04/14/2024 5:16:00 PM PDT by Ezekiel (🆘️ "Come fly with US". 🔴 Ingenuity -- because the Son of David begins with MARS ♂️, aka every man)
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To: Morgana

Why didn’t they just eat them?


83 posted on 04/14/2024 5:28:54 PM PDT by yuleeyahoo (“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” - the deep-state)
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To: algore

I have been on the Trunk Monkey waiting list for over two decades.


84 posted on 04/14/2024 5:30:45 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Roses are red, Violets are blue, I love being on the government watch list, along with all of you.)
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To: Nervous Tick

That might come back to haunt you, when you least expect it hahahahahaha


85 posted on 04/14/2024 5:48:34 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (Bye done!)
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To: Ciaphas Cain

I bought into that sea monkey scam long ago. Never found any monkeys.


86 posted on 04/14/2024 5:50:52 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (Bye done!)
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To: TribalPrincess2U

They’re actually pretty fascinating. I had some that lived two years. Then somehow they all died. My (now ex) wife gave them a burial at sea courtesy of the bathroom toilet.


87 posted on 04/14/2024 6:21:42 PM PDT by Ciaphas Cain (Liberalism is a tyranny that MUST be overthrown.)
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To: riverrunner

Or make fried calamari?


88 posted on 04/14/2024 6:24:05 PM PDT by AmericanMermaid
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To: Ciaphas Cain

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, sea to sea. hmmmm


89 posted on 04/14/2024 7:06:53 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (Bye done!)
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To: Pythion.net

Interesting.
So which Korea were you in, North or South?

I’ve heard that dogs and cats sometimes wind up in those hot pots—maybe its just in the North. They can afford regular food in the South.

But for a gourmet like yourself, with a taste for the exotic, I wouldn’t think a trip over the border would be too much trouble.


90 posted on 04/14/2024 10:57:27 PM PDT by tsomer
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To: Morgana

Mmmmm...octopus sushi


91 posted on 04/15/2024 5:06:53 PM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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