Bruce The Octopus

Fun Facts

• Color Schemes (Moods)

  • White, faint colors: "I'm scared!"
  • Grey: "I'm sad..."
  • Browns, oranges, pinks: "Ah, so calm and content."
  • Blues, purples, greens: "Look at me! Excited and want attention!"
  • Yellows, reds, blacks: "I'm stressed or angry, please don't pester me."
  • Pale colors w/ random patches: "I'm not feeling well and can't control my skin."
  • Random flashes of color: "Daydreaming or sleeping..." (Not paying attention)
  • Camouflage and textures: "Trying to hide so I can think things over."
  • Specific patterns: "I may be trying to tell you something."

• Random Facts

  • Favorite food: Everything seafood related, fruits and veggies
  • Phobias/fears: REALLY doesn't like clowns and is afraid of balloons.
  • Messy habits: Might accidentally ink himself if tickled or sneezing.
  • Land adaptation: modified to be amphibious: can live on land as long as he is frequently doused and/or bathed.
  • Senses: Has an amazing sense of sight, smell, taste and touch, but is actually deaf (after all, he has no ears!)
  • Voice: None (Has a beak and can hiss and purr, but has no vocal cords)
  • Actual Name: Bruce Lusca Vulgari. Bruce actually was a scientist's reference to the famous shark in Jaws, Lusca refers to the mythical kraken of the caribbean and Vulgari is the scientific name for a species of octopus.

• Behaviors

  Unlike other octopi, Bruce seems to have been modified with the intelligence of a human while exhibiting qualities that are favored in the most famous housepets (cats and dogs):
  
  Human:
  - Perfectly understands English and can read and write in the language.
  - Has interests in clothing and will sometimes be found wearing hats, glasses and even settling into shirts.
  - Exhibits the learning capabilities of the average 8-10 y/o: Can learn many things but still exhibits a natural naive and curious outlook on things. Sometimes has trouble with cause-and effect actions.
  - Has a fondness for cultured food and can be seen eating meals using utensils and reading menus.
  - Very keen on emotions and expresses understanding of another person's feelings.
  - Can operate many tools and machines like a human.
  - Exhibits incredible problem-solving skills.
  - Will use human-like flirts to try and communicate (will "Kiss" with his cups, stroke limbs, hug etc.); will blush when the favors are returned.
  
  Cat:
  - Very meticulous on grooming.
  - Adores sunbathing and will do so until he starts drying out.
  - Surprisingly agile: loves to climb, stalk things and can obviously contort himself in different ways.
  - Adores being petted and carried about.
  - Will actually purr when content.
  - Puffs up like a cat when startled or angry- packs a mean swipe too!
  - Has a bad habit of scratching the hell out of stuff with his sucker-claws if he gets too antsy.
  - May sometimes cough up things he can't easily digest.
  
  Dog:
  - Very loyal; will fetch and bring things if asked. Will also guard things if asked.
  - Can learn many special commands and will perform them happily (oftentimes for a treat, of course).
  - Can be taken for walks! (Loves being outdoors and going for rides)
  - Often shakes around like a dog when playing tug-of-war and other hands on games.
  - Packs a strong bite and enjoys chewing on hard things to unwind (and for snacks of course)
  - Has a habit of digging and making burrows, so expect to find holes in the ground, disheveled furniture and a very guilty/dirty looking octopus.
  - Will wag his tentacles like a tail when happy, and can roll over to have his sensitive cups petted.
  - Since he can't hear, Bruce will often tilt his head while trying to comprehend what you are trying to tell him.
  
  And of course, standard Octopus behaviors:
  
  - Very fixated on shiny things and will instinctively hoard them- don't be surprised if your fancy jewelry or prized silverware go missing.
  - Very curious about the world around him- will touch EVERYTHING in order to become familiar with them.
  - Naturally reclusive and more active at night, so he may be hard to interact with sometimes.
  - ADORES shellfish and seafoods, so it's best to bribe him with those.
  - Skittish by nature: can easily be spooked by sudden noises or if there are too many distractions in one place.
  - Can be very dangerous if provoked too much or frightened: bites include a paralyzing venom (All octopi have this) and is very strong. If he raises up and suddenly exposes his underside and beak, be warned that he will spray ink first in warning. He is also quite territorial, and may sometimes become defensive if he feels that his space is being invaded or something he likes might be taken away.
  - Has a habit of burrowing into small, crammed spaces- can be found in pots, under the bed or any other place you probably don't want him going.

• General Octopus Fun Facts

  - An octopus has nine brains and three hearts: two of the hearts are responsible for pumping blood to the arms while the third is focused on the head. As for brain power, most of the octopus' nervous system lays in it's arms! Each limb literally has a mind of it's own, in that they will interact and work independently of what the owner is focused on (for example, Bruce's arms could be solving a puzzle while his complete attention is focused on a movie), and have been known to operate on their own for a short time after being severed.
  
  - Octopuses are actually colorblind! They are theorized to detect patterns and tones in their environment through special sensors in their skin.
  
  - A full grown Giant Pacific Octopus has the strength to kill various species of shark pestering it.
  
  - Octopuses in the wild have been observed to use tools and be just as fussy about their homes as humans: they will collect various shells and human items to decorate their lairs and have been known to use bone, rocks and shells while hunting.
  
  - All known octopus species are venomous (with paralyzing agents), but only the golf-ball sized Blue Ringed type has been confirmed to be (the most) lethal to humans.
  
  - An octopus' eyes are permanently set on the horizon; what this means is that while our orientation of objects and spaces changes depending on the angles we physically move to (for example, we see things upside-down while upside-down), an octopus will always see things right-side up no matter what position it is in.
  
  - Octopus blood is actually blue, due to being copper-based rather than iron to better survive in deeper, low oxygen environments. In the fictionalized case of Bruce, his blood has been changed to a dark purplish color to survive in both land and water environments (obviously this would be a huge issue for real octopus)
  
  - An octopus' ink is actually very dangerous to get caught in- it has been observed to irritate the senses of affected creatures and should not be inhaled. In fact, octopus caught in their own ink traps are susceptible to dying by suffocation.
  
  - As a sacrifice to their complex senses and great intelligence, octopuses have weak vascular systems; as such, they are at high risk through dying from shock and infections. So if Bruce gets sick, a vet visit is most likely in order.
  
  -And for perhaps the most well known fact: An octopus can squeeze through any spot as small as the size of their beaks, which they would have to push through. Although I cannot get precise measurements, Bruce's beak is about the size of a standard Macaw's, so guesstimating, he can squeeze through nooks and crannies with openings as small as a typical coffee cup.