Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Nov 3rd 2008, 9:07 pm
#1
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Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Just be aware these little (they are tiny) critters are out and about.
Daughter has been hospitalised, thankfully not a full bite or she wouldnt have made it to hospital...thank god she was with Aussie mates who knew what to do with her!
She was jumping off the rocks at port noarlunga - bottom of the wooden steps at southport beach, then climbing back up the rocks, thought she had jagged her foot on the rocks.
Quite quickly overcome - saw the poison working up her foot/leg and went dizzy/sick/slurring etc.
Going to take a while to get over but thankfully she will make a full recovery. She cant talk properly but thats prob a blessing in disguise.
The BRO have recently had their babies, the mums are protective but also dying - so looks like it was a dying one that got her as not as toxic as usual.
They hang out in rockpools usually, and discarded cans/bottles etc, port noarlunga beach has them in the rock pools there and along seaford/southport etc. They are very pretty - but deadly, usually causing paralysis which causes death. There is NO antidote!
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...ed_octopus.htm
Daughter has been hospitalised, thankfully not a full bite or she wouldnt have made it to hospital...thank god she was with Aussie mates who knew what to do with her!
She was jumping off the rocks at port noarlunga - bottom of the wooden steps at southport beach, then climbing back up the rocks, thought she had jagged her foot on the rocks.
Quite quickly overcome - saw the poison working up her foot/leg and went dizzy/sick/slurring etc.
Going to take a while to get over but thankfully she will make a full recovery. She cant talk properly but thats prob a blessing in disguise.
The BRO have recently had their babies, the mums are protective but also dying - so looks like it was a dying one that got her as not as toxic as usual.
They hang out in rockpools usually, and discarded cans/bottles etc, port noarlunga beach has them in the rock pools there and along seaford/southport etc. They are very pretty - but deadly, usually causing paralysis which causes death. There is NO antidote!
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...ed_octopus.htm
Nov 3rd 2008, 9:29 pm
#2
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Just be aware these little (they are tiny) critters are out and about.
Daughter has been hospitalised, thankfully not a full bite or she wouldnt have made it to hospital...thank god she was with Aussie mates who knew what to do with her!
She was jumping off the rocks at port noarlunga - bottom of the wooden steps at southport beach, then climbing back up the rocks, thought she had jagged her foot on the rocks.
Quite quickly overcome - saw the poison working up her foot/leg and went dizzy/sick/slurring etc.
Going to take a while to get over but thankfully she will make a full recovery. She cant talk properly but thats prob a blessing in disguise.
The BRO have recently had their babies, the mums are protective but also dying - so looks like it was a dying one that got her as not as toxic as usual.
They hang out in rockpools usually, and discarded cans/bottles etc, port noarlunga beach has them in the rock pools there and along seaford/southport etc. They are very pretty - but deadly, usually causing paralysis which causes death. There is NO antidote!
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...ed_octopus.htm
Daughter has been hospitalised, thankfully not a full bite or she wouldnt have made it to hospital...thank god she was with Aussie mates who knew what to do with her!
She was jumping off the rocks at port noarlunga - bottom of the wooden steps at southport beach, then climbing back up the rocks, thought she had jagged her foot on the rocks.
Quite quickly overcome - saw the poison working up her foot/leg and went dizzy/sick/slurring etc.
Going to take a while to get over but thankfully she will make a full recovery. She cant talk properly but thats prob a blessing in disguise.
The BRO have recently had their babies, the mums are protective but also dying - so looks like it was a dying one that got her as not as toxic as usual.
They hang out in rockpools usually, and discarded cans/bottles etc, port noarlunga beach has them in the rock pools there and along seaford/southport etc. They are very pretty - but deadly, usually causing paralysis which causes death. There is NO antidote!
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...ed_octopus.htm
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:01 pm
#3
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
I'm so glad your daughter is ok and she makes a full recovery soon. Scary stuff- thanks for making us aware.
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:03 pm
#4
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
The link doesn't seem to be working...
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:15 pm
#5
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
could try this - scary stuff, especially as I had not even heard of them before!!
http://www.barrierreefaustralia.com/...gedoctopus.htm
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:22 pm
#6
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Crikey Kats!
Can you guys just have a normal quiet life for once?
I'm really seriously pleased she is ok.
Can you guys just have a normal quiet life for once?
I'm really seriously pleased she is ok.
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:23 pm
#7
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Cheers, that's great.
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:53 pm
#8
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Relieved all has worked out OK, especially as Port Noarlunga area is on our list of places to look at for living....would wearing surf shoes or jellies have made any difference?
Only asking cos I have 2 mad boys, who can't help attracting trouble......
Only asking cos I have 2 mad boys, who can't help attracting trouble......
Nov 3rd 2008, 11:07 pm
#9
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
glad your daughter is ok, i watched a program a few years back in uk about blue ring octopus and i'm paroniod when i see my kids near rock pools but not sure you get them in WA but who know's
Again all the best to your daughter for a speedy recovery
Ann
Again all the best to your daughter for a speedy recovery
Ann
Nov 3rd 2008, 11:12 pm
#10
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Oh dear, what a worry for you. Glad to hear your daughter is on the mend and your post may well save another child from the same fate.
Big Hugs
Big Hugs
Nov 3rd 2008, 11:21 pm
#11
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Im glad she's okay. They are actually very rare, but Australian schoolchildren are taught all about them anyway.
It's not a good idea to go walking around rocks and rockpools - especially not without shoes on.
It's not a good idea to go walking around rocks and rockpools - especially not without shoes on.
Nov 3rd 2008, 11:57 pm
#12
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Description:
It starts life the size of a pea and is fully grown at about the size of a golf ball.
They have a life span of approx. 2 years.
Carry enough poison to kill 26 adults within minutes.
Distribution:
Southern Western Australia, to southern Qld and northern Tasmania
General Information:
With a beak that can penetrate a wet-suit, they are one little cute creature to definitely look at BUT Don't touch.
The bite might be painless, but this octopus injects a neuromuscular paralysing venom. The venom contains some maculotoxin, a poison more violent than any found on land animals. The nerve conduction is blocked and neuromuscular paralysis is followed by death. The victim might be saved if artificial respiration starts before marked cyanosis and hypotension develops. The blue-ringed octopus is the size of a golf ball but its poison is powerful enough to kill an adult human in minutes. There's no known antidote. The only treatment is hours of heart massage and artificial respiration until the poison has worked its way out of your system.
The venom contains tetrodotoxin, which blocks sodium channels and causes motor paralysis and occasionally respiratory failure. Though with fixed dilated pupils, the senses of the patients are often intact. The victims are aware but unable to respond.
Although the painless bite can kill an adult, injuries have only occurred when an octopus has been picked out of its pool and provoked or stepped on.
It starts life the size of a pea and is fully grown at about the size of a golf ball.
They have a life span of approx. 2 years.
Carry enough poison to kill 26 adults within minutes.
Distribution:
Southern Western Australia, to southern Qld and northern Tasmania
General Information:
With a beak that can penetrate a wet-suit, they are one little cute creature to definitely look at BUT Don't touch.
The bite might be painless, but this octopus injects a neuromuscular paralysing venom. The venom contains some maculotoxin, a poison more violent than any found on land animals. The nerve conduction is blocked and neuromuscular paralysis is followed by death. The victim might be saved if artificial respiration starts before marked cyanosis and hypotension develops. The blue-ringed octopus is the size of a golf ball but its poison is powerful enough to kill an adult human in minutes. There's no known antidote. The only treatment is hours of heart massage and artificial respiration until the poison has worked its way out of your system.
The venom contains tetrodotoxin, which blocks sodium channels and causes motor paralysis and occasionally respiratory failure. Though with fixed dilated pupils, the senses of the patients are often intact. The victims are aware but unable to respond.
Although the painless bite can kill an adult, injuries have only occurred when an octopus has been picked out of its pool and provoked or stepped on.
Nov 4th 2008, 2:59 am
#13
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Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Thanks everyone - oh for a quiet life eh??
A is doing fine - released after getting through 'danger zone' and although she sounds like shes had a stroke and cant walk properly shes fine!
Shes so lucky, thank goodness it wasnt a full bite.
A is doing fine - released after getting through 'danger zone' and although she sounds like shes had a stroke and cant walk properly shes fine!
Shes so lucky, thank goodness it wasnt a full bite.
Nov 4th 2008, 6:02 am
#14
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Joined: Sep 2008
Location: North Beach
Posts: 279
Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Just be aware these little (they are tiny) critters are out and about.
Daughter has been hospitalised, thankfully not a full bite or she wouldnt have made it to hospital...thank god she was with Aussie mates who knew what to do with her!
She was jumping off the rocks at port noarlunga - bottom of the wooden steps at southport beach, then climbing back up the rocks, thought she had jagged her foot on the rocks.
Quite quickly overcome - saw the poison working up her foot/leg and went dizzy/sick/slurring etc.
Going to take a while to get over but thankfully she will make a full recovery. She cant talk properly but thats prob a blessing in disguise.
The BRO have recently had their babies, the mums are protective but also dying - so looks like it was a dying one that got her as not as toxic as usual.
They hang out in rockpools usually, and discarded cans/bottles etc, port noarlunga beach has them in the rock pools there and along seaford/southport etc. They are very pretty - but deadly, usually causing paralysis which causes death. There is NO antidote!
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...ed_octopus.htm
Daughter has been hospitalised, thankfully not a full bite or she wouldnt have made it to hospital...thank god she was with Aussie mates who knew what to do with her!
She was jumping off the rocks at port noarlunga - bottom of the wooden steps at southport beach, then climbing back up the rocks, thought she had jagged her foot on the rocks.
Quite quickly overcome - saw the poison working up her foot/leg and went dizzy/sick/slurring etc.
Going to take a while to get over but thankfully she will make a full recovery. She cant talk properly but thats prob a blessing in disguise.
The BRO have recently had their babies, the mums are protective but also dying - so looks like it was a dying one that got her as not as toxic as usual.
They hang out in rockpools usually, and discarded cans/bottles etc, port noarlunga beach has them in the rock pools there and along seaford/southport etc. They are very pretty - but deadly, usually causing paralysis which causes death. There is NO antidote!
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...ed_octopus.htm
Best wishes.
M
Nov 4th 2008, 1:35 pm
#15
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Location: In my long johns
Posts: 17
Re: Blue Ringed Octopus - WARNING
Thankfully your daughter is OK. A few years ago, I swam directly over one of these (the larger variety, size of an adult hand) while snorkelling in a shallow lagoon on the southern tip of the barrier reef. Gorgeous creature all aglow with its blue rings (!!!!) but didn't know about its toxicity until after the fact.
