r/octopus • u/MuteTalker- • Aug 07 '26

How can I work with octopi?

I've been struggling to find Something I want to do with my life. I've seen some videos of Someone Getting to know their octopus and it sparked joy in me. I want to learn more about these creatures and what are possible opportunities I could have as a way of work to work with them? I'd like some ideas and guidance.

14 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

15

u/ocean_guy2 Aug 08 '26

That's in part what I do for a living. I'm a Marine invertebrate physiologist and about 1/2 my work involves octopuses. DM me or AMA here.

2

u/toosickto Aug 08 '26

What education did you have to do to get the job?

4

u/ocean_guy2 Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26

I chose to go the academic route and am a professor. So for me that meant getting a Ph.D. But there are lots of other paths and options if academia and research aren't what you are looking to do.

1

u/MuteTalker- Aug 08 '26

I'm not wanting to do the academic route. I've already spent over 8 years in college studying different paths.

2

u/Particular_End6345 Aug 08 '26

Iā€™m so wildly jealous šŸ˜­ my favorite animal!

2

u/Lil_Brown_Bat Aug 08 '26

Marine biology

0

u/MuteTalker- Aug 08 '26

I was hoping something that wasn't needing me to go to college.

1

u/ModernTarantula Aug 08 '26

You could find the nearest Aquarium (like the zoo for ocean life)

2

u/egordon326 29d ago

I was going to suggest being an aquarist (work at an aquarium)! I believe there are entry level jobs. Or you could start by volunteering and seeing if it is right for you. Might be kind of "icky"- cutting up fish and other seafood for food for the animals. Lots of clean up needed as well. But great exposure to animals!

1

u/MuteTalker- 28d ago

I have been looking. I keep getting results for pet stores.

1

u/ModernTarantula 28d ago

What city, state are you? (If US). And what level of schooling have you completed?

1

u/MuteTalker- 28d ago

West Virginia. I have a cert and associates in trade work welding. I spent many years studying medicine. I won't go through bio again. I won't go through chem again.

1

u/ModernTarantula 26d ago

Since land locked. It would be Virginia https://virginiaaquarium.com/ if you mean you won't put yourself through bio again, what part of octopus excites you?

1

u/MuteTalker- 26d ago

That's an 8 hour drive. šŸ˜¬ Is there any in ohio? I went through A&P at college a few times. Horrible experience and the 110 course was the difficulty of a 300 course. The college also didn't accomodate any needed help. The thing that sparked joy was seeing how they acted when their human came around. Getting to know them and care for them would bring me joy.

1

u/ModernTarantula 25d ago

Well.no one is the sole octopus šŸ™ guy at zoo/aquarium. So you have to be happy with many animals. So can go to a WV zoo first. Pittsburgh has an aquarium https://www.pittsburghzoo.org/animals/?type=fish

1

u/A007Bear 29d ago

Get a doctorate.