What started as a sweet ninth-birthday surprise—gifting octopus-obsessed Cal his dream pet Terrance—quickly spiraled into aquatic Armageddon. Turns out “he” was a pregnant “she” who dropped 50 eggs, hatched a tiny tentacle army, and turned the house into a leaky, fire-hazard aquarium empire. Viral TikTok fame followed, but tragedy struck: mom octopus died post-egg-laying, all babies eventually perished, college funds got torched on tanks and repairs, and dad issued the ultimate warning: “Octopuses are smart, remarkable… and absolutely terrible pets.” Lesson learned: stick to goldfish.
Dad shared message after buying pet octopus for nine-year-old son that destroyed their home
