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Dad Shared Message After Buying Pet Octopus For Nine-Year-Old Son That Destroyed Their Home

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Remember Terrance the octopus? Here is what happened next

 

 

A US father who went viral after buying a pet octopus for his young son has since shared a serious warning for anyone considering doing the same.Back in October 2023, Dr. Cameron Clifford decided to make his son’s lifelong dream come true by surprising him with an octopus for his ninth birthday.The youngster, Cal, who had long been fascinated by marine life, named the octopus Terrance, and the family initially believed the animal was male.

 

 

Not long after Terrance arrived at the family home, the situation took an unexpected turn.Unbeknownst to the Cliffords at the time, Terrance was female and already pregnant when she was purchased.She later laid a cluster of around 50 eggs, something Cal immediately recognized as a sign that the octopus was nearing the end of her life, which made the experience especially emotional for the family.

 

 

As the situation unfolded, Dr. Clifford began sharing updates on social media.After noticing how popular the posts were among friends and relatives, he decided to document the family’s experience on TikTok, giving viewers a close look at what it was really like to care for an octopus at home.
The decision quickly paid off, with the account gaining millions of views as people followed Terrance’s story in real time.Terrance eventually died in April 2024, with the family sharing her passing and burial online.In the months that followed, posting slowed, and the final update explained that the surviving hatchlings were growing and would soon be relocated to aquariums better equipped to care for them by July 2024.

Bought as a present for the family’s octopus obsessed son, Terrance was unfortunately approaching the end of her life(TikTok/Doctoktopus

 

 

The chaos Terrance caused inside the family home

While many viewers saw heartwarming clips, life behind the scenes was far more chaotic than it appeared on camera.

As Terrance grew more active, she repeatedly escaped her tank, flooding parts of the home, tampering with plumbing, and causing damage that left the family scrambling.

The octopus was able to open containers, dislodge equipment, and create daily messes that required constant cleanup and repairs, turning the family home into a stressful environment.

The damage and ongoing maintenance became both emotionally and financially draining, reinforcing how unsuitable octopuses are as household pets.

After stepping away from TikTok, many followers were left wondering what happened to the baby octopuses.Dr. Clifford later addressed the unanswered questions during an interview with The New York Times in April 2025.Sadly, he confirmed that none of the hatchlings survived.

“The pressure to keep the babies alive was pretty suffocating,” he explained, revealing that the last of the hatchlings had died by August 2024.Faced with the emotional weight of the loss and unsure how to share the news, he ultimately deleted TikTok from his phone.Looking back on the experience, which also proved to be extremely expensive, Cameron offered a blunt warning to others thinking of owning an octopus, saying: “I think the obvious lesson is that they’re not good pets.”

All of Terrance’s offspring would ultimately pass away after her deathTikTok/doctoktopus

 

 

“They’re not durable pets, they’re not cheap pets, they’re not easy pets. And they are extremely remarkable, and they have personalities, and they’re smart.”After everything the family went through, the message was clear.For most households, sticking with a cat, dog, or even a hamster might be the wiser choice.

A lesson in why octopuses don’t belong in homes

The Cliffords’ story became a powerful reminder that viral pet trends often hide difficult realities.

While octopuses are intelligent and fascinating creatures, their needs are complex and rarely compatible with home life.

In the end, the family hopes their experience helps others think twice before turning a wild animal into a household pet.

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