Australian TikToker @katapillah shared footage of her picking up the cute-looking octopus from the sea.
The beach-goer picked up the small octopus without realising its deadly venom (Image: katapillah/TikTok)
In the video the TikToker can be seen cupping the octopus in her hands which standing in the water, as Under the Sea plays in the background.
And under the sea is exactly where she should’ve left the creature because, as viewers quickly pointed out, it’s super deadly.
One user wrote, ‘Mate do enjoying dying or something?!!!!! It’s a blue ring octopus throw it back n runnnnnnn’.
Woman picks up deadly octopus (@katapilla/TikTok)
Another wrote, ‘How does it feel to have something in your hand that decides if you die or not hahaha.’
If those reactions weren’t enough to scare you about the tiny, deadly octopus, the next bit will be.
According to Marine Bio, the blue-ringed octopus has two types of venom to use on predators and prey.
The one used for prey is used for hunting crabs and shrimp, which the octopus feeds on.
Meanwhile, the one used for predators is pretty horrific.
Woman picks up deadly octopus (@katapilla/TikTok)
It works as a paralytic and is extremely toxic to humans.
As per Marine Bio ‘The venoms are secreted into the blue ringed octopus’ saliva, but the mechanism for poisoning its victim is not well understood.’
However, the theory is that ‘either the venom is expelled in the saliva into the water or the octopus bites its prey or predator’.
Yeah, we’re gonna just stay on dry land for a bit.