The Puffer Forum

Hi All!
First post here (i've lurked long enough!)
my Congo Puffer (Ollie) has enjoyed life in his tank on my desk for 3.5 years
i bought him when he was a little over 1", and he measures about 3.5 inches now
this morning, for the first time ever, and for no apparent reason (at least to me), he inflated himself to about the size of a large chicken egg
he has NEVER shown any tendency to inflate, even when i have to move him around by hand during tank maintenance
i was VERY surprised!
there's nothing wrong with him, he ate breakfast after that, and all is well
i'm wondering if anyone else has observed similar behavior from a T. Miurus
i was at the point of thinking that maybe they never inflate at all
also, i wanted to find out if there is an average life expectancy for them
Thanks!

All puffers can inflate without any appearant reason. I don't know whether they just exercise or what else. I've only seen my palembangensis puff once, and she did it when she thought I wasn't looking. As soon as she saw me, she deflated, and pretended to have done nothing at all. A lot of puffers seem to puff when they are alone, and don't like us to see it.

My puffers puff occasionally with out reason. I call it stretching....or going out for a test puff!

Maybe he's done this before but this is the 1st time you actually caught him.

Most people see their puffers puff for the first time just when they walk into the room, and then they deflate, like they're embarrassed. Never seen my DPs puff.

I've watched a few vids of puffed porccie puffers. Those guys puff for attention. Just look up "Boris the Porcupine puffer" lol He gets all puffed and then his owner starts talking to him and he goes right down again...but the fart in her general direction "You can't read the new harry potter novel" was hillarious

Way to go on the tank size there in that video, I see...no wonder it's puffing up regularly. It's probably saying "durrr, hello?!"

I love that video! I see you on tank size, but it still cracks me up! "Boris is my best boy... A little Stay-Puft..."