Like a starfish, an octopus can regrow lost arms. ... Rare is the octopus with fewer than eight—at least partial—arms. Because as soon as an arm is lost or damaged, a regrowth process kicks off to make the limb whole again—from the inner nerve bundles to the outer, flexible suckers.

How long does it take for an octopus leg to grow back?

It takes about three days for cells to cover the amputation site and take on a hook-like shape. Within two weeks, stem cells and blood vessels pour in. In approximately 130 days, the octopus will have gained another fully-functioning arm.

Can an octopus survive losing an arm?

The octopus arm, in comparison, can live on after amputation, crawling around and grasping anything in its path. And amputation is common in the wild — octopus arms regrow after they're lost, and octopuses may even eat their own arms or those lost by others.