 Conflicting statements from Hillenburg and Nickelodeon 's official website have led to some doubt over whether the character is an octopus or a squid . Hillenburg named him Squidward because the name Octoward — in the words of Squidward 's voice actor Rodger Bumpass — " just didn 't work " . The sound of Squidward 's footsteps is produced by rubbing hot water bottles . The footsteps , and those of the rest of the main characters , are recorded by the show 's foley crew . Sound designer Jeff Hutchins said that footstep sounds " [ help ] tell which character it is and what surface they 're stepping on " . Bumpass inspired the idea of having Squidward ride a recumbent bicycle ; Bumpass owns one of these bicycles , which he rides around Burbank , California . Bumpass described it as his " little inside joke " . 
