I'm from Maryland. I know how to pick a crab. I own crab memorabilia. Unfortunately, I don't eat crab meat. I don't like seafood, but my Marylander pride is such that I learned how to pull apart their bodies and give meat to those in my vicinity.
Well, as you saw earlier, last week I went crabbing with the Tadpoles. I'm sure I haven't been crabbing for nigh on ten years. Mostly because I "hate being outside" and "avoid the water". I haven't encountered a live crab for quite some time. After crabbing I was left with many questions and came to this conclusion:
Crabs are belligerent.
We caught five. The biggest one mercilessly tore the back fin off of a small one. Just tore it off! I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit. As I am relating this story to my husband I asked him how much it hurts if a crab pinches your finger. You see, Nick used to steam crabs at a local neighborhood seafood shack. He said it hurt and proceeded to tell me he would rip the claw off of the offending crab. And the claw did not loose it's grip immediately.
Maybe some of you true Marylanders that give two hoots about crabs can tell me the answer to this question. Google failed me as did the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Does it hurt crabs when their claws are ripped mercilessly from their bodies?
I would like to leave you with this thought. Crabs are aggressive, have thick exoskeletons, and large pinchers. What if crabs were the size of elephants? Do you think they would be the world's most dangerous creatures??!!
Love, Kaley
1 comment:
There's probably a 1960's sci-fi horror movie about that. Giant Mutant Blue Crabs from Pluto.
I doubt it hurts crabs to have their legs torn off very much because they are made to be able to lose those appendages and still survive. Sort of like skinks and other reptiles/amphibians that lose tails on purpose to be able to get away from a predator.
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