Have you ever bought a live crab or lobster from a grocery store?

My daughter had a field trip to a grocery store when she was in the second grade. Her favorite part was the lobster tank, and I got to hear all about it, for days.
They tape claws shut to keep them from fighting.
They do feed them. I don’t remember what they’re fed.

Edit: she got to TOUCH one. It made her very happy.

No. But once at Red Lobster I was waiting to be seated. There was a mom and dad with their talky talky 2 year old. She was asking rapid fire questions. I laughed inside because I’ve been there!
Then she asked “Why so some have blue rubber bands around their claws and some have yellow rubber bands?”
Mom sighed a patiently said “Because some are girls and some are boys.”
Oh how perfect! I just LOLLLd!

I’ve caught large crabs by hand and bought many lobsters. You don’t pay them to take home as a pet. They usually end up streamed or in boiling water, shortly after getting home.

I’ve heard that when preparing crawdads (freshwater lobster) for cooking, you feed them cornmeal. It flushes all of the nasty shit out of their systems.

You have ta be a total hick to think crawdads are “fresh water lobsters!

@Dutchess_lll I’ll be sure to pass that on to Merriam-Webster’s the next chance I get…
(They are also known as crayfish, crawfish.)

I am well aware of what crawfish, crawdads, crayfish are. The are abundant in Kansas lakes, streams and rivers.

Others may not have known that.

Rednecks boil them and suck the gelatinous brains out.
Cajuns use them in gumbo.
A Vietnamese neighbor of mine would fish for them to serve her family. She thinks most Americans are out of our minds for not taking advantage of this FREE food! She’s probably right.
I just have never gotten the nerve to throw some on the grill.