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Boiling Mad: Crabs Feel Pain
YahooNews ^ | 03/27/09 | Robert Roy Britt

Posted on 03/27/2009 10:37:08 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway

A favored method of preparing fresh crabs is to simply boil them alive. A longstanding related question: Do they feel pain? Yes, researchers now say. Not only do crabs suffer pain, a new study found, but they retain a memory of it (assuming they aren't already dead on your dinner plate). The scientists say its time for new laws to consider the suffering of all crustaceans. The study involved using wires to deliver shocks to the bellies of hermit crabs, which, being hermits, often take up residence in left-behind mollusc shells. The crabs that were shocked scampered out of their shells, "indicating that the experience is unpleasant for them," the scientists concluded; unshocked crabs stayed put. Another test was run to see what would happen if a mild shock was delivered, one just below the threshold that would cause the crabs to leave home. These mildly shocked crabs, along with crabs that had not been shocked, were then offered a new home. The typical reaction: They'd go inspect the new shell. Significantly, those that had been shocked were more likely to pack up and move to the new residence compared to those that hadn't been shocked. "There has been a long debate about whether crustaceans including crabs, prawns and lobsters feel pain," said study researcher Bob Elwood of Queen's University Belfast in the UK.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: animalsarepeopletoo; crabs; seafood
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To: AngelesCrestHighway
“I love Dungeness crab! All these damn touchy feely idiots will have to pry the shells from my cold dead hands!”

Besides catching and eating Dungies, my favorite part of going crabbing is grabbing them form the cooler and plunging them head first into the briny boiling water. I need to make some calls soon and get a crabbing and clamming trip to the Oregon coast.

101 posted on 03/27/2009 12:46:38 PM PDT by mickey finn
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To: Osage Orange
And you know this how?

Well, my aunt suffered severe burns three years ago when the handle on a pot of boiling rice gave way and it spilled on the floor, splashing her. Weeks afterward, she described it as the worst pain she had ever felt - she was still feeling it. That's how I know, not that it takes personal experience or witness testimony or much more than a bit of common sense.
102 posted on 03/27/2009 12:49:49 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: AnotherUnixGeek
The pain of being boiled alive is far worse than anything you're ever likely to experience.

No, you jerk. The pain of taking care of my husband here at home while he died from cancer is the worst pain in the world. I WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN BOILED ALIVE, THAN SUFFER WITH AND FOR HIM, IN HIS AGONY.

So kiss off.

103 posted on 03/27/2009 12:53:13 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: Judith Anne
No, you jerk. The pain of taking care of my husband here at home while he died from cancer is the worst pain in the world. I WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN BOILED ALIVE, THAN SUFFER WITH AND FOR HIM, IN HIS AGONY.

So kiss off.


Fine, you're the Queen Of Pain and no creature should expect to be spared because of your experience. Happy now? Do whatever you want, drama queen, I really don't care. But comparing your emotional pain to being boiled alive is just mindless.
104 posted on 03/27/2009 12:59:41 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: AnotherUnixGeek
Sorry to hear about your Aunt.........

But you know nothing about the other poster...

And you can't equate what your Aunt went through to what a lobster goes through. And then declare it's the worst pain imaginable....

And that's my point...

105 posted on 03/27/2009 1:05:19 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Our constitution protects aliens, drunks and U.S. Senators. -Will Rogers)
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To: AngelesCrestHighway

This is not happy news in this area.

I hope it doesn't apply to mudbugs too

106 posted on 03/27/2009 1:07:24 PM PDT by Mila
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To: AnotherUnixGeek
I didn't compare my emotional pain to being boiled alive.

This was YOUR comment 99 to me: The pain of being boiled alive is far worse than anything you're ever likely to experience.

I just corrected you.

107 posted on 03/27/2009 1:08:02 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: Osage Orange
But you know nothing about the other poster...

And that's why I said "likely". Most people never suffer that kind of physical harm, though some unfortunately do. In any event, my point was simply that boiling crabs and lobsters alive isn't even necessary - killing them beforehand is not hard, and spares the creatures some pain. I don't know how it devolved into the current "my pain is worse" thing with the other poster.
108 posted on 03/27/2009 1:08:51 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: Osage Orange

Hold it here, now, I’m the Queen of Pain. I think I’ll use it for a tagline for the PETA freaks.

/sarc


109 posted on 03/27/2009 1:09:32 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: AnotherUnixGeek
I don't know how it devolved into the current "my pain is worse" thing with the other poster.

It's polite to ping someone you're talking about. Please refer yourself to your post 99, and you'll see what you said. Apparently, you've forgotten.

110 posted on 03/27/2009 1:11:14 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

I don’t even like lobster.........


111 posted on 03/27/2009 1:16:18 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Our constitution protects aliens, drunks and U.S. Senators. -Will Rogers)
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To: Pessimist
You have to admit, being boild alive has to be one of the worst ways imaginable.

Yes, if you start with them in cold water.

But you don't. You get the water boiling and drop the suckers in. The shock is intense. They stop moving nearly immediately.

112 posted on 03/27/2009 1:21:33 PM PDT by jimt
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To: All

The thing that gets me about this waste of research dollars, and the bleeding hearts that compare crustacean suffering to human suffering in quality and quantity, is that they expect people to take them seriously.

There are animals that live with mankind, serve mankind, and for all intents and purposes, love mankind. Them, I equate almost to humans, and wonder at times if they have souls.

Crabs? No. Lobsters? No.

I see no reason to prolong the suffering of a food animal. Boiling alive is fast, I am certain. I see no reason for any cruelty to any animal, but dropping them into boiling water for a near-instant death is not cruel. Certainly I would prefer that death to many other ways to die, for myself.

And people who think their pity for the theoretical suffering of crustaceans MUST be shared by everyone on the planet are silly, shallow, and dumb. And likely to know next to nothing about actual suffering.


113 posted on 03/27/2009 1:41:35 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: Judith Anne
It's polite to ping someone you're talking about. Please refer yourself to your post 99, and you'll see what you said. Apparently, you've forgotten.

I said this:

The pain of being boiled alive is far worse than anything you're ever likely to experience.

I think it's pretty obvious I was stating that you, along with me, my neighbors and most other members of the human race, are not likely to have suffered any physical harm to compare with being boiled alive, or to have undergone physical pain to compare with it. This isn't a controversial statement - it's also unlikely that you, I and everyone we know have ever won the lottery or been struck by lightning. I have no idea why you feel this is some sort of personal attack on you.
114 posted on 03/27/2009 1:45:57 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: svcw

You mean there are people who haven’t seen it? That’s kinda sad...


115 posted on 03/27/2009 1:50:19 PM PDT by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

I refer you to post 113.

And I don’t think we need any more freaking laws to “protect” any crustaceans from any hypothetical pain.

After all, take a good look at a tick, flea, spider, or termite, or other destructive bug. I don’t care about their suffering when I kill them.

But for you, I’m sure their suffering is no less.......after all, how would it feel to be killed by poison chemicals? I’m sure you care.


116 posted on 03/27/2009 1:50:59 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: AnotherUnixGeek
I have no idea why you feel this is some sort of personal attack on you.

Because you posted it to me, that's why. Next time, try that bilge on some other adult FReeper who thinks you're precious. I don't care about your feelings, either.

117 posted on 03/27/2009 1:53:31 PM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: Judith Anne
And likely to know next to nothing about actual suffering.

And there you go again. Believe it or not, many people have suffered in life. You don't have a monopoly. But we don't all use our personal sufferings to justify inflicting needless pain on some hapless animal, even if the animal is far too primitive to feel love or make us wonder if it has a soul.
118 posted on 03/27/2009 1:55:07 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: AngelesCrestHighway

That’s why as a good Maryland boy I steam mine to death.


119 posted on 03/27/2009 1:58:23 PM PDT by Vision ("Test everything. Hold on to the Good." 1 Thessalonians 5:21)
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To: Judith Anne
Because you posted it to me, that's why. Next time, try that bilge on some other adult FReeper who thinks you're precious. I don't care about your feelings, either.

Lady, take that chip on your shoulder and that pain you wave like a flag and inflict them on someone interested in bitter, self-absorbed blowhards. I'm not interested. Bye, sunshine.
120 posted on 03/27/2009 2:00:02 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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