January 11th, 2013 Got Crabs?

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Adult coconut crabs feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, and the pith of fallen trees, but will eat carrion and other organic matter opportunistically. The species is popularly associated with the coconut, and has been widely reported to climb trees to pick coconuts, which it then opens to eat the flesh. While coconut crabs can climb trees, and can eventually open a coconut collectively, coconuts are not a significant part of their diet. Coconut crabs are hunted wherever they come into contact with people, and are subject to legal protection in some areas.

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"I've got a loverly bunch of coconuts!"

After standing in a bright kitchen doing dishes about 11pm you finally decide to run the garbage out. While you're trying to fumble the lid off the can with one hand, you realize - you are not alone. People blocks away would probably be dialing 911 when the heard the naked death scream.

haha Spuck! Funny one!

I find that thing far more grotesque than yesterday's rhino beetle. I found the beetle kinda cute, actually. This crab literally makes me shudder every time I look at it. Eugh. EUGH.

I wonder how they taste. There has to be a lot of meat in there. I read that they are considered a delicacy, but that usually means a food is yucky.

they open coconuts.

....

I have opened coconuts, it took a hammer, a hacksaw, and a generous application of colorful language. Those guys are scary. Yeah, I read the wiki page, the maximum size is about 16 inches. That's about the size of one of Nirvana's chihuahui. An armored chihuahua with a pair of serrated claws as strong as the jaws of life. Have any of you ever been pinched by a crab? I have been pinched a number of times, and never by anything with claws you could cut steaks from like that guy. The biggest one was a Dungeness crab about the size of both my hands together. I picked it up the wrong way, he reached around to remove my unwelcome grasp, which would have worked had he actually let go once he pinched my finger. I was waving this crab around the boat, just like in a Three Stooges skit, dangling from my finger for about three hours (subjective time. actual time was probably less than ten seconds). I had a bruise on my finger for a month. I've hit my finger with a hammer like I meant it and felt less pain. This guy pinched me so hard the tip of my finger was numb for weeks. And this was a little crab. The guy in the picture looks like he could just clip off my digits and eat them at his pleasure. Didachik? Didachok?

AAIIIIIEEEE!!!! LOBSTROSITY!

Yeah well they tasted like lobster. Now what's behind door number 4?

The OP image reminds me of a coin I have which depicts a young bust Queen Elizabeth II on one side and coconut crab on the other. A striking combination!

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Quote:

Originally Posted by sexobon The OP image reminds me of a coin I have which depicts a young bust Queen Elizabeth II on one side... A striking combination! Attachment 42426Attachment 42427

What?? Queen Liz has crabs on her most royal arse??

and don't forget mercury poisoning if you eat a ton of swordfish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by richlevy That's a neat trick. Hunters know that the taste of game can change due to its diet, but actually being able to pass through poisons is something I've never heard of. The closest I know of is shellfish toxicity caused by pollution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sexobon The OP image reminds me of a coin I have which depicts a young bust Queen Elizabeth II on one side and coconut crab on the other. A striking combination! Attachment 42426Attachment 42427

That thing is legally protected?

I'd like to take out a restraining order.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trilby That thing is legally protected? I'd like to take out a restraining order.

lol @ richlevy.


The witches in MacBeth were commies, too. It's allllllll in there.

Woof.

When I first started watching that vid I was a bit taken aback by the owner's willingness to allow it near the crab. They're pretty fierce creatures and can do a lot of damage to a dog nose! Not to mention the stress for the crab.

Then I read the youtube comments. Turns out the crab was found in their yard some weeks prior to the vid. He'd got toknow the crab and how it moved and responded before he let the dog near it to play. The crab meanwhile seems fairly unconcerned by it all.