# How to keep a live lobster live



## yummymummy (Dec 26, 2008)

take the lobster and put it into a pot deep enough so that he or they can't crawl out. next get a wet or damp wash cloth or towel ( wet newspapers work too) take the wet towel and place it directly on the lobster inside of the pot and keep it in the fridge. your lobster should stay alive for up to two days or more.


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## buckytom (Dec 27, 2008)

i did that once, but i made the mistake of giving it a little tin cup of water.

all night long, it'd scrape the cup along the side of the pot singing "noboby knows the trouble ive seen"...


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## QSis (Dec 27, 2008)

LOL!

Lee


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## Maverick2272 (Dec 27, 2008)

Um... why keep it alive?? LOL. You shoulda seen the look on the wife's face first time she saw one on 'Iron Chef' get its tail chopped off while still alive... oh the horror!


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## BreezyCooking (Dec 27, 2008)

Frankly - & this is just my personal opinion - there should be no reason why you should want or need to keep a lobster in your fridge for more than 24 hours tops - & even THAT is pushing it.  This goes for ALL live shellfish.

Keep your live shellfish (lobsters, crabs, clams, mussels, etc.) uncovered, or covered lightly with a damp towel, on a bed of ice (ice in bags to keep things less messy) in your fridge & cook them within 24 hours of purchase.  There's no reason to allow them to suffer slowly suffocating in your fridge for longer than that.  (And no, I'm not a PETA advocate - lol!)

Their quality was already declining when they hit your fish counter; it's not going to improve in your fridge.


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## tanya (Jan 12, 2009)

I thought this was going to be a "keep in my bathtub and love unconditionally" moment :P

Ive always wanted a pet lobster  *dreams*


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## Adillo303 (Jan 12, 2009)

A lobster needs it's claws to eat. Once they claws are banded, they have had their last meal. Therefore, they are living off stored fat till you cook them. The quality goes down the longer till they are cooked. 

I would suggest cooking within 24 hours as well.


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## BreezyCooking (Jan 12, 2009)

tanya said:


> I thought this was going to be a "keep in my bathtub and love unconditionally" moment :P
> 
> Ive always wanted a pet lobster  *dreams*


 
Tanya - you need to see the old movie "It Happened To Jane" (starring Doris Day & Jack Lemmon).  While it's a ridiculous - but cute - flick (I only like it because I like Jack Lemmon), a "pet lobster" stars frequently. 

In addition, around here pet stores frequently sell both regular (greenish-rust) & blue (yes, blue) crayfish for aquariums that do perfectly resemble miniature lobsters.


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## AllenOK (Jan 12, 2009)

Both lobsters and crawfish can live for quite a long time out of water.  They must return to water to breathe, but, it can be quite longer than 24 hours.  I've seen lobsters live for over a week in a meat box, as long as you keep them moist.

Another tip:  If you're lucky, you'll get some seaweed with the lobster.  Keep them together, as it helps keep the seabug moist.

I do say, though, you want to cook and eat the lobster as soon as you can.  You don't really know how long they've been in the tank, and as Bucky said, they ate their last meal when their claws were banded.  If the lobsters have been "tanked" for a long time, when you finally do get to cook it, there won't be much meat inside the shell.


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## tanya (Jan 12, 2009)

BreezyCooking said:


> Tanya - you need to see the old movie "It Happened To Jane" (starring Doris Day & Jack Lemmon).  While it's a ridiculous - but cute - flick (I only like it because I like Jack Lemmon), a "pet lobster" stars frequently.
> 
> In addition, around here pet stores frequently sell both regular (greenish-rust) & blue (yes, blue) crayfish for aquariums that do perfectly resemble miniature lobsters.



 That sounds fantastic i'll have to give it a gander! I used to have fresh water crabs in my old aquarium? But they were tiny and would jump outve the tank and be generally annoying  Not way near as good as a lobster


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