# What creatures are eaten while they are still alive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 13, 2010, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996 "2010-06-13T10:06:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/1 "2010-06-13T10:06:47Z")
I don’t know why I haven’t been aware of this before now, but it has just occurred to me that oysters are eaten while they are still alive. If I am correct in this, are there any other creatures that are normally eaten while still alive? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/2 "2010-06-13T10:22:46Z")
Grubs in Africa perhaps? And you could argue that plants and fruits are still alive when eaten. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/3 "2010-06-13T10:26:17Z")
Some other shellfish - for example, cockles and mussels are eaten raw and alive, but usually only by those who are harvesting them, at the time of collecting. Witchetty grubs are eaten either raw and alive, or lightly cooked. The same is probably true of a number of insects, in those cultures that habitually eat them. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/4 "2010-06-13T10:52:12Z")
Mostly fish and shellfish that I know of. I have heard of insects, but only anecdotally. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/5 "2010-06-13T10:57:26Z")
If prawns, shrimp, etc are sea insects, and dolphins and whales are sea mammals, is everything in between like the equivalent of a sea reptile? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/6 "2010-06-13T11:19:51Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > If prawns, shrimp, etc are sea insects, and dolphins and whales are sea mammals, is everything in between like the equivalent of a sea reptile? I’m pretty sure the in-betweeners are classified as “fish.” ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Kit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Drew\_Kit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Kit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/7 "2010-06-13T11:58:57Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > are there any other creatures that are normally eaten while still alive? Anisakiasis, Blastocystosis, Clonorchiasis, Coccidia, Dientamoebiasis, Sparganosis, Toxocariasis, Trichinosis, Toxoplasma gondii, and then there are your flukes, pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms and whipworms. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/8 "2010-06-13T12:43:48Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Some other shellfish - for example, cockles and mussels are eaten raw and alive, but usually only by those who are harvesting them, at the time of collecting. > > Witchetty grubs are eaten either raw and alive, or lightly cooked. The same is probably true of a number of insects, in those cultures that habitually eat them. Crying _cockles_ and _mussels_, alive, alive-O [sweet Molly Malone] ---
**Author:** ![kun11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@kun11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kun11)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/9 "2010-06-13T13:41:56Z")
This guy: http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivstO1Nv0rY ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/10 "2010-06-13T14:08:46Z")
Bacteria. Whether you want to or not. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/11 "2010-06-13T14:11:08Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I’m pretty sure the in-betweeners are classified as “fish.” Cheers for that, **'hal**. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/12 "2010-06-13T14:27:46Z")
Yogurt. ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/13 "2010-06-13T14:53:30Z")
[Octopus](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTjBFI4VVys) And that’s where I draw the line at eating strange stuff. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/14 "2010-06-13T14:57:13Z")
“Snake Surprise”? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/15 "2010-06-13T16:18:29Z")
The [Florida stone crab](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_stone_crab). The crabs are caught, the claws are removed, and the crab is returned to the water. If done correctly, the crab will survive and regrow the claws in about a year. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/16 "2010-06-13T16:28:05Z")
I’ve had the following served to me while still alive: - 2 small prawns, in a wooden cage; - a type of lobster called “Ise-ebi” whose tail muscle had been carved into thin slices and arrayed decoratively around the still living animal. I found this very disturbing. Fish are often sliced into sashimi while still alive. Assuming it takes several minutes to die, and that it is served to you promptly, it is entirely possible the fish would still be alive while you are eating slices of it. I find this very disturbing too. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/17 "2010-06-13T16:53:21Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > I’ve had the following served to me while still alive: > > - 2 small prawns, in a wooden cage; > - a type of lobster called “Ise-ebi” whose tail muscle had been carved into thin slices and arrayed decoratively around the still living animal. I found this very disturbing. > > Fish are often sliced into sashimi while still alive. Assuming it takes several minutes to die, and that it is served to you promptly, it is entirely possible the fish would still be alive while you are eating slices of it. I find this very disturbing too. Ick. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/18 "2010-06-13T17:28:45Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I’m pretty sure the in-betweeners are classified as “fish.” [Sea kittens.](http://www.peta.org/sea_kittens/) ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/19 "2010-06-13T17:32:42Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > - a type of lobster called “Ise-ebi” whose tail muscle had been carved into thin slices and arrayed decoratively around the still living animal. I found this very disturbing. I saw a show featuring weird food from around the globe and it featured this dish from Japan. ‘Disturbing’ doesn’t even begin to describe it for me. I have no idea how smart or dumb a lobster is, but having something looking at me while I’m eating it just seems… barbaric. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996/20 "2010-06-13T21:34:52Z")
Sea urchins : open the shell with a knife, pick up and eat the tasty parts inside, throw back into the sea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-creatures-are-eaten-while-they-are-still-alive/542996.md?page=2)