When crayfish arrive they should be taken care of immediately! Rinse them off with cold water and place them in a cool place. Do Not leave crayfish in standing water. If crayfish are submerged they have to get oxygen out of the standing water. Unless the water you put them in is aerated, they will suffocate.
If the shipping tub contains 30 lbs. or more, it’s a good idea to split it up and put some in one of your coolers so there is no more than 20 lbs. in one container. Crayfish containers can be placed in a walk-in cooler or refrigerator. If you rinse and drain them once a day they will live anywhere from several days to two weeks. Remove dead crayfish if they are found.
If you don’t have refrigeration space you can place the crayfish in a plastic cooler in the shade. Throw a layer of ice cubes on top of the crayfish. Leave the drain hole open at the bottom of most coolers as this will provide all the air necessary and let out excess water to escape. Rinse crayfish off and ice once a day.
Picking up Live Crayfish – I’ve found many people who won’t deal with live crayfish because they are afraid of getting pinched. Crayfish won’t draw blood, but they can make you say “OW”! Crayfish can be picked up with a variety of scoops and tongs, but this gets rather clumsy. I found it easiest to wear heavy neoprene gloves, which can be purchased cheaply. The crayfish can squeeze the gloves, but not hard enough to cause you discomfort.
Grabbing a handful of live crayfish is a good way to impress your party guests!