So I found this ...

[skepkat]

The temperature dropped a bit last night so I got up to check on one of my tanks. It was about 2 am. On my way back to bed, I noticed this guy on the floor (picture below). Yes. Crawdad of some kind,... sitting on my living room floor,... all dusty & pissed off. I assume one of my cats caught it and brought it inside. No idea where he came from. I had a 3 gal tank with only plants and a few pond snails, so I dropped him in there.

Not really sure what to do. I suppose it would be cool to keep him, but I can also see the logic in returning him to the wild. 10 day Forecast is 70 day / 45 night. Not sure if that is ideal temp for him to be released. I have a 10 gal tank that I can set up (tank, heater, filter, deco - NO HOOD). I have sinking pellets for shrimp. I figured that was best food for the moment, so I dropped some in for him.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

[pittipuppylove]

S/he's rather cute...

You may want to check your local and state laws, in many places it's illegal to remove native flora and fauna from its native habitat without a permit. Not something most areas really enforce so long as you're not collecting in bulk, but it bears mentioning. But if the little bugger's a native, the weather likely won't bother him/her much.

[skepkat]

Thanks for the heads up. According to the GA Dept of Natural Resources websites, Freshwater crayfish are exceptions and can be kept as pets "...because of their status as a nuisance or other reason."

But I'm not even sure I want to keep him, or a safe way to release him or where to release him.

[pittipuppylove]

Huh, that's kinda interesting that they're the exception to the rule!

[finnfinnfriend]

Lol I would be so startled to find one of those on my living room floor!

[madmonahan]

Originally Posted by finnfinnfriend

Lol I would be so startled to find one of those on my living room floor!

Lol me to! My cat once brought a crawfish to are front forch! My brothers caught it and cooked it! :( I guess boys must be boys. D: the thing freaked me out!

[twolovers101]

Not gonna lie... That's pretty cool xD

[Lucile]

Ohh. I love crayfish!I think they're cute. Though be careful. You cant put it with any slower moving fish, it will probably eat them, or tear their fins up at the very least. They eat anything, i think (Ive never had one). But prefer meat.

3 gal is kind of small. they get pretty big. most species get to around 4 inches.

[rubinthebetta]

Thats really cool! My cousins and I used to go 'crayfishing' and it was so fun!

[sunstar93]

If my family found that it would be dinner haha. (personally I don't like crawfish...there's a reason they are called "mud bugs" lol).
My cousin did keep one in a tank once; he fed it live minnows he caught in the bayou since they like small fish. (: