Crayfish perform important roles within freshwater ecosystems, including in regions where global warming is causing prolonged drying of waterbodies. To better understand the potential effects of climate change on these crustaceans, we compared burrowing ability, survival, and metabolism of the crayfish Cherax quinquecarinatus from a seasonal and perennial population. Burrowing ability/survival was tested in a mesocosm experiment contrasting sediment type (sand or sand/clay mix) and regime. Aerobic scope (an indication of fitness), standard metabolic rate (SMR) and maximum metabolic rate (MMR) were also compared using intermittent flow respirometry. Crayfish from the seasonal population showed limited burrowing ability but higher survival in the drying treatment, whereas crayfish from the perennial population burrowed strongly in the clay/sand sediment. Larger crayfish burrowed more proficiently, reaching the saturated hyporheic zone refuge in the clay/sand sediment. However, crayfish from seasonal populations may be physiologically better adapted to drying, as their survival was high even without burrowing. SMR/MMR did not differ between populations or respirometry runs, however SMR differed between individuals likely due to the effect of personality differences. Crayfish from the seasonal population had a lower aerobic scope, suggesting lower fitness. However, stressful conditions experienced by crayfish from seasonal streams (e.g. increased temperatures, food limitation during drying) may have decreased their aerobic capacity to invest beyond survival. Larger crayfish burrowed more strongly than smaller crayfish, so the lower aerobic scope of individuals in seasonal populations is concerning because further increases in temperature are likely to further reduce body size, and thus burrowing ability. Sediment type may also restrict the locations where populations of C. quinquecarinatus can burrow and thus persist. These results highlight the need for greater research attention to the effects of climatic drying on both the behaviour and the physiology of species exposed to climate change.