A Good TB Idea?

[QuigleyJones]

My idea would be to attach a tag to a hamster cage with hamster inside (with feed bag, "darkness" cover, ect).

It would be passed form cacher to cacher and possibly attend events.

 

The cachers would be keep and take care of it for a week to a month. Would be great for kids and give them some responsibility's.

 

Is this a good idea or animal cruelty? And do you have any important rules I should add? eg adult supervision at all times, keep cover over cage when left alone,...

 

With the proper planing I think this could be one cool TB.

[+BlueDeuce]

The worst thing I could think of was being stuck with the thing and no one else willing to take it.

 

What then? You can't exactly mail it back.

[+ZagtasticFour]

i can hear my kids now, "dad, can we take the rotting hamster carcass tb?"

[QuigleyJones]

The worst thing I could think of was being stuck with the thing and no one else willing to take it.

What then? You can't exactly mail it back.

If you have kids I dont think they would mind

Guess I'll recommend logging on to local or GC regional forums if one gets "stuck" with it.

 

i can hear my kids now, "dad, can we take the rotting hamster carcass tb?"

LOL, well they are usually good for 2 or 3 years.

Perhaps I'll add "By picking up this TB you accept that if life happens (not expected for 2-3 years) you shall bring new life to this TB."

[+Scoutbound]

That involves having to know cachers whom you can meet with and give a massive TB... If you put it in a cache, now that's just mean.

[+MREAGLEWO1]

I think it may give the poor animal too much stress of traveling/moving.

[QuigleyJones]

I think it may give the poor animal too much stress of traveling/moving.

As the "trading" would only be for a cupple of hours and then next one would be spread over a few weeks i figure its just as bad as "show and tell" days at school.

That is unless the event is up the side of a mountain accesable only by gravel road.

[+Bambography]

Not sure i'm keen on the idea of using a hamster as a TB. I agree with Mreagle01 that it would probably cause a fair amount of stress with moving about all the time.

[+q22q17]

Oh gosh, I just don't think this is a good idea.

[+Team Beavage Cleavers]

Interesting concept. But don't think the hamster would last long. They aren't the hardiest critters when surroundings are changed. What about those little cyberpet toys? Kinda the same but without the PETA members picketing outside your house

[+wavector]

You could use a needle and some India Ink to tattoo a secret code on the skin in the hamster's ear. This would prevent people from swapping out the hamster for a different hamster. When geocachers just drop the geocaching bag in the back hall closet and forget about the Hamster TB they will try and buy a new hamster, the homemade tattoo would cut down on that happening.

Cheaters might still tattoo the new hamster but there is nothing you can do about that. You could use a paper cutter to notch the hamster's ears, people would see the notches and would assume that the hamster was already marked, many wouldn't check to see if there was a homemade tattoo in the hamsters ear.

 

Any ideas about how to fasten the chain onto the hamster, it would have to be more permanent than a collar. Maybe some type of rivet through a skin flap, then if people tried to rip off the TB tag the hamster would squeak really loud.

[+Fish Below The Ice]

On the other hand, this would give you the chance to say things like "I would like to return this hamster travel bug what I acquired at this very event cache not a half hour ago" and "This is an EX-hamster travel bug" and "This hamster travel bug wouldn't VOOM if you put twenty thousand volts through him".

 

I like the previous idea of using a not-real hamster. You can have the cage and whatnot, and nobody has to explain to their six-year-old why the hamster that they just got is going to be given to somebody else/has died/has escaped and is hiding in the sofa/became a plaything for the cat/etc.

 

dave

[+Thorminator]

Is this a good idea

No.

 

or animal cruelty?

Yes.

 

Actually, I'm hoping you'r kidding.

 

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?...d=1154077755713

 

Oh, one more thing, just 4 the record.:

In 2007 the law relating to the welfare of pets will change. Under the Animal Welfare Act (as it will be known) anyone who is responsible for a pet will have a legal responsibility to meet the five basic welfare needs of pets.

 

Perhaps I'll add "By picking up this TB you accept that if life happens (not expected for 2-3 years) you shall bring new life to this TB."

[sarcasm]

Yeah!

That's the best part with keeping animals.

When it dies, you can just get a new one.

No problem! [/sarcasm]

 

I'm sorry, but this seems completly horrific for an animal welfare activist like myself.

 

However:

I love the idea of educating.

BUT, i think getting a plush Toy hamster would be a faaaaar greater way of going.

Use the TBs page to educate with some "fun facts", make it child-friendly, mybe tag along a story for people (the kids) to continue writing..?

Just a thought.

 

**

Edit:

Actually, I think I'll do that last part my self as well.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Thorminator

[+PlantAKiss]

Awwwwwww...that sounds terribly cruel! What about temperatures? Heat...cold. Rain? Wild animals? STRESS? Loss of water or food? Constantly being somewhere unfamiliar. And no telling who would pick him up...a kindly person or a cruel person. And how long might he be there...1 day...4 days....2 weeks??? Please don't put a live animal through that. Use a stuffed animal instead. Uhhh...clarification...plush toy animal.

 

If you wouldn't attach your child to a TB, don't attach a live animal.

 

Edited March 6, 2007 by PlantAKiss

[+team moxiepup]

I wouldn't count on this hamster always falling into responsible hands. It would be nice to think that all geocachers are conscientious, kind people, but anytime you're dealing with the general public, know that there are all kinds out there.

 

It just wouldn't be fair to the animal!

 

The only way I could see this working, is if you were to get a hamster of your own, to keep and care for, add a TB tag to it's cage, and maybe bring it to events for others to "discover". The hamster would always be your responsibility!

 

This could still make for a cranky hamster though.

[general_tupperware]

Actually, I'm hoping you'r kidding.

 

I know this guy, and I THINK that he's joking.

[T Bird]

This is a terrible idea. You wouldn't make your child a travel bug, would you? I think not! An animal is a great responsibility. You can't just give it away to some stranger, say "Cheerio!" and just leave. What about loss of food/water, shortage of food/water, stress, etc.? Think of the animals, please, and NEVER post something like this again.

[+Fish Below The Ice]

This is a terrible idea. You wouldn't make your child a travel bug, would you?

 

It's been done.

 

dave

[+Eartha]

Can you say animal cruelty? I say it's a bad idea. Try finding a beanie baby type hamster toy, and instead of food and cover, add a logbook people can sign, and write stories in maybe?

[+BlueDeuce]

I donno, sometimes those beanie bears get kidnapped by wild animals.

 

Especially the blue ones.

[+wavector]

It is OK, Quigley was joking.

The thread was a lot of fun though.

 

DO NOT NOTCH A HAMSTERS EAR WITH A PAPER CUTTER

DO NOT TATTOO THE INSIDE OF A HAMSTERS EAR WITH A NEEDLE.

REALLY.

 

It is perfectly OK to make your children into TB's but do not do this to a hamster.

If you have to make a creature into a TB then choose something sensible like a llama. Since most people do not know how to care for llamas they will leave it in the cache. Only cachers who know how to care for the llama will be inclined to take it.

LLAMAS = YES

HAMSTERS = NO

 

Most llamas are already tattooed.

[+Scoutster]

I could only dream of it being put in a cache, "Smelly cache"...

Edited March 9, 2007 by Scoutster

[+BurbankKarl]

Be sure to piece the bug to the hamster's ear...or else it might fall off

[+pocketpupsnet]

THUMBS DOWN. Animal Cruelty