Putting food in caches...

[SoHotImCool]

I've been out today to do some searching, and come across a lovely cache (Barging Ahead - GCVFWF) which, when I opened it up, I found to contain some sweets (candy for you non UK folks) that had not only got the wrappers split, but which had also gotten wet.

 

I wound up removing the offending items and disposing of them, since they were in no fit state for anyone to take and quite frankly, they were almost liquified from getting wet and dissolving.

 

Is there anything specifically in the guidelines about not putting food into caches, and if not, why? If there is, why aren't people following it?

Edited March 25, 2012 by Crazypolyglot38

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

The guidelines state that food items in caches are a bad idea, I'm not so sure that food items are 'against' the guidelines per se.

 

Pretty much, the answer boils down to one of three things:

1) They never read the guidelines, at least enough to understand what they read;

2) They don't care;

-or-

3) It is possible that it was a muggle, and not a cacher.

 

There is a fourth option, but I'll just leave it at the three listed............

[SoHotImCool]

The guidelines state that food items in caches are a bad idea, I'm not so sure that food items are 'against' the guidelines per se.

 

Pretty much, the answer boils down to one of three things:

1) They never read the guidelines, at least enough to understand what they read;

2) They don't care;

-or-

3) It is possible that it was a muggle, and not a cacher.

 

There is a fourth option, but I'll just leave it at the three listed............

 

It's unfortunate that it's not against the guidelines, really. IMO it should be - the last thing you want to be taking out of a cache is a half dissolved piece of candy which has been leaking everywhere, or something someone's left which has gone mouldy or decayed beyond conceivable recognition

[+Max and 99]

First of all, why would anyone think that anyone else would eat candy found in a cache, placed by a complete stranger?

 

Second of all, I've seen some really bad ant infestations at caches that had food placed in them.

 

DUMB, DUMB, DUMB idea to put food in a cache, and I don't understand why anyone would do it.

 

I'm glad you took the candy out of the container and disposed of it! That was a good thing to do.

[+OZ2CPU]

CANDY FOOD or whatever like this is ALWAYS A VERY BAD IDEA !!

I always take it out and trach it, it is a terrible mistake to put in a cache,

it is also a terrible mistake not to take it out if you see it,

and please make a note in the log, so the previus finder can feel they did bad !

since it must be the previous finders, since if they did not put it in, they for sure should have removed it,

exactly like any other trash you find in caches..

TRASH OUT OF CACHES..

Edited March 25, 2012 by OZ2CPU

[ad5smith]

I hate finding candy/gum in caches

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

The first cache (as we know geocaches) did have food within. I can't quite remember just what it was, but it was along the lines of a can of beans (I'll hear about it, bet on it).

 

You see, food items are not evil. Perishable food items are a problem in caches, and should not be placed there. Not all food items would be considered as perishable. I think because of this difference, food items are not 'against' the guidelines.

 

Gum (be it bubble gum or standard chewing gum) is questionable, at best. Wrapped candies or sweets, as well as breads, cookies, fruits (dried or not), nuts and like items all attract rodents and other animals, whose sense of smell is far greater than the human olfactory system -- not to mention that those critters' noses are closer to the ground than are ours. They rely on their sense of smell for survival, we do not. A barrier between them and what they sense to be food will most likely be taken away, destroyed or rendered useless (for our purposes). So, the real reason not to leave food in a cache is primarily due to cache loss/destruction.

 

The icky, gooey, moldy and wildly aromatic messes within a cache are not always because of food items. Sure, food does play a role along those lines..... but one should also consider other things. One of the biggest offenders is toy soap bubble containers. To me, it is truly amazing how many folks even consider those things as trade items. They leak -- sooner or later, they will. When they do, the contents of the cache become mostly useless, even the log. Five-hour energy drinks (yes a sealed container).... they leak. If you think containers of any liquid are good SWAG items, think again. Give the tiny bottle of perfume or toilet water to a kid, don't put it into a cache! Hotel/motel toiletry items (shampoo, mouthwash, soap bars) are just as bad.

Glass or plastic containers with screw on lids will leak given the right conditions and temperature fluctuations.

Batteries are fine -- as long as they are in their factory sealed display card. Loose batteries have a habit of going bad and leaking, again destroying whatever else may be in the cache. Used batteries? Well, there is a place for them..... but not a geocache.

Rubber bands -- there are good ones and there are bad ones (believe it or not). Ever find a gooey, unrecognizable gelatin-mass in a cache? Quite possibly, it is the rubber bands that you left last year, now stuck to the TB or geocoin that you came to retrieve.

 

There you have it. Food items, in and of themselves, are not against the guidelines just as a number of other things that shouldn't be left in a geocache. I believe those who formulated the guidelines recognized these facts, leaving the ultimate decision making process to the geocachers themselves.

[+T.D.M.22]

 

There you have it. Food items, in and of themselves, are not against the guidelines just as a number of other things that shouldn't be left in a geocache. I believe those who formulated the guidelines recognized these facts, leaving the ultimate decision making process to the geocachers themselves.

Actually it is not the food itself that is the problem, it's what comes with the food. Mold and ants, and other bugs are annoying but not really dangerous unless someone is allergic. But food-ANY FOOD-attracts bigger animals. Bears, Coyotes, Mountain lions, and on and on. The bears for example can rip apart a car if they wanted to. Even the cages used to transport bears can be broken out of. So your ammo can stands zero chance. And if you happen to be caching when Smokey Bear is looking for food at the same location, you could just as easily become lunch. And it's not just bears, but wasps/bees and other poisonous insects that are attracted to the sugar.

Some people WILL die if stung due to allergies. How do they know there aren't bees in the container. They have to rely on others to NOT put food in.This also includes smelly things like air fresheners, lip balm, deodorant, and scratch and sniff stickers.

Edited March 25, 2012 by T.D.M.22

[+jellis]

And this counts not just Human food but dog food. I see lots of caches especially Dog theme caches containing dog treats. They also attract animals like raccoons, possums, coyotes etc.

[+paleolith]

Perishable food items are a problem in caches, and should not be placed there. Not all food items would be considered as perishable. I think because of this difference, food items are not 'against' the guidelines.

 

[...] A barrier between them and what they sense to be food will most likely be taken away, destroyed or rendered useless (for our purposes). So, the real reason not to leave food in a cache is primarily due to cache loss/destruction.

I would venture, however, that virtually all food items other than canned ones have enough scent to attract bears. Many will attract ants. I can't think of a perishable item which has no scent. Pure table sugar attracts ants all by itself.

 

Cans? If it doesn't have a pop-top, then what's the point of leaving it? If it does, how much heat buildup in the cache does it take to pop that top? And how many people would eat a can of beans taken from a cache if they don't know how old it is? (Or if they do, but especially.)

 

So I'd favor stronger wording against food items. Even though I know the real problem is that people leaving food in caches simply haven't read the words we already have.

 

Edward

[+Ike 13]

I bet most true Geocachers would never put food in a cache. I bet most food is placed by muggles who happen upon the cache by accident. The trash I've found in mine doing maintenance is unbelievable.

[+jellis]

Seen a lot of newbies who don't read the guidelines saying it's not wise. Many probably think it's no big idea.

Edited March 26, 2012 by jellis

[+Team Mars]

I have repeatedly removed food from caches. Took out a piece of gum out of one I own the other day. The person who put it in even stated they left it in their log, it was a newbie. So at that point I sent them a message explaining about not doing it. I cannot figure out why people are OK with leaving food in them. Do these same people leave food in their tents?

[+Viajero Perdido]

I left a can of beer in a cache because, well, the owner joked about it - if you can't leave something on-theme, leave a beer. So I left a beer.

 

I was worried it'd freeze if it sat there through a Canadian winter, but it got traded out pretty quickly, by the next finder I think. (Hmm, maybe I should leave beer more often.)

[+Isonzo Karst]

I modified the standard cache note - http://www.geocaching.com/articles/geocachenote.txt - to add in all caps, after "But please also leave something," NO FOOD ITEMS

 

Leaving gum, mints, other hard wrapped candies seems to be a standard response from casual finders, whether intentionally hunting the cache, or accidentally coming across it. It's what they can fish out of their pockets, I guess.

[+DragonsWest]

Whenever I find food or candy in a cache I remove it. Period.

[+niraD]

Whenever I find food or candy in a cache I remove it. Period.

Yep. Ditto for candles, lotions, or anything else scented. And bottles of bubble solution.

[knowschad]

The first cache (as we know geocaches) did have food within. I can't quite remember just what it was, but it was along the lines of a can of beans (I'll hear about it, bet on it).

Yes, it was a can of beans, but a can of beans is a far cry from a piece of candy. A can of beans would not smell like food, and would be fine until the can eventually rusted through.

 

To the OP: Yes, its a bad idea, but not everybody realizes that. While your find count shows that you are probably pretty new to caching, it generally takes folks a little longer than that to catch on to the finer points of caching, and it looks like most of the recent finds are by people with rather little experience (albiet, more than you). At least the container was an ammo can, so the risk of damage to the container by animals would be low. Posting something like "Removed food items" in your log will help to quietly educate those that don't know.

[knowschad]

Whenever I find food or candy in a cache I remove it. Period.

Yep. Ditto for candles, lotions, or anything else scented. And bottles of bubble solution.

 

And Play-Dough (although I've found plenty of Play-Dough in containers and have never actually seen it cause an issue).

 

And superglue. I had someone leave one of those in a cache of mine, and it wasn't pretty.

[knowschad]

I left a can of beer in a cache because, well, the owner joked about it - if you can't leave something on-theme, leave a beer. So I left a beer.

 

I was worried it'd freeze if it sat there through a Canadian winter, but it got traded out pretty quickly, by the next finder I think. (Hmm, maybe I should leave beer more often.)

 

You seriously thought a beer left in a Canadian cache might sit through an entire winter? Good one!!

[+ras_oscar]

I assume whoever put food items in a cache was looking to feed Yogi's sweet tooth.

[+T.D.M.22]

I left a can of beer in a cache because, well, the owner joked about it - if you can't leave something on-theme, leave a beer. So I left a beer.

 

I was worried it'd freeze if it sat there through a Canadian winter, but it got traded out pretty quickly, by the next finder I think. (Hmm, maybe I should leave beer more often.)

Don't forget the Alberta Premium...

[+GeoStar Husband]

We found a cache on Saturday called District 9 that specifically stated In keeping with the industry of District 9, please only trade items related to GRAIN. Trade up or trade even. I had nothing grain related, so I didn't trade anything, but it was awesome... It was filled with trade swag that was all children's toy foods that were grain related. All kinds of plastic food items! The one and only time I have ever seen "food" items in a cache that made me smile