Food in Caches!!!!

[+ron50eli]

I have read several logs in my area & others that the caches have been plundered, scattered, trashed. Know why? FOOD!!! Yes we work up an appetite looking for treasures, but don't you think that food should not be a part of the leave. Take some with you in case you get hungry, but also take it back. Just my oppinion. And we all know what they are.

rocker51

[+welch]

the FAQ agrees:

 

"What shouldn't be in a cache?

 

Food items are ALWAYS a BAD IDEA. Animals have better noses than humans, and in some cases caches have been chewed through and destroyed because of food items in a cache. Please do not put food in a cache."

 

and its been discussed before:

http://opentopic.Groundspeak.com/0/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1750973553&f=3000917383&m=9580956135&r=4730990335#4730990335

 

[dsandbro]

As a matter of practice I remove all food from every cache I encounter. I encourage others to do the same.

 

Critters have far better noses than we do and smell even the most carefully packaged powerbar. Even if you do not care about the cache getting trashed, you are contributing to turning a wild animal into a dumpster junkie (or backpack junkie).

[azog]

I once opened an ammo can which had two unopened packs of Juicy Fruit gum in it. The smell, while not a bad smell, was so strong it almost staggered me.

 

----------

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you be also be like him.

[+Planet]

quote:

---

Originally posted by welch:

the FAQ agrees:

 

"What shouldn't be in a cache?

 

Food items are ALWAYS a BAD IDEA. Animals have better noses than humans, and in some cases caches have been chewed through and destroyed because of food items in a cache. Please do not put food in a cache."

 

and its been discussed before:

http://opentopic.Groundspeak.com/0/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1750973553&f=3000917383&m=9580956135&r=4730990335#4730990335

 

http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/whack.gif

---

 

For doing Markwell's job here.

 

Cache you later,

Planet

 

I feel much more like I do now than when I first got here.

[+Greenjeens]

I totally agree on no food, however I recently ran into an ammo can cache with an Emergen-C sealed plasticized foil pouch, and really appreciated the electrolyte drink, mixing it with my water. I would not mind this drink powder in my own cache. Have used this stuff at home for years and the pouch is sealed very well.

Anyone familiar with Emergen-C and have a good reason not to make the exception?

------

David

[+Mr. Snazz]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Greenjeens:

Anyone familiar with Emergen-C and have a good reason not to make the exception?

---

 

Unfortunately, I think the best reason not to make an exception is that it would create ambiguity.

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

Anyone familiar with Emergen-C and have a good reason not to make the exception?

---

 

In the beginning I placed the small bottles of Tabasco in caches. I figured they had a tight seal and the chief ingredient is also used as an animal repellent, so it would be OK.

 

But then I realized that if I try to justify my placing Tabasco, then someone else will try to justify their food item, so I stopped leaving it.

 

With so many possible things to place in a cache, why can't we just forget about food completely? Heck most people just throw it away anyway. Why waste it?

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs, but by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" -Max Beerbohm

[+Genius Loci]

This is an old topic, but one that bears repeating, as it seems to continue to happen. Not only is food (ANY kind of food) in a cache a bad idea, but sometimes, even an item that was once associated with food is a bad idea.

 

I have personally witnessed several caches that were raided by animals (wild or domestic). In at least one case, there was no food in the cache, but it was repeatedly chewed by some animal. We finally realized it was because the CACHE CONTAINER was a recycled food container (from Kool Aide or some other powdered drink). Apparently, no amount of washing could remove the scent, and some animal loved it.

 

So, it's probably not a great idea to employ a cache container that was ever used to store food in the past. I guess ammo boxes are OK though, as I don't believe that any animals are tempted by ammunition... except humans.

[+sbell111]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Genius Loci:

This is an old topic, but one that bears repeating, ...

---

 

'Bears repeating' in a thread about animals getting into caches.

 

Very funny!

 

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

[+Brokenwing]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Genius Loci:

I guess ammo boxes are OK though, as I don't believe that any animals are tempted by ammunition... except humans.

---

 

Yea, T-Storm keeps trying to get me to stop chewing on ammo cans, but I just can't resist!

 

Scott / Brokenwing

 

-There's a thin line between geocaching and walking in circles like an idiot.-

[+Marky]

If he appears interested in it, then we give the container a no go. Some of the would be cache containers ended up with a lot of teeth marks in them. Basically, we set the containers out where our dog has access to them, and then leave the house so that he has time to get bored and look around for interesting stuff. When we come back, the winners are the ones that look untouched.

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

[magellan315]

LOL/ROLF I love the idea of using your dog to make sure that a cache container will not attract animals. Its a great way to make sure.

 

I'd also ask people to be aware that anything with a strong scent will atract animals who will try to get into the cache. Locally I have someone who has been putting scented candles in caches and when you open the cache the odor is very powerful.

[Zuckerruebensirup]

When someone new to Geocaching leaves a food item in one of your caches, what's a tactful way to explain to them that it's not a good idea...without sounding like you are reprimanding them and giving them a negative first impression?

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

[+Planet]

say please and thank you.

 

yours truly,

Pollyanna.

 

Cache you later,

Planet

 

"It doesn't matter whether you're going somewhere or nowhere, whether you're doing something or nothing. If you're doing it in a boat it's the best time ever!" -Water Rat from "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame (a book I picked up in a cache)

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

When someone new to Geocaching leaves a food item in one of your caches, what's a tactful way to explain to them that it's not a good idea...without sounding like you are reprimanding them and giving them a negative first impression?

---

 

Kind of hard to do that. I would just leave a note on your cache page mentioning that you had to go there and remove the food because you were concerned about animals getting at it. Hopefully they'll be watching the cache, or they may check the page periodically.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs, but by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" -Max Beerbohm

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on November 08, 2002 at 03:16 AM.]