No Food In Caches Please!

[+headmj]

I just had a situation with my Fire Tower cache caused by folks leaving wrapped candy in it.

 

I don't care where you are, the basic rule should be NO FOOD of any kind in caches. It will draw wild animals and endanger the cache and the animal.

 

I think this should be added to the how to place a cache instructions and the FAQ'S'

Thanks!

 

Mike

Edited May 1, 2005 by headmj

[+Thot]

Perhaps this should be moved to the website forum?

[WH]

From about halfway down the Frequently Asked Questions Page:

 

What shouldn't be in a cache?

 

Use your common sense in most cases. Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed in a cache. Respect the local laws. All ages of people hide and seek caches, so use some thought before placing an item into 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.

[Keystone]

No, I think this topic will do the most good right here in the "Getting Started" forum (although there was an identical topic just a month ago). The reasons being that new geocachers are, theoretically, the ones who need to be made aware of this common sense guideline, and also because the information on the website already attempts to publicize the guideline.

 

From the Cache Contents section of the Geocache Listing Requirements/Guidelines:

 

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 food items (or items that smell like food) are in the cache. Even the presence of mint flavored dental floss has led to destruction of one cache.

 

If the original cache contents list any of the above items or other questionable items, or if a cache is reported to have the questionable items, the cache may be disabled, and the owner of the cache will be contacted and asked to remove the questionable items before the cache is enabled.

 

From the Geocaching FAQ Page (linked from the "Getting Started" page):

 

What shouldn't be in a cache?

 

Use your common sense in most cases. Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed in a cache. Respect the local laws. All ages of people hide and seek caches, so use some thought before placing an item into 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 from the Guide to Hiding a Cache:

 

Do not put food in a cache! Critters have better noses than we do, and will bite, nibble or swallow your cache in an attempt to get to the goodies. Bottled water is a good alternative (and refreshing to geocachers).

 

Please! No alcohol, tobacco, firearms, prescription or illicit drugs. Let's keep this safe and legal.

 

I think you can write "no food in caches" in ten more places around the website, and people will still leave food in caches. It's hard to get folks to read lists of rules.

[+headmj]

Thanks folks. When I get a chance i will post a picture of the teeth marks

 

[+Miragee]

Oh, cool. What size are the teeth marks? Was the culprit a bear, or a chipmunk?

[+briansnat]

No food also includes dog biscuts, tightly sealed items like cans of soda, MREs and canned food. Also, scented items like candles, potpourri, incense and soap are a bad idea.

[+Thot]

No, I think this topic will do the most good right here in the "Getting Started" forum (although there was an identical topic just a month ago). The reasons being that new geocachers are, theoretically, the ones who need to be made aware of this common sense guideline, and also because the information on the website already attempts to publicize the guideline.

I agree. It's been so long since I read it all I didn't remember it was in all those places.

[+Lunaverse]

Not to mention what happens to food left in a cache for very long. We found a well-sealed sugar cane in a cache yesterday that was extremely nasty-looking. We felt we should remove it as trash, along with some paper items that were soggy.

 

The fact is, unless you live in the desert, caches have a very high chance of getting soggy. In 3 months, when cache items are covered in various kinds of fungus and moss, will any food item be appetizing or safe to eat?

 

Luna

[WH]

Even non-food items that smell such as scented candles, suntan lotion, incense sticks and so forth. These may not be food to us, but animals on the other hand....

[+Miragee]

In the Sierras, those are the things you are warned against taking into your tent at night because bears are attracted to anything scented, even toothpaste.

 

Inert, un-scented, non-edible things are the only things that belong in caches, IMHO.

[gridlox]

Then a cheeseburger theme cache probably wouldn't be a good idea, huh?

 

[+headmj]

The teeth were about an inch apart. MMMM Cheesburger!

[+Puckhoundz]

Thanks for the tip on the soda - I found a full can of Mt. Dew in a cache recently and thought about removing it but didnt.

[+Nyarlotep]

I'm working on creating my first cache, and you all have given me a good idea: inside the container, right on top of everything, a big hot-pink sign which reads something like "Do not leave anything edible or drinkable in this cache. No food, candy, gum, or pop". Maybe even have that printed on the outside somewhere.

[+bigdog999]

sadly enough, you'd think it would be common sense.

[+Team Cotati]

No, I think this topic will do the most good right here in the "Getting Started" forum (although there was an identical topic just a month ago). The reasons being that new geocachers are, theoretically, the ones who need to be made aware of this common sense guideline, and also because the information on the website already attempts to publicize the guideline.

 

From the Cache Contents section of the Geocache Listing Requirements/Guidelines:

 

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 food items (or items that smell like food) are in the cache. Even the presence of mint flavored dental floss has led to destruction of one cache.

 

If the original cache contents list any of the above items or other questionable items, or if a cache is reported to have the questionable items, the cache may be disabled, and the owner of the cache will be contacted and asked to remove the questionable items before the cache is enabled.

 

From the Geocaching FAQ Page (linked from the "Getting Started" page):

 

What shouldn't be in a cache?

 

Use your common sense in most cases. Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed in a cache. Respect the local laws. All ages of people hide and seek caches, so use some thought before placing an item into 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 from the Guide to Hiding a Cache:

 

Do not put food in a cache! Critters have better noses than we do, and will bite, nibble or swallow your cache in an attempt to get to the goodies. Bottled water is a good alternative (and refreshing to geocachers).

 

Please! No alcohol, tobacco, firearms, prescription or illicit drugs. Let's keep this safe and legal.

 

I think you can write "no food in caches" in ten more places around the website, and people will still leave food in caches. It's hard to get folks to read lists of rules.

"The reasons being that new geocachers are, theoretically, the ones who need to be made aware of this common sense guideline, and also because the information on the website already attempts to publicize the guideline."

 

And it appears as though this 'Mike' person has been around these parts for THREE years, give or take.

 

"I think this should be added to the how to place a cache instructions and the FAQ'S'"

 

Nubees....what ya gonna do, eh?

[+Miragee]

I'm working on creating my first cache, and you all have given me a good idea: inside the container, right on top of everything, a big hot-pink sign which reads something like "Do not leave anything edible or drinkable in this cache. No food, candy, gum, or pop". Maybe even have that printed on the outside somewhere.

Please, include the word "scented" in that list.

 

"Do not leave anything scented, edible or drinkable in this cache. No perfumes, lotions, scented candles, food, candy, gum, or pop, etc."

 

[+Lunaverse]

There was a bear caught near here last summer -- drinking beer. He had learned how to punch a hole in the cans with a claw. The beer was found passed out after comsuming 36 cans (six 6-packs) stolen from campers.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/17/yir.offbeat/index.html

http://www.digitalwinners.com/the_pub/bear.htm

 

So... no beer, either.

 

Luna

[+pwcorg]

There was a bear caught near here last summer -- drinking beer. He had learned how to punch a hole in the cans with a claw. The beer was found passed out after comsuming 36 cans (six 6-packs) stolen from campers.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/17/yir.offbeat/index.html

http://www.digitalwinners.com/the_pub/bear.htm

 

So... no beer, either.

 

Luna

If you really want to leave beer you can drop it by my house.

[+tands]

I know better than to leave food or drink in a cache, but....

 

How about bottled water?

 

No smell, sealed, plastic bottle won't blow up if it freezes...

 

So, I'm just tossing it out as an idea, and since it's water, I'm not afraid of flaming.

 

-T of TandS

[+Miragee]

I've read here that some people wouldn't take even a sealed bottle of water from a cache.

 

If it was out in the desert, and I was thirsty, I would grab it.

[+Team Cotati]

I know better than to leave food or drink in a cache, but....

 

How about bottled water?

 

No smell, sealed, plastic bottle won't blow up if it freezes...

 

So, I'm just tossing it out as an idea, and since it's water, I'm not afraid of flaming.

 

-T of TandS

Won't blow up if it freezes, 'eh? Must be that new high carbon type plastic. Or when you say "blow up" do you mean blow up as in turning the ammo can into lethal shards of olive drab shrapnel?

Edited May 2, 2005 by Team cotati697

[WH]

Won't blow up if it freezes, 'eh? Must be that new high carbon type plastic. Or when you say "blow up" do you mean blow up as in turning the ammo can into lethal shards of olive drab shrapnel?

Water expands when it freezes. If there is enough space for the water to expand within it's container during the freezing process, it won't explode.

[+EScout]

My sons like to put cans of soda in the freezer to cool. Occasionally they explode. Another thing to not put in caches is the bubble solution with wand. Nice thought but one just leaked in one of my caches. Very messy.

[A^2]

Dang. I need to go get that Brie out of that cache.

[+Marcie/Eric]

20 oz. bottled water will not burst when frozen. I've frozen them for years, and only if you refill them yourself [too full] will they freeze and burst. I've never cracked one frozen when it was cherry from the store. There's enough open space in there that they will take, and sometimes expand the bottle slightly.

 

Of course, once it freezes, other water will condense on it, freeze, and then when it defrosts, it will shed the condensation onto surrounding cache items. But they'll be in ziplocks, right?

Edited May 2, 2005 by Marcie/Eric

[+Team Cotati]

Won't blow up if it freezes, 'eh? Must be that new high carbon type plastic. Or when you say "blow up" do you mean blow up as in turning the ammo can into lethal shards of olive drab shrapnel?

Water expands when it freezes. If there is enough space for the water to expand within it's container during the freezing process, it won't explode.

IF an elephant had wings it would be a rather large bird..............IF

[gridlox]

Another thing to not put in caches is the bubble solution with wand. Nice thought but one just leaked in one of my caches. Very messy.

OK! It's out!

 

I had a cache ready to go that had some in it.

I was just thinking "stuff for kids" when I put it together since it's going to be in a kid friendly spot.

 

Thanks!

 

D-man

[+briansnat]

I know better than to leave food or drink in a cache, but....

 

How about bottled water?

 

No smell, sealed, plastic bottle won't blow up if it freezes...

 

So, I'm just tossing it out as an idea, and since it's water, I'm not afraid of flaming.

 

-T of TandS

Bottled water is OK, but not the greatest thing largely because it takes up a lot of room. I know of one geocacher who leaves bottles of water as a sig item, often next to the cache if they don't fit inside. After a few months they are dirty and nasty looking. But some people are grateful to find them.

 

I know one geocacher who was doing a series of 6 caches on a hot summer day that involved a long hike. He forgot to bring water, so was looking forward to each cache, where he downed the bottle of water left by this guy.

[Stony2008]

i heard that some peanut butters were OK (who know though).

[vfrpilot]

I remembered reading about the food before I even found my 1st & I've already removed mint flavored dental floss from a cache I found.

 

Why do they call it common sense? Because it isn't common.....

[+StarBrand]

I leave little 8oz waters at some of my caches - always in ziplocs - but they seem to survive the winter ok without breaking. Cachers that forgot water on a hot day sure appreciate it.

[darwinmay]

I'm sure a bottle of water would be lovely after hiking for a couple hours to find those really hard caches, or even a hot summer day in the park, but wouldn't you be wary about taking a bottle of water? I'm sure people here have good intentions, but what if someone, say a weirdo out for a walk, finds the cache and comes back with a spiked bottle of water?

[+StarBrand]

I'm sure a bottle of water would be lovely after hiking for a couple hours to find those really hard caches, or even a hot summer day in the park, but wouldn't you be wary about taking a bottle of water? I'm sure people here have good intentions, but what if someone, say a weirdo out for a walk, finds the cache and comes back with a spiked bottle of water?

What if a meteor falls from the sky and hits the cache??

 

I don't worry about it - if the seal looks good than I figure it is ok.

 

I take the same chance when I buy bottled water at the store - I don't know if some nut of an employee has "switched" the water either.

[+tands]

I freeze plastic water bottles to take on long hikes. So does about every cycler I know.

 

- T of TandS

[+PlasteredDragon]

I found a dog biscuit in a cache the other day... I took it out and threw it away. Bizarre!

 

What about playdough? It's not really edible but it does have a smell to it.

[+Cardinal Red]

Just checked on a Cache for someone today that had been found scattered on the ground during a rain storm. Found four items with teeth marks on them.

 

A plastic Spoon.

 

A plastic (empty) Easter Egg.

 

A plastic Container that probably came out of a Bubble Gum Machine.

 

The Eraser end of an ordinary Pencil.

 

None of them had any scent I could detect, but they got somethings attention.

[+Team Cotati]

Do ants have teeth?

[+BigFurryMonster]

This cache even has a Food theme --- you're supposed to leave food!

 

Of course, there are no bears in the Netherlands.

[+The Leprechauns]

What about playdough? It's not really edible but it does have a smell to it.

Markwell! Even the empty container is enough to attract critters, so I wouldn't leave the real thing.

[+Team Dromomania]

I have been freezing purchased bottled water for years and have never had one burst open or even leak after thawing.

 

A couple of weeks ago after about about a 2 mile 1800 foot climb hike to a cache which hadn't been found for a year I found the cache with several fruit bars and power bars. It had been found several times by mugglers who all liked the idea and traded with the only things they had with them. I pulled all the food items and left a bottled water. Yes, I do drink water I find in caches. Although they were not Twinkies I was surprised that the food items were still good. I ate well that hike.

 

The cache was located inside a small cave with poision oak at the entrance where you had to insert your upper body to reach the cache hidden by a large rock. Still, a lot more mugglers were logging this find than geocachers!

[+VegasCacheHounds]

Too bad not all cachers read the forums.

 

Our first day of caching we left a couple of candles in a cache. It wasn't until much later, while reading the forums, that I realized that was a bad idea. Nothing ever happened to the caches we put them in, but still...

[+Hoppingcrow]

I see a lot of people here in the Pacific Northwest who put a small citronella candle in their caches to keep the bugs at bay. I'm of two minds on this. Sure, it keeps the bugs out (sort of), but on the other hand, it does attract certain critters who really don't need their innards waxed.

 

There are also the folks who think that by making a joke out of a food item (marshmallows called "snowman seeds," for example), they remove it from the ranks of "food." Jeez. Talk about THICK! You got any idea how sticky marshmallows get when they sit in a wet cache?

[+EleriandBlade]

I found a dog biscuit in a cache the other day... I took it out and threw it away.  Bizarre!

I saw a dog biscuit in a cache recently, all sealed up and with a cute tag about it being for the 4 footed cachers. Guess they meant the chipmunks, too. Space Cadetted and forgot to take it out...but I did clean a very damp thing of tictacs from a cache this wekend. Stickyeeew.

 

There's also a cache in Spokane that specifially asks for candles and incense, so I suppose the cache owner is ready to deal with waxy messes. I did find some cute wine glass candles in a cache once. They'd been set upright, but they were very soft.

Edited May 24, 2005 by EleriandBlade

[+RockyRaab]

Someone here in northen Utah habitually leaves a few dog biscuits as swag - but I've never seen it logged as a leave. Found some in one of my own caches, which I promptly removed and threw away (properly, thank you).

 

Food is bad enough, but leaving something that's DESIGNED to appeal to critters? Sheesh!

[JohnX]

Just checked on a Cache for someone today that had been found scattered on the ground during a rain storm. Found four items with teeth marks on them.

 

A plastic Spoon.

 

A plastic (empty) Easter Egg.

 

A plastic Container that probably came out of a Bubble Gum Machine.

 

The Eraser end of an ordinary Pencil.

 

None of them had any scent I could detect, but they got somethings attention.

I had some sort of rodent chew holes in two plastic fuel cans I had in my shed over the winter. One even had gas in it. The diesel jug was empty. Animals will chew anything.