Keeping animal out of cache containers

[+the pooks]

Any idea to discourage animals from meddling with cache containers. I am thinking of baboons - there is no way a human can hide a container that a baboon cannot get to (some baboons are more clever than humans, and humans often act like baboons).

 

Moth balls used to keep moths from clothes might put animals off.

 

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

[+Indotguy]

Have you considered tethering a Leopard nearby?

[+GEO.JOE]

Have you considered tethering a Leopard nearby?

 

I think that would keep more than Baboons away

 

However, the scent of a predator may do the trick. If you can get the fir from a big cat or other prey animal that the baboons fear you can tether that nearby to see how that works. I have seen canvas bags of dog/cat hair and moth balls sold to keep squirrels away (can't say if it works but I have been told to dog hair in gardens to keep rabbits out since I was a kid). I think if the baboons found the moth balls offensive they would probably just throw them far enough away they could not smell them, but hopefully they will just avoid an area that smells like something that will eat them.

Joe

[+Snoogans]

WOW! A question I haven't seen a thousand times before. Refreshing.

 

Have you considered tethering a Leopard nearby?

 

That might not be so far fetched......

 

Baboons leave in troops of up to 40 or 50 individuals, congregating at nigh in a chosen tree or cliff, where they sleep, and from which they descend in the morning to look for food. They never travel too far from their sleeping spots, not more than 1 or 2 kilometers, but they normally have more than one of these sleeping-sites, within their territory, that they use on a rotation basis.

Spending most of the daylight hours on the ground, Baboons are very exposed to predators, Leopard in particular. They have a very good hearing and eyesight.

Baboons are always on the alert, very often associating with other animals, like Impala. If a predator approaches, the males give the alarm bark, and all the troop will go up the tree or trees; if no trees available, the vulnerable members of the troop will congregate in the center of the group, with the males on the outside.

 

A large wooden mock jaguar might do the trick as long as it is not placed along a common trail the baboons use. It might make a fun cache theme....

 

I've seen footage of a troop of baboons attacking a stuffed, REAL jaguar when it was placed along the troop's regular path to a water hole. If it was off their path, I'd bet they'd steer clear of it.

 

 

However, I'd just padlock an ammo can a put a chain on it to keep the baboons from dragging it off.

[+sbell111]

Oops.

 

I thought this was another hamster thread.

 

Closer to topic (but not quite there), our local zoo has a similar problem. Their Gibbon habitat is located on a small island. Unfortunately, the gibbons have figured out how to get off the island. Luckily, no visitors have been attacked by the animals, but a couple keepers have. Perhaps they should surround the gibbon habitat with a jaguar habitat.

Edited September 5, 2007 by sbell111

[+Snoogans]

. Perhpas they should surround the gibbon habitat with a jaguar habitat.

 

Ummmm, maybe not. Jaguars dig water.

 

[+sbell111]

. Perhaps they should surround the gibbon habitat with a jaguar habitat.

 

Ummmm, maybe not. Jaguars dig water.

 

It sure would cut down on the number of gibbons roaming the zoo, however. Now we just have to figure out what to surround the jaguars with. What is the jaguar's biggest threat. Oh, I remember. It's people.

Edited September 5, 2007 by sbell111

[+Snoogans]

. Perhpas they should surround the gibbon habitat with a jaguar habitat.

 

Ummmm, maybe not. Jaguars dig water.

 

It sure would cut down on the number of gibbons roaming the zoo, however. Now we just have to figure out what to surround the jaguars with. What is the jaguar's biggest threat. Oh, I remember. It's people.

 

I betcha this guy

 

 

or this guy

 

 

could keep those monkeys on that island.

[+cache_test_dummies]

In the jungle near your cache, place a large number of ammo cans, each of which is chained to a tree, and has a baboon-paw sized hole cut in the top. Put some rice in each of these ammo cans. As they approach the area of your cache, the baboons, attracted by the smell of rice, will reach in through the holes in the ammo cans to grab what they assume will be a free meal, but their clenched fists will be too large to allow their paws to make it back out of the hole. Unwilling to drop the rice, they will be trapped, and will be unable to vandalize your cache.

 

The problem is that when a geocacher later approaches the cache area, the trapped baboons will likely fling poo at them using their free hand.

 

[+Kit Fox]

Any idea to discourage animals from meddling with cache containers. I am thinking of baboons - there is no way a human can hide a container that a baboon cannot get to (some baboons are more clever than humans, and humans often act like baboons).

 

Moth balls used to keep moths from clothes might put animals off.

 

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

 

Bear Resistant containers like These Might foil a babboon, and so would a US military ammo can, modified with a pad lock. A digital recorder programmed to play the alarm call of the male babboon might work, but some electronics knowledge would be needed.

 

WOW! A question I haven't seen a thousand times before. Refreshing.

 

A large wooden mock jaguar might do the trick as long as it is not placed along a common trail the baboons use. It might make a fun cache theme....

 

I've seen footage of a troop of baboons attacking a stuffed, REAL jaguar when it was placed along the troop's regular path to a water hole. If it was off their path, I'd bet they'd steer clear of it.

 

However, I'd just padlock an ammo can a put a chain on it to keep the baboons from dragging it off.

 

Jaguar are native to southern Arizona down to South America. Didn't you mean "Mock Leopard?"

[+sbell111]

WOW! A question I haven't seen a thousand times before. Refreshing.

 

A large wooden mock jaguar might do the trick as long as it is not placed along a common trail the baboons use. It might make a fun cache theme....

 

I've seen footage of a troop of baboons attacking a stuffed, REAL jaguar when it was placed along the troop's regular path to a water hole. If it was off their path, I'd bet they'd steer clear of it.

 

However, I'd just padlock an ammo can a put a chain on it to keep the baboons from dragging it off.

Jaguar are native to southern Arizona down to South America. Didn't you mean "Mock Leopard?"

I'm from the US, but I still like food from other parts of the world.

[+wesleykey]

Oops.

 

I thought this was another hamster thread.

 

Hamsters brought up after only 5 posts. Good job!

[+StarBrand]

Some kind of eternal circle of flame???

 

 

naw - might giveaway the location.

[+Driver Carries Cache]

My only problem with the baboons is that they write lousy logs.

 

DCC

[+sbell111]

My only problem with the baboons is that they write lousy logs.

 

DCC

Took McToy, Left poo.

[+mousekakat]

Hubby says that if moth balls work for moths, baboon balls should work for scaring away baboons... at least the male ones... the female ones might actually either be attracted... or... depending on their male, tempted to add more to the cache!

[+briansnat]

They may be smart but unless they can figure out a combination I doubt they can get inside this:

 

[+Team GeoBlast]

Any idea to discourage animals from meddling with cache containers. I am thinking of baboons - there is no way a human can hide a container that a baboon cannot get to (some baboons are more clever than humans, and humans often act like baboons).

 

Moth balls used to keep moths from clothes might put animals off.

 

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

 

Assuming your question is more serious than most of the replies you've gotten, this is a mighty interesting problem. I am very curious to know if you have ever had a cache muggled by baboons? If so, would you please share the story?

 

FWIW...I think the padlock and chain suggestion is your best bet.

[+Mule Ears]

Any countermeasure designed to outsmart a baboon would also thwart most Geocachers.

[adampierson]

Any countermeasure designed to outsmart a baboon would also thwart most Geocachers.

 

Schedule a geocache event nearby the cache

That will most certainly keep the baboons away and and not thwart Geocahers!

 

[+the pooks]

Any idea to discourage animals from meddling with cache containers. I am thinking of baboons - there is no way a human can hide a container that a baboon cannot get to (some baboons are more clever than humans, and humans often act like baboons).

 

Moth balls used to keep moths from clothes might put animals off.

 

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

 

Assuming your question is more serious than most of the replies you've gotten, this is a mighty interesting problem. I am very curious to know if you have ever had a cache muggled by baboons? If so, would you please share the story?

 

FWIW...I think the padlock and chain suggestion is your best bet.

 

I haven't had personal experience on baboon muggling, but common sense made me think that it is highly likely that a baboon would want to and is quite capable of opening a container left for caching purposes. I thought an offputting smell (for baboons) would be sufficient and wanted to test the opinion of the community.

 

Human mugglers are most likely the most detrimental to the sport (as they are to the rest of the planet!)

[adampierson]

Any countermeasure designed to outsmart a baboon would also thwart most Geocachers.

 

Schedule a geocache event nearby the cache

That will most certainly keep the baboons away and and not thwart Geocahers!

 

[+team moxiepup]

I seem to recall seeing a nature documentary in which baboons were none too fond of snakes.

 

Try taking a large rubber snake, and attaching it to the cache with some fishing line. When the Baboon goes to grab the cache, it will make the snake "move", scaring the bejeezus out of the baboon, causing him/her to run away from the cache.

 

This could also work well on humans...

[GPS-Hermit]

I used moth flakes to deter a skunk from a crawl space and it worked quite well. Someone else might comment on how environmentally friendly Moth flakes are. Works on Cats and Deer in flower beds too! Animals really don't like that smell at all. It last alot longer than amonia which also works for about one night. In general sharp teeth have little problem getting thru plastic, rounded edges are a big help.

Allergies to moth flakes ??? Don't know!

[adampierson]

I used moth flakes to deter a skunk from a crawl space and it worked quite well. Someone else might comment on how environmentally friendly Moth flakes are. Works on Cats and Deer in flower beds too!

 

<snip>

 

Moth flakes? Are these anything like moth balls? If so, keep in mind moth balls and plastics don't do well, the plastics don't do well together - moth balls tend to melt plastics.

[GPS-Hermit]

I used moth flakes to deter a skunk from a crawl space and it worked quite well. Someone else might comment on how environmentally friendly Moth flakes are. Works on Cats and Deer in flower beds too!

 

<snip>

 

Moth flakes? Are these anything like moth balls? If so, keep in mind moth balls and plastics don't do well, the plastics don't do well together - moth balls tend to melt plastics.

 

Moth Flakes are the same as Moth Balls just different shape ( flat chips )

Thanks for the warning on the plastic

[+Harry Dolphin]

I used moth flakes to deter a skunk from a crawl space and it worked quite well. Someone else might comment on how environmentally friendly Moth flakes are. Works on Cats and Deer in flower beds too! Animals really don't like that smell at all. It last alot longer than amonia which also works for about one night. In general sharp teeth have little problem getting thru plastic, rounded edges are a big help.

Allergies to moth flakes ??? Don't know!

 

Now, you've gone and done it. We'll hear from the people with allegies to naphthalene.

[GPS-Hermit]

I used moth flakes to deter a skunk from a crawl space and it worked quite well. Someone else might comment on how environmentally friendly Moth flakes are. Works on Cats and Deer in flower beds too! Animals really don't like that smell at all. It last alot longer than amonia which also works for about one night. In general sharp teeth have little problem getting thru plastic, rounded edges are a big help.

Allergies to moth flakes ??? Don't know!

 

Now, you've gone and done it. We'll hear from the people with allegies to naphthalene.

 

Oh! Yeah! Well what about animals with allergies to peoples hand lotion. Poor little fellows who stands up for them.