Hamstercaching, a little known branch of geocaching
has been around for a few years now. When our interest was piqued
earlier this year we were shocked to find that there were no
Hamstercaches within an 8 hour drive of home so after several
months of extensive research and experimentation we feel we are
ready to finally bring Hamstercaching to Scotland.
There are many considerations which need to be
taken into account.
Air: We initially
tried setting the cache with a common syrian hamster however their
breathing rate is much to high to sustain life for more than 4 days
in a partly filled 1 litre box. We attempted this several times
using different cache sizes and although one could last almost a
week in a 1.5 litre container, we were disappointed at a mortality
rate of only 18 hours in 350ml container. It wasn't a pleasant
experience opening the smaller boxes after our 3 week holiday even
with the pure oxygen suppy in the box. We have finally created a
cross-breed hamster, the slow breathing Cricetinae
Scubii , which can hoard its oxygen supply in glands along
the length of its back giving an estimated 8-10 weeks before
requiring an air change. Please however give the hamsters a few
minutes to breathe in the fresh air when opening the cache.
Temperature: Only
certain varieties of hamsters can survive for any time below 0°C
even with their furry little bodies so we have had to choose
varieties carefully. Luckily several lesser known varieties of
hamster will go into a hibernation state when the temperature
reaches approx 5°C so by experimenting with these varieties we have
solved the problem of the long Scottish winters. This solution has
a secondary plus point - when these hamsters hibernate they enter a
state of suspended animation thereby allowing them to survive for
up to 5 years instead of the normal 2. We believe that on a high
mountain, with snow on the peak until late in the year, a
hamstercache could sustain a single hamster for up 7 or 8
years.
Sustenance: Due to the
hamsters normal behaviour, they will hoard food within their
pouches (the name hamster is derived from the German word hamstem
meaning to hoard) ensuring that they always have a supply of
nutrients. We estimate that condensation created by their breathing
should ensure they have enough water to sustain them although if
you find the cache on a rainy day, please try and let the hamsters
drink some of the fresh water readily available.
Amusement: We have
found that hamsters by nature prefer to spend their time in dark,
enclosed spaces so by filling their cache with information
leaflets, logbook etc we have managed to cram them into as small a
space as possible and therefore making them as comfortable as they
would be if out in the wild. In fact when in the wild hamsters will
burrow and live underground so this hamstercache is creating as
natural environment as possible therefore letting these tame
hamsters live safely and happily.
Reproduction: We
believe that hamsters kept in such ideal conditions will be only
too happy to do what hamsters do best. We are therefore attempting
to create here the first ever self-sustaining hamstercache with
hopefully a good supply of young hamsters through the busy summer
months for those cachers wishing to create their own hamstercaches.
The resident hamsters Kate (female) and Suffa (male) have been
specially selected to produce only the best young hamsters who with
minimal training will be suitable to move straight into a new lock
and lock box. The breeding season for hamsters lasts
between April and October so if searching for the hamstercache
during these months would you please discretely cough before
picking up the cache to give the Suffa & Kate some warning of
your approach.
Obviously we have had to give Suffa and Kate an
extensive training programme to ensure they they are up to the
demands of a hamstercache hamster (It's not just any hamster that
can live for months on end in a small plastic box with only its
mate for company). We ask that these hamsters are not swapped out
of the cache, however they are friendly little hamsters who enjoy
human interaction. Please post photographs of you with the hamsters
so we can be happy in the knowledge that they are living full and
happy lives. There are several information leaflets in the cache
giving more information on hamstercaching - please take one.
Warning!! - a film canister is not suitable for a
hamstercache - not only are they not waterproof (nobody wants a
cold, wet sneezing hamster as a swap do they?) but it is possible
for the hamster to gnaw through the softer plastic lids.
Cache is a 1.5 litre hamster cage with lock tabs for hamster
security. No swaps although there are hamstercaching information
leaflets to take away.
For more information on hamstercaching please see:
http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=71
**Mega Scotland does not endorse this cache or accept
responsibility for any hamsters contained within.**