FEEDING
Welcome to the site. Is that avatar you looking in or you looking out?
I think that Nicole's method is the best, as the snake doesn't then associate the enclosure with food.
having said that, probably because I'm a lazy sod, I normally just chuck the food into the enclosure with the snake. Works for me and the snake! :wink:
However, I have, in the past, used both methods including holding the prey item with tongs in front of the snake, particular if the snake in question is a fussy eater. This applies to dead prey items.
I've found (with the notable exception of my new olive, who hasn't eaten a damn thing yet since I got him! :cry: ) that live prey always goes down a treat - they never hesitate to strike. However, be aware that as your snake grows, live prey above the size of, say, a weaner or furrie, can do damage to your snake if it isn't caught JUST right by the snake, so pre-killed or thawed frozen is the go there.
If you feed in the enclosure, I and several others have found that if you use a snake hook to retrieve the snake when NOT feeding, then the snake will associate the hook with a non-feeding event, and generally come out placidly.
.... but like I said, if you have the time and patience to wait while the snake finishes his dinner, Nicole's bucket trick is probably the best.
I'm sure others in the group will give you further (and probably better!) advice.
Hope that helps.