Feeding live inside the enclosure, do you remove the decor?

I tried feeding live inside the enclosure because I haven't got Moonlight to switch over to f/t yet and I don't like it for two reasons. I started feeding her in a separate tub when I got her because that was the prevailing wisdom when I stopped keeping snakes previously (years ago). She strikes within 10 seconds or so and goes straight to eating. Since coming to the forums I thought it would be good to feed inside the enclosure but when I tried, it took her 10 minutes to hunt and strike and that was after I took out the 'tree' that the snake was hiding behind. On top of that, the mouse was inside the enclosure chewing on everything, the tree before I took it out, the vines, spending a lot of time around the water bowl, and not to mention little poops dropping here and there (aspen substrate). Oh, and it is only a 10g tank and I am planning on getting her a 322D boaphile soon. Anyways, I just wanted to know if those of you that have a "keeper" set up remove your decor before dropping a live prey in? Thanks.

Drop the mouse in closer to the snake next time.

in the 10g, it is hard to imagine dropping the mouse in closer, especially since my corner water bowl takes up a good portion of the floor.

I don't remove anything and I give mine half-an-hour before I worry about it. There always seem to be little poops to clean up after, even if the strike comes quickly. If stuff has been chewed on, I haven't noticed. Good luck!

I lift up his hide, drop the mouse in front of him, and will poke the mouse with tongs to "herd" the mouse back near my Bp.

I take out drift wood and hide and drop mouse in. He also likes to hide in aspen i just pull him out set him back down and then mouse in.

I take everything out but the hide they are in and drop in the mouse or rat. All my snakes eat just fine that way.

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Thanks, I think I will remove the things, it should take too long and hopefully it won't disrupt her feeding response. Feeding her in a separate container doesn't seem stressful to her at all so I fed her outside again this last time. I would just like to get her where my boa is with feeding. He is on f/t and it is just so much easier. Thanks for letting me know what works for you!

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Originally Posted by ewaldrep

Thanks, I think I will remove the things, it should take too long and hopefully it won't disrupt her feeding response. Feeding her in a separate container doesn't seem stressful to her at all so I fed her outside again this last time. I would just like to get her where my boa is with feeding. He is on f/t and it is just so much easier. Thanks for letting me know what works for you!

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If she's eating happily in a separate container I don't see any reason to stop feeding that way. To answer your original question though, one of my males will only eat live rats, when he eats I take everything out but the water bowl. I want to be able to see the rat at all times since I am afraid of rat on snake violence, and if I can see what is happening there's a chance I can interfere before real harm is done. My female however is quite shy (and on fresh killed so way less risky) so I leave everything in just in case she wants to eat in a nice private hide.

id just feed them in a tub its easer to clean afterwards ;)