feeding question

has anyone ever tried putting a piece of newspaper down over loose substrate and feeding on top of that to try to prevent ingestion of reptibark and the like? I'd like to use reptibark and can totally feed in a seperate container, but if I can avoid that i'd like to.

I'm sure you could do that. But remember, unless you're taking everything out of the aquarium before feeding, the newspaper would also be going over the hides, decorations, and water dish(es). Might be more trouble than its worth.:wink:

You could probably just temporarily sweep the substrate over to one side if you're really worried the bp will ingest the substrate around it while eating.

just feed outside of the enclosure if you use loose substrate.

Before I was sure it was safe to feed on my substrate, I put down a paper-towel and set the mouse on that. It worked well.

I feed outside of Jojo's enclosure. I have a seperate sterilite with some repticarpet in it. I clean it after every meal this way the enclosure doesnt smell like prey when i put him in there thus not activating a feeding response and biting me by mistake and also so he don't ingest the substrate or waste left behind by the last rat. I have aspen bedding in his primary enclosure.

I feed in a seperate box, its the long bankers box type. Damien, I actually NEVER clean that box out because I think the prey smell inside actually stimulates Amber's feeding response. Once I put her in there, she immediately knows its time to eat, before I even drop the mouse in. I'm hoping this will make the switch to rats easier as well, with mouse smell everywhere around her.

I throw the box away and use a new one about once a month; smell is one thing, germs are another.

Smynx lays a paper towel over aspen and puts the prey item there - she's never had a problem doing that.