Feeding a Ball Python without Tongs? Good idea?

[nybaby]

Hi!

I have a baby male Ball Python. I only had him for two weeks. He's been a good eater so far. The first week I didn't want to stress him out so I just let him eat in his enclosure. I didn't have tongs either so I threw the frozen-thawed pinkie mouse in the cage just to see if he would eat it until I could get to the store to buy tongs. To my surprise he did. This week's feeding, which was his second since I got him, I did the right way. I pick him up, placed him in a separate container, and picked up the pinkie mouse with tongs, and he striked real well. I had no problem at all.

I was wondering though, should I continue to use tongs or should I sorta just throw it in the container like I did the first time? I known all the books and videos show using the tongs method but I don't him to get the idea that he should strike anything that hovers over his head especially when it could be my fingers when I go into his enclosure to change his water.

Has anyone done this before? Do you think I should continue feeding him with tongs? Will using the tongs encourage him to strike at people?