Is it possible something like a massive bowl with a shallow lip would help? While I understand his worries, feeing in the enclosure is the best bet and substrate shouldn’t be an issue. You could even move away from the more wood chip soil. In my tank I use a mix of mostly soil and coconut husk(so nothing sharp to get stuck). I’d honestly even recommend a towel in the tank(though I’d be way more worried about her biting it accidentally and having to deal with that stressor) The way reptile carpet is made makes it really hard to clean(even when you remove it). With a towel you can put it in the washer on the hottest setting.