My female Pastel BP, Sunny, has always eaten live. She ate F/T once the first week I had her and then refused from there out so that's when we did the switch. I've never had a problem with her. She eats like a champ. Such a big champ that in the past 2 months she has attempted to eat her rat without fully killing it! Both times she struck it, and after a good length of time she released and started to grab the rat for eating. The first time, I went to check on my other snakes (I normally feed 2 at a time so it's faster), and when she got the shoulders I realized it as still breathing! It did wriggle a little bit and then when she realized it wasn't dead she curled it again and then killed it. Today however, this rat put up a fight, and she shook it a bit and then continued to swallow! It did die, i shook it's feet and when there was no movement or any resistance that's when I agreed it had died but has anyone else EVER encountered this? She's my first female ball python, and my 6th snake, and I would be devastated if something ever happened. She's always been a vicious eater but a sweetheart to handle so I'm a little amazed by this. I mean when she was just a hatchling she always drew blood and never hesitated. Anyone have any recommendations?