An angle that hasn't been mentioned on this thread; personally I think live feeding is needlessly cruel to the food animal.
I did live feedings long ago. I've seen it and I'm sure that the poor creature suffers. Snakes need to eat, and I have no great sympathy for rats, but all life deserves respect.
Since we need to feed snakes food animals, we should go to reasonable lengths to make sure that those food animals suffer as little as possible, if at all.
Of course, there can be extenuating circumstances, life is complicated. From what the OP said, live feedings seem like a necessary measure. I'm no absolutist.
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